How to Use Small Shows to Create Big Content

How and why local artists and bands should amplify their impact by turning every live show (yes even the tiny ones) into a social media content-creation engine to help power future bookings.

Transform Your Live Shows (Yes, Even the Tiny Ones) Into Impactful Content

By Carlo Kiksen of The Fanbase Builder

Early-phase acts might only play a few times a year. A single show can be their biggest marketing moment. That’s why every gig deserves a plan.

Why it matters

For touring artists, a show is just one of many. But in the early phase of an artist’s career, every public moment counts.

For them, a single show is more than just a gig. Each show offers proof of progress, energy, and community.

Since smaller artists have fewer moments to share, every gig becomes a marketing opportunity. That’s why it’s valuable for early artists to turn their show into a content engine. Capturing it well keeps momentum going between releases and helps new fans see what’s emerging.

How it works

Artists can sustain their gig afterwards by investing in content creation without losing focus on the performance itself. They should forget the camera while on stage and dedicate their energy to delivering an epic show.

The key is to plan ahead and outsource content creation. Make a wish list of shots and enlist a friend or fellow artist to handle the content production.

There’s no need for professional gear. A phone and a good eye are enough. Some ideas for clips:

• Before the show: Film small things: arriving, unloading, waiting, soundcheck, diner, pre-show rituals. These clips show process and authenticity.
• During the show: Capture at least one wide shot, one crowd angle, and one close-up. Don’t overdo it; there’s no need to record the entire performance. A dozen shots are sufficient. Record the sound on a separate device plugged into the mixer.
  Go deeper: Include at least one moment in the show that boosts crowd participation, and ensure it is filmed. Whether energetic or emotional, an engaged crowd looks good on video and provides the artist with some social proof.
• After the show: Fans love the afterglow. Capture the first moments off-stage, a sweaty recap, after-show cheers. It closes the story while the emotion is high.

Then, repurpose the content into a short reel/TikTok, a voiceover video, a series of stories, a carousel, a quote post, a BTS video, a teaser for the next gig, a lessons learned video, a newsletter GIF, a longer-form recap video, a short video to include in booking pitches, a live photo for the press kit, B-roll for a future project, and so on.

Yes, but..

It can feel staged to strategize content around a show. Instead, treat the show as a marketing opportunity: Preserve real energy from the gig and use it to show that things are happening. Now, we’re building momentum.

Take action now

For artists who have scheduled a show in the coming weeks, it’s simple: follow the above guidelines.

Still, they could also follow my advice for artists without upcoming shows: try to invest in the scene or community by proactively offering fellow artists to handle their content creation duties at their next show.

It might provide some insights about content creation and build leverage to get the favour returned at a later stage.

Further reading

• How to fill a room at showcase festivals (The Fanbase Builder)
• Why people talk through concerts (The Fanbase Builder)
• When artists should make, buy, or ally (The Fanbase Builder)
• Artists can create momentum by making things happen (The Fanbase Builder)
• The anti-content strategy (The Fanbase Builder)
• How major platforms uniquely evaluate content (The Fanbase Builder)

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