How Singers & Songwriters Can Build a Social Media Following

How Singers & Songwriters Can Build a Social Media Following

Decades from now, music scholars will think of the record industry in two eras: pre-Internet and post-Internet. Before the birth of the Internet, large record companies plucked bands from obscurity and turned them into stars. They helped young bands pay for music videos, tours, and the records themselves, hiring hotshot producers, songwriters, and session musicians create albums that would hopefully sell millions of copies. And of course, bands owed much of that money back to them, which made it difficult for anyone to get blazingly rich off becoming a rock star, save for the lucky ones that were shown on MTV all the time.

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Pre- and Post-Internet

But then the Internet happened. The world was introduced to entities like Napster, Limewire, the Pirate Bay, and iTunes. Suddenly the music industry was in disarray. People were stealing music. No one wanted to buy physical music merchandize, things like CDs and concert DVDs. And of course, MTV stopped playing music videos.

But in many ways, this leveled the playing field and made it interesting, giving us the music we have today. Bands don’t need MTV to show off their videos when they have the wide reach of YouTube and Vimeo at their disposal. A young kid in Florida can make a futuristic dance record on his Macbook with Garage Band or another similar program. And anyone can release a batch of MP3s to the world marketplace on their on Soundcloud page or Tumblr. Best of all, none of this stuff costs very much.

So how can a young singer, songwriter, or musician use the Internet-namely social media-to build a following? Here are 5 tips.


Pre- and Post-Internet


Make Your MusicAvailable EverywhereWhether you’re a beginning musician or a stadium-packing superstar, the key to success as a musician relies on giving people access to your music. In order to do this, you need to create accounts on music-minded social platforms.

Bandcamp and Soundcloud are examples of two sites that allow musicians to post their music and interact with fans. These platforms are primarily places where musicians post new music for fans to stream or download, but you can also post tour dates, share your band photos or bio, or even fundraise.

On a site like Soundcloud, you have two options: you can either let people stream your music or offer it to them to download. Generally, it’s a good idea to let them download

your music so they can add it to their music library and listen anywhere. Don’t forget to include some sort of cover art. Even though you might never press a record or sell a CD, albums in the digital age still have artwork.

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Use the Triedand True Platforms

Once you’ve established a presence on Soundcloud and other music-minded social platforms, you’ll need to make sure your band is EVERYWHERE on social. That means you need to create a Twitter feed, Facebook page, Instagram feed, Tumblr (or other site), and maybe even a Vine or Snapchat account.

These platforms serve various purposes. First off, they allow you to tell the story of your band. Fifteen years ago, MTV would follow bands with video cameras while they were on tour and create rockumentaries; Spin and Rolling Stone would publish photos and short interviews with bands introducing them to the world.

But in this day and age, you are your own MTV, Spin, and Rolling Stone. So start showing the world who you are!

If you’re on tour, take lots of videos and upload them to your Instagram page. Want to give fans a peek at how you practice? Set up a live broadcast on Periscope and let the world watch. Bored while spending hours in the van between shows? Tweet a picture of that questionable chilidog you bought at the truck stop back there.

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Use the Triedand True PlatformsFor most people, the life of a musician or band is thrilling and exotic, even when you’re doing decidedly boring things like eating a chili-dog in a van before your show in Topeka. Still, all of this adds up to a wonderful document of your career that is fun to share with fans, friends, and your future self.

Twitter, Facebook, and other social platforms can also come in handy when you want to get the word out about certain things. A single tweet can help you find a place to crash, a show to replace one that was cancelled, or track down gear in the awful event that it gets stolen. And of course, these platforms are great at letting people know when you have new music out. Of all the traditional platforms, YouTube might be the one that’s most music-minded. Your music-focused YouTube

page should be less focused on fun videos of you and your bandmates wrestling backstage and more focused on music, videos, and live performances. As with any platform, make sure you monitor the comments and watch your number of views to see which content is resonating most strongly with your audience.


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If you’re at all serious about being in a band, you may want to hire a PR person to help you get your name out there through the more traditional media channels. PR people are the original “social media.” They work hard to make connections that open doors for you. You may be able to get some smaller websites and publications to notice your band through your own efforts, but in order to get the attention of any of the big guys-places like Pitchfork, Stereogum, or the - you’ll probably need the help of a publicist.

To find a publicist, think about what existing bands you like. If you’re a relatively new act, you should probably think of a band that is slightly more successful than you, but still considered up-and-coming. Chances are their moderate success had a lot to do with hiring a PR person. Then find out who that person is and see if they’ll work with you.


Get PR MindedPR relationships can take a variety of forms. For instance, if you are looking to generate interest in a new album or upcoming tour, you can work with a PR person for a month or two on promotion. Your other option is to have an ongoing relationship where they help you with everything - tour announcements, album announcements, and getting publications to interview you or post your songs.

This is where establishing a presence on sites like Soundcloud, Twitter, and Instagram will come in handy. A PR person or editor at a major music website will almost certainly do research on your band to see if you’re someone they’d like to promote or work with.By establishing a strong social presence, you’re setting yourself up for success.

Tour, Tour, TourAlanis Morissette’s debut album Jagged Little Pill sold an amazing 7.3 million copies in 1996, making it the biggest seller of that year. Fast forward to 2014 and our biggest seller is 1989 by Taylor Swift with 3.6 million copies sold, a feat that was considered astonishing by music insiders, even though Swift’s record sales came in at under half of what Morissette’s did.

So what does this mean? It means that people aren’t buying albums like they used to, which means artists need to find other ways to make money other than record sells. The best way to do that is by touring.

You may think you need a private jet or a fancy buss to tour, but honestly, any form of transportation that will take you from one city to another will work. Are you a solo artist? Pack up your Volkswagen Golf and hit the road. Are you in a four or five person band? Buy a used van off Craigslist and sail off into the sunset.


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Tour, Tour, TourSetting up a tour is hard work, but it’s not impossible. If you’re a beginning band or musician, the easiest thing to do is tour with another act. If the act already has their dates lined up, all you have to do is go along for the ride. If you’re going out on your own, think about where you’d like to tour (the Midwest, West Coast, the American South) and look for venues that would be willing to slip you on to an existing bill. If you’re more established, you may find luck working with a professional booker who already has relationships with venues and can line you up a nice tour.

Once you’re on the road, use social media to your advantage. Tweet a friendly hello at that band you’ll be playing with in Oklahoma next Tuesday, or figure out the best place to get a cheap dinner. Stuck in Asbury Park with no place to stay? Scan your Facebook fan page for locals who might be willing to let you crash on their couch.


Remember ThatHard Work Pays Off

Setting up a tour is hard work, but it’s not impossible. If you’re a beginning band or musician, the easiest thing to do is tour with another act. If the act already has their dates lined up, all you have to do is go along for the ride. If you’re going out on your own, think about where you’d like to tour (the Midwest, West Coast, the American South) and look for venues that would be willing to slip you on to an existing bill. If you’re more established, you may find luck working with a

professional booker who already has relationships with venues and can line you up a nice tour.

Once you’re on the road, use social media to your advantage. Tweet a friendly hello at that band you’ll be playing with in Oklahoma next Tuesday, or figure out the best place to get a cheap dinner. Stuck in Asbury Park with no place to stay? Scan your Facebook fan page for locals who might be willing to let you crash on their couch.

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