What if your boss or potential employer measured you on your success with digital? Many of us already feel the pressure to gain likes and follows, increase website traffic, and engage fans in conversation online.
A recent article in Ad Age called “What Brands Can Learn From Bands About Social Marketing” highlights social media success in the music industry. Creativity with social media, online content and fan engagement are criteria now considered by record labels before signing new artists.
Like musicians, our job in radio is to engage our audience (both on-air and online). Here are a few social media tips from bands:
- “What’s in it for the fan should always be top of mind.” This should be the first question in your online content filter. If there is nothing in it for the listener, don’t share it.
- Get to know your P1 listeners. Set aside time each day to respond personally to listeners who reach out to you online. Saying “Thanks for listening” doesn’t count. Create conversations. Build relationships.
- At station events and concerts, post photos of the crowd on Facebook. Encourage the audience to tag themselves. This easy idea creates mass exposure on Facebook while also promoting the artist, venue and sponsor, as well.
- Encourage listeners to upload pictures of station events or concerts to your website. Set it up in advance so listeners can upload pictures in real time from their mobile phones.
- Create a social media promotion for your next concert or event. For example, save the best pair of concert tickets and do a “Tweet your seat for an upgrade” contest at the beginning of the show.
- Let listeners submit questions for celeb interviews via Facebook and Twitter.
- Create a Twitter hashtag and facilitate a live chat with an artist after the interview.