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24West !SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK!
1st Edition: 2013 - 3rd Quarter!
Table of Contents!Table of Content Introduc1on Facebook Summary Facebook Do’s -‐ The Basics Facebook Do’s -‐The Strategy Facebook Pos1ng Rules Facebook Don’ts TwiBer Strategy TwiBer Do’s -‐ The Basics TwiBer Do’s -‐ The Strategy TwiBer Pos1ng Rules | TwiBer Don’ts Supplementary Sites Instagram Google+ Youtube/Vimeo | Wordpress/Tumblr Where To Host My Music? (Soundcloud, Spo1fy Bandcamp If You Really Want Your Music Everywhere (Myspace, Reverbna1on, Pinterest) Worth Checking Out (Links) Contact Page
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Over the past two years, social media has hit a new stage in its evolu1on as a social tool. What once was considered a supplementary aspect of any digital marke1ng campaign is now arguably as important as an ar1st or brand’s website. If you take a look at the way most website are built today, there is an emphasis on driving fans to the social networks and vice versa. A web presence no longer consists of a central hub (website) connected loosely to social media sites that act as outliers. Today, the website and social sites are one interconnected en1ty, funneling informa1on and fans con1nuously between the two. As a result, a properly maintained social presence is even more important. The roll of sta1s1cs in social media has evolved as well. Whereas there was once an emphasis on quan1ty of followers, the realiza1on that a focus on op1mizing the interac1on of your fanbase has shiced the focus to quality. Having a large following is one thing, being able to achieve interac1on with that following (via retweets, replies, comments, ‘likes’, shares, etc.) is a much more effec1ve word-‐of-‐mouth marke1ng tool, leaving these sta1s1cs as the best sales leads one could hope for online.
!Facebook is the largest social media site in the world. It currently has over 1.15 billion ac1ve monthly users, and 669 million daily ac1ve users. Facebook is also one of the main places people find new music, and the simplicity of clicking ‘like’ allows for an individual to easily be in a posi1on where they can be kept up-‐to-‐date with any ar1st or brand of their choice. Its important to realize the roll of math in your Facebook 1meline. Facebook uses an algorithm, formerly know as Edgerank. This algorithm determines how ocen your content appears in a user’s newsfeed, based on how ocen they interact with your profile. In short, the more ocen a user likes, comments on or shares your status updates, the more ocen your posts will show up in their newsfeed. Also, the more of your fans that interact with each post, the more likely it is to show up in other fan’s newsfeed. Fans don’t generally visit your ar1st page without promp1ng. Its for this reason that engagement and increasing your presence in their newsfeed are essen1al to successfully op1mizing your Facebook presence.
The Basics: ! Set up a Facebook fan page as opposed to a personal profile. ! Use Facebook ‘Like’ BuBons on your website. ! Add Content -‐ Content is King! The more photos, video and audio content you provide the more interac1on you will get on your page.
! Create A custom URL -‐ www.facebook.com/yourbandname. ! Use your Facebook insights -‐ You’ll see these charts and graphs in the admin page at the top of your ar1st page when you are an owner of it.
! Don’t flood fans 1melines -‐ Spread your posts out. If your posts are one on top of each other you might get a lot of ‘unlikes’.
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The Strategy: ! Connect your Instagram Account -‐ This is an easy way to add quality visual content to you page. The same
rule does not apply to adding your TwiBer feed as wall posts (though you can add your TwiBer feed as a tab on your Facebook page).
! Use En3cing Headlines -‐ In terms of wri1ng, a great headline is almost as important as a compelling ar1cle. It doesn’t maBer how great your music video is if you don’t convince fans to check it out.
! Customize Your Tabs (Add Soundcloud & Youtube) -‐ This allows easy access for fans to your other content and helps to ensure you are keeping all of your social media sta1s1cs in the same place.
! Ask Ques3ons -‐ Comments on your status are great engagement. Try to turn your Facebook posts into a fan forum. Your personal par1cipa1on in doing so will increase the interac1on significantly.
! Show Your Personality! -‐ The more crea1ve you can be with your posts the beBer. Think of your Facebook page as an opportunity to let fans learn more about you personally, and build your brand in the process.
! Post some Content Not About You -‐ Nobody wants to feel like they are just being sold. Hear a piece of music you liked? Post about it. Saw something funny? Share it with your followers. This helps keep them interested and also allows you to build your personal brand.
! Respond to Comments -‐ Engage your audience and they’ll be more likely to engage your statuses, upping your ‘Edgerank’.
! Shorter Posts -‐ Facebook generally isn’t the place for a long diatribe. Try to keep the copy for your posts short and to the point. The more snappy/clever, the beBer.
! Pins -‐ Have a par1cular post you want to con1nue to highlight over the next couple of days or even weeks? Facebook lets you pin a post to the top of the page and con1nue to post other material during that 1me period.
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! Post no more than once or twice per day during your prime pos1ng period (i.e -‐ during an album cycle or tour). Aim to post 3-‐5 1mes per week when not in this scenario.
! If you choose to automate Facebook posts, be careful! Make sure the posts maintain your personality and don’t come across as lifeless, spam-‐ish promos. Also don’t over-‐automate.
! Studies show that there are three 1mes of day that people are mostly using Facebook. Late morning (around 11 am), midacernoon (around 3 pm) and at night (around 8 pm). Try to keep your posts to those 1me periods whenever possible.
! Also, posts during the week garner more fan engagement than those posted on the weekend.
! Geo-‐target when on tour. Facebook allows for you to choose specific regions that can see your posts. On a long tour, geo-‐target the posts about specific dates so only those that might come to see the show can see it.
! Are your link previews showing up? Make sure the thumbnail image is showing up when you post links. If it isn’t refresh your page and try again. Those liBle images make the links all the more en1cing for fans to click through.
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! Don’t! Set up your band or brand as a personal profile rather than a fan page. ! Don’t! Abuse your friend list with constant event invites that they likely can’t
aBend. Case in point, playing a gig in New York? Why are you invi1ng your friend in Dallas that has no planson being in NY any1me soon to this show?
! Don’t! Overshare. Keep to the pos1ng rules we set forth here already. Pos1ng too ocen will lead to a lot of ‘unlikes’ and angry poten1al fans and supporters.
! Don’t! Autopost from TwiBer. TwiBer is a social site that allows for a lot more upda1ng, and you should be ac1ve on TwiBer. Do not, however, post all of your TwiBer updates to your Facebook wall. You will annoy fans by doing so.
! Don’t! Be a cold-‐caller. You know how frustra1ng it is when you get a call from the broker trying to convince you to re-‐finance your mortgage during dinner? Constantly asking people to “Buy my new record” or “Please download this track” is the online equivalent of doing so. It is okay to post these kinds of statuses now and again, but do not make it a constant barrage of sales pitches.
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!Whereas Facebook is more of a social media hub, TwiBer has developed more into something that would be considered an evolu1onary offshoot of the newswire. These days, breaking news and viral content alike spread quickest through TwiBer. As a result, the site has become something that would best be described as an informa1on network with a social capacity, as opposed to Facebook which is largely a social network that possesses the capacity to move informa1on. A tweet may only be 140 characters but it can make a game-‐changing impact as it can travel through TwiBer’s tremendous, interna1onal usership almost instantly. These real-‐1me updates allow you to not only connect with your fans and allow them to get to know you on a more personal level as well as access your content, but also transforms them into the best word-‐of-‐mouth marke1ng tool you have in your arsenal. TwiBer can connect you to fans, other ar1sts you wish to work with and even those cultural influencers that could break your project to a larger audience. Acer Facebook, TwiBer is the most important site for you to build when promo1ng your brand or release.
The Basics: ! Choose a username that is easy to remember. (i.e -‐
@davemaBhewsband, @primus @chipotle). If the most direct username is not available, be sure to make it as easy for your fans to find you as possible (‘_” and ‘-‐” are good ways to go (i.e -‐ @Dave_MaBhews, @ben_harper).
! Connect your Instagram. Again, content is key! ! Make TwiBer lists. Organize the people you follow into lists such as
“blogs”, “sports”, bands” etc. This will allow you to search more effec1vely when you need to reach a certain group of people. It also allows you to focus your aBen1on more on checking in on the people you need to keep up with more ocen without having to sort through a million inconsequen1al tweets.
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The Strategy: ! Follow your Peers -‐ You should follow ar1sts that you would like to align yourself with, as well
as the tastemakers for your par1cular demographic. Engage them in conversa1on by responding to their tweets and twee1ng at them, not in a self promo1onal way “Hey @Questlove, check out my new track” but in genuine conversa1on “@Questlove, caught your DJ set at Brooklyn Bowl last night, good looks including “Salt” by Chuck Miller #deepcuts”.
! Follow the conversa1on about your brand or project -‐ Regularly search for men1ons and respond (or you can Retweet or favorite the tweet) when people tweet at or about you. The more engaged with your TwiBer following you are, the more they’ll keep the conversa1on about you going.
! Offer content for tweets -‐ Have a free download? Consider offering a ‘Tweet-‐for-‐Track’ promo1on where fans can receive access to the download by twee1ng about it or pos1ng to their Facebook.
! Have a personality! -‐ Just like Facebook, the more entertaining you are the more people will engage you on TwiBer, and the more followers you’ll find yourself amassing.
! Post Pictures -‐ Whether by connec1ng your Instagram or just through Twitpics, a picture says a thousand words…and gets you more followers. Same goes for Video and Audio content as well.
! Introduce Yourself -‐ Go to an ar1st you sound similar to and follow the last few people that followed them. Some will follow you back, some won’t. You can use the applica1on Twitkarma at a later 1me to unfollow the ones who don’t.
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! Use Hashtags! -‐ We’re not saying you have to overdue it, but proper use of hashtagging is the best way to increase your search results.
! Include per1nent links -‐ Have a new single, don’t just let people know, give them the link where they can check it out.
! Post regularly -‐ Unlike Facebook, to a reasonable degree the more you tweet the beBer.
! Don’t! overshare. Yes, tweet ocen but don’t perform a hos1le takeover of your follower’s 1meline. ! Don’t! be a mindless promo drone. Maybe 1 in 58,000,000,000 people will click your automated
promo tweet. Sending out the tweet “DOWNLOAD MY NEW HOT SINGLE NOW à hBp://www.soundslikeeverythingelsebeingpromotedontwiBer.com” will not increase your click throughs. It will just get people to unfollow you.
! Don’t! ignore the site. There’s no point in having a TwiBer account that you use once in a blue moon. If you’re going to use it, use it. Make the most of it or invest your 1me somewhere else.
! Don’t! buy followers. The twiBersphere is onto the fact that @TimfromHempstead, the accountant by day jazz flu1st by night, probably doesn’t have 100,000 followers. It’s quality not quan1ty, and fake twiBerbot followers definitely fit more into the laBer category.
! Don’t! Automate tweets. Its one thing to ‘schedule’ a few. But having the same tweet repea1ng every three hours is the equivalent of lewng a record skip.
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Instagram is similar to TwiBer but exclusively based around photos. It’s a great way to increase the amount of content you have to share with your fanbase, and also gives your followers a ‘behind-‐the-‐scenes’ look into you and your project.
! Use hashtags -‐ Same concept as we described in terms of using them on TwiBer. ! Be interes1ng -‐ Share insighxul pictures that give followers a glimpse into your personality,
and use it to help build your personal brand. ! Link to your Facebook/TwiBer -‐ Maximize the reach of your Instagram content by sharing with
these sites. This also provides those sites with more quality posts to increase their page virality.
! Search for Tags about you or your brand -‐ Follow the conversa1on as you do on TwiBer. This will help bring people to your page when you engage their post, and encourage them to share more posts about you.
! Make the most of your cap1ons -‐ Give people more of a reason to engage your photo with an insighxul, descrip1ve or clever cap1on.
! Diversify your posts -‐ For example, share photos fom soundcheck, live shots, in the van, wri1ng sessions, recording, merch, video shoots, and also more introspec1ve or ar1s1c posts.
! Geo Tag -‐ Let people know where your posts are from. This will help create familiarity, which breeds greater engagement.
Google+ is Google’s answer to Facebook and TwiBer, and it is quickly gaining ground on both sites in terms of popularity. Its actually set up to be more friendly towards content producers as well, and an ac1ve Google+ profile also helps greatly with op1mizing search results.
! Use hashtags -‐ Again, proper hashtagging goes a long way here as well. ! Customize Your Profile -‐ From the header to the bio, to the content; make sure this
page really represents your brand to its fullest poten1al as it will show up prominently in search results.
! Post Constantly -‐ The best way to build a following here is through consistent pos1ng. You should update this profile as ocen as you do your TwiBer, or at least close to it.
! Use your ‘Circles’ -‐ Google+ allows you to organize people into ‘circles’ based around categories and lets you share posts to specific categories if you would prefer. Organize your friends here by geography as well as type of rela1onship (similar to the aforemen1oned TwiBer lists). Post content that will only be interes1ng to certain people in the corresponding category. Big announcements can go out publicly.
The most effec1ve piece of content in terms of garnering coverage in the blogosphere is an interes1ng music video. Even above free downloads, a great visual will capture your audience’s aBen1on and reach your op1mum levels of virality. It is important to have a Youtube or Vimeo account where you house not only official videos, but also behind the scenes footage/vlogs, live footage and any other interes1ng content that you can think of. Be sure to properly tag your uploads to ensure they are really reaching their full poten1al in terms of coming up in search results.
Blogging is another way to create extra content that fans will value. Tradi1onally, a blog is thought of as text, however with the advent of Tumblr, and Wordpress’ recent adap1ons, any sort of content is great here. You can post Spo1fy Playlists, videos you find interes1ng, songs you are releasing or listening to, pictures or of course text blogs. The great thing about the current state of blogging is that both our suggested blog hos1ng sites are set up to increase the viral poten1al of your posts as well. tagging, ‘reblogs’ and following via the site creates a whole new poten1al audience that a blog will grant you access to.
Soundcloud: Due to Soundcloud being set up in largely the same way as your standard social networks (followers, reblogs, likes, etc.), it is the best place to host your track uploads. Soundcloud is also ideal for gewng blog coverage and spreading your track to other sites as it is easily embeddable (the code is directly in the player for people to copy and paste on their sites). We suggest using Soundcloud to host all of your uploads, and promote the players from this site. This will allow you to keep the majority of your stats in one place.
Spotify: Spo1fy is an ever-‐growing music streaming service that allows users to listen to any track in the site’s tremendous catalog without actually downloading it. More and more people are turning to Spo1fy to listen to music, and they also recently added a social aspect and embedability, which increases the usefulness and importance of maintaining a presence there.
Bandcamp: Bandcamp is a DIY music based e-‐commerce site. If you are interested in selling your music digitally in a more affordable way than iTunes, emusic, or the other more tradi1onal methods, Bandcamp is a great op1on. That being said, it is not an essen1al aspect of your digital presence.
Myspace: At one 1me, Myspace was absolutely essen1al for musicians trying to make it. A whole genera1on of acts such as My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday and Fall Out Boy owe a lot of their success to this site. That 1me has come and gone. Even with Myspace’s recent revamping, it is s1ll not necessary to have a presence here (though it doesn’t hurt either).
Reverbnation: Reverbna1on is a sort of ‘jack-‐of-‐all’ trades, master of none type of site for ar1sts. It’s a one stop shop for mailing list, digital distribu1on and content streaming, but there are beBer sites you can go to in order to handle each of these aspects of your marke1ng campaign individually.
Pinterest: Pinterest is an extremely niche site, and is only beneficial to certain ar1sts that fit that sort of branding. It’s billed as a ‘tool for collec1ng and organizing things you love’, so it can be helpful in solidifying your brand, but be sure your fan base has a presence on Pinterest before you decide to commit your 1me and effort to the site.
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Rich Nardo
Partner | 24West e: [email protected] | p: 516-455-2116
Twitter: @_24west | @heynardo Linkedin: Company Page | Personal Page
Website: 24west.net