The music industry is saturated with one-hit wonders, musicians that go viral on TikTok as part of the newest trend, and bands with casual followers. But music-makers with a true, loyal fan base and not just people that know of one song, are far and in few in between. We are going to give you some tips how to build a loyal fan base for your music.
Being able to transform those occasional followers into true fans is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to a musician’s success. But if you crack the code, you’re looking at achieving a long-lasting calling within the music industry.
Show Your True Self
Gone are the days when just being talented was enough to bypass everything else. Talent is important, but passion and honesty are even more valuable. And it makes sense too. If people understand who you are and what you’re about they’re more willing to like you than an unachievable, too-good-to-be-true singer or band. People don’t want perfection, they want real.
The best place to showcase all this is your social media channels. Instagram, YouTube, Twitter – just to name a few. It’s a great place to redirect all the outside spots people might have found you from like a Spotify playlist, a TikTok snippet, or a radio spin. Once you have them as a follower on social media it’s much easier to show them who you are and have them take the leap from follower to fan. Need some ideas of what to post to get you started? Here are a few:
- Q&A. Give the people what they want, which is getting to know you better as a person. Open up your IG stories for questions once a week and share yourself more with the people who already enjoy your music.
- Backstage Content. We all like having a little peek behind the curtain. Showing your songwriting or recording process, what it looks like to prep for a show, or what your album cover photoshoot is like are all great ideas.
- Real-Life Action. Don’t just share music-related content, people want to know who you are outside of that too. It’s as simple as posting pictures of you hanging out with your friends, chilling with your pet, or enjoying a hobby. Don’t be scared to post stuff that you find funny or inspiring!
Connect With Your Fans
With so many artists and music coming out every single day, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd and build a loyal fan base. However, people are more likely to become loyal fans if they feel connected with you. It’s key to interact with them on a regular basis. No one likes an aloof and self-absorbed artist, and if we take a look at some of the biggest names in the industry today (the ones with passionate fans who will basically go to war in their name) they all have one thing in common. They spent the early days of their careers building close relationships with their fans.
A great example of this is the Korean Kpop band BTS. While their music or style might not be your vibe, you can’t deny that their fans are some of the most passionate followers out there. Their fanbase name isn’t ARMY for nothing. The group has won 370 awards during the past few years and has been the first Korean group to be nominated for a Grammy. They achieved this because they were constantly interacting with their fans online via live video recordings, posting about their daily life outside of music, and responding to comments and posts from fans. Following their lead is bound to get you true fans as well.
