Fan shoutouts are a free, effective way to engage and grow a fanbase

Amanda Palmer pioneered the practice, and many other artists, including Bad Bunny and Taylor Swift, have perfected it. Social media shoutouts to fans are a simple, incredibly effective, and free way to engage and grow a fanbase.

Saying thank you to fans is a start.

But the real magic happens when the artist goes a step further to wish the fan a happy birthday, congratulate them on a new job or console them after a tough breakup.

Start with active fans reacting to posts, but just a few minutes of digging will tell you who all of your followers are on most platforms. A quick look at their accounts is likely to reveal a personal moment or milestone that they shared online.

Reshare that picture of a party outfit with a positive comment, and you have a fan for life. As word of the largesse spreads online, it’s inevitable that new fans will discover and follow as well.

Many artists also do shoutouts to fans live from the stage at shows.

Then there was the time that Taylor Swift showed up unannounced and sang at an engagements party…

Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.