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This post is a guest post from one of my favorite #musicbizbesties, Katherine Forbes. She’s a digital marketer with a background in artist management and design, and runs Nashville based, Designing The Row.

 

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Social media, when done right, is an incredibly powerful connector. It allows you reach your fans in a highly personal way and make lasting relationships with them. If you’re a performing songwriter looking to grow your following online, here is a quick list of 72 things you can do with your socials. Bonus – email and website tips included!

 

Above all:

1. Be yourself!!

2. Give credit when it’s due (to photographers especially)

Facebook

3. Make sure your Facebook band page is listed on your personal account

4. Activate the Call-to-Action button

5. Upload branded app icons

6. Post candid video content

7. Change up your cover photo and profile picture (make sure to use high res images)

8. Double check the content in your About tab

9. Rearrange the navigation tabs so your tour dates can be easily found

10. Like and respond to fan’s comments

11. Run a giveaway competition (ask for shares or comments and find a random winner using Woobox)

12. Invite friends to like your Page

13. Use Facebook groups not only to share your content but to give useful feedback to others

14. Target posts about shows to specific locations

15. Take advantage of Facebook ads

16. Analyze your insights to see what posts get the best response and create more similar content (you can also learn what does not work)

17. Ask fans to add your page to their favorites

18. Like other pages from your band page (venues, other artists, favorite restaurants) and start interacting

19. Schedule posts in advance

20. Use the Bandsintown app for your tour dates (Bandsintown dates will also appear in Google search results)

Instagram

21. Take advantage of the profile URL and link it to your email sign up or store page

22. Create a consistent mood (aka don’t use a different filter, crop, or frame for each post)

23. Start a hashtag for your band and encourage fans to use it at your live shows

24. Share a detailed story behind a photo (be relatable!)

25. Ask questions to encourage comments

26. Share lyric graphics

27. Ask fans to tag their friends who live in cities where you’re playing

28. Post pictures when you go to other artists’ shows

29. Use the geotagging feature

30. Use the bio characters wisely – what’s your one liner?

31. Grab viewers’ attention in the first sentence of your caption so they’ll click to read more

Youtube

32. Activate your channel’s homepage layout

33. Set up the Featured Channels sidebar

34. Add website and social media links (activate in the About tab and icons will show up on the channel art)

35. Create a new playlist and add it to your homepage

36. Add a channel trailer for unsubscribed visitors

37. Add videos from other channels to your playlists

38. Encourage subscribes, comments, and likes in video content or annotations

39. Create a YouTube ad

40. Link to your website in video descriptions

41. Organize your homepage playlists and playlist video order in the order you want fans to watch them (duh? right?)

42. Make sure your channel description is up to date

43. Use annotations to link to other videos on your channel or to send viewers to your website

44. Do you have a separate VEVO channel? Create a VEVO playlist and add to your homepage

45. Look into YouTube Space (Dear YouTube, please create a Nashville location! #YouTubeNashville)

Twitter

46. Set your theme color to match your branding

47. Tweet to others and start a conversation!

48. Share lyrics of an artist you respect and tag them

49. Pin a tweet to the top of your profile that gives new viewers a clear idea of who you are and what you do (hint: use a YouTube video)

50. Post images directly to Twitter to make them stand out (instead of linking from Facebook and Instagram)

51. Use Canva to create the perfect Twitter-sized graphics

52. Participate in Twitter chats

Spotify

53. Sell merch items and experiences

54. Create playlists (not just of your songs) and embed on your website

55. Add Spotify icon to your website

56. Check out your stats under the About tab (where people listen, how you’re discovered, etc.)

Email Marketing

57. Start a street team and send them special content

58. Send monthly newsletter

59. Include social media icons and share buttons

60. Collect location information so you can send targeted emails about shows

61. Take advantage of the analytics to see what works and what doesn’t (hint: videos do really well)

Website

62. Set up a Google Analytics account

63. Use a specific call-to-action on your homepage

64. Use the blog feature for recent news and press updates

65. Collect fan emails

66. Link to all of your social media accounts

67. Make your most profitable content accessible from your homepage (duh?)

68. Embed YouTube playlists on your media page

69. Add tour photos so site content is always fresh

70. Give people a reason to come back (new tour dates, news posts, special merch offers)

71. Add a favicon

72. Create moving content for visual interest (but don’t go too crazy)

Write on, friend!

I’ve been in the process of developing a course all about finding inspiration – sign up to get first access and previews! 

The goal of this course is to get you coming up with too many ideas to count, writing more songs, and writing songs you absolutely love. If that sounds like you, sign up below and I’ll let you know when it releases!