70-20-10: Promoting Your Music On Social Media
(By Marisa Frydman)
I’m going to go ahead and say it, social media is utterly fantastic. Never has a particular piece of technology made it so easy for one person to connect with anyone or anything else. Because of digital outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, people are able to take part in conversations with international brands, world renown politicians, and of course, their favorite musicians.
The connection from musician to fan is seamless today, and it is for everyone else as well. So how can an indie musician stand out? How can one great band become more noticeable than the other if everyone has the same access to music technology and communication? The secret to knowing how to stand out is by following the promotional rule of 70-20-10.
This handy numeric rule of 70-20-10 is one of the best devices to use to build your brand and promote your music on social media outlets. It’s a great way to keep your fans engaged, form relationships with others in the industry, and put your music out there for the world to hear. Follow these guidelines and you will engage your core fan base and attract new listeners.
70-20-10
70 Percent Of Your Content Is Building Your Brand
This is how you tell your story and keep in contact with your fans. 70 percent of what you post should consist of your band’s personality, sense of humor, and anything else that will help your fans to get to know you better. This content could be a blog post from the road, a funny picture of you and your band joking around back stage, or a sneak peak of a song you are working on. Fans will see this content as a window into your life and they will appreciate your music even more. With this content, you will keep your core base and open the lines of communication.
70-20-10
20 Percent Of Your Content Is Cross Promotion
Cross-promotional content is a great yet very underutilized tool. Use these posts to network with other musicians, venues, or potential media sources. For example, give your friend’s band a shout out if they just kicked off a tour, or link an interesting article from a blog that reviewed your music. Not only will your posts be appreciated but you will reach a new audience and attract potential listeners as well.
70-20-10
10 Percent Of Your Content Is Self-Promotion
Ah, shameless self promotion. Here (and only here) is where you sell your music, concert tickets, and merch. 10 percent of your content is allotted for posting about when tickets to your next show are available and where one can download your new music. This can be a bit tricky as there is a fine line between building your brand and selling your “product”. Just remember that this content is where you encourage your audience to buy what you are selling instead of communicating about how it came to fruition. Trust me, your fans will appreciate your work much more through prose than sales pitch.
To summarize, the 70-20-10 rule is a great one to abide by as an indie musician starting out. Soundudes can help you navigate this social formula by promoting the best parts of your musical brand through digital outlets and growing your core fan base organically (because nobody likes a fake fan). Concentrate on new music, generate eye-catching digital content, and we’ll handle the rest.