Social media has changed the industry and opened it up to budding artists. Here's how you can make the most of the latest developments
Social media has transformed the the way people, brands and musicians communicate. The likes of MySpace and even more so YouTube, have enabled budding artists to put their music out to a massive audience at the click of a finger. This has taken down the barriers to the music industry and reshaped the career path for budding artists.
Alongside the major players, new developments, platforms and apps are constantly springing up and can be used to make sure artists get heard. Nowadays you can be your own artist, producer and promoter - and if you do this well, like Justin Bieber, you can really make it.
An online musician looking to stay at the top of the game must use the vast world of social media. You need to understand the mainstream music industry and read into what's popular. Follow trends but make them your own; that differentiation is what separates the special few from the crowd.
When blogging and vlogging (video blogging) it's essential to highlight your personality. For example, you could start a tour video diary or use a vlog to show your life outside music (you'll be surprised at how many fans really care about what you do outside of singing or playing). Separate your personal recordings from your professional ones by creating an account for each. This will allow you to really pull back the curtain, be frank and use humour, if you've got a knack for it.
Twitter is also essential. Keep your biography short and link out to your personal website or blog. Treat Twitter as if it were an online networking event: respond to as many people as you can with a personal message, engage with your fans, regularly retweet and generally build relationships.
Your tweets don't have to be perfect, but they do have to reflect you so don't be too formal. Follow your fans, talk to them, thank them for any comments; if someone has taken the time out to tweet you, they deserve a response. If you mess up, fess up: humans understand human errors. Be careful not to feed the trolls either on any of your social networks though. Where possible, tweet when you're out and about as more interesting things happen when you're not sat in front of the computer.
Facebook is still the foremost social network and the number one photo-sharing site on the web so it's essential for musicians to be visible here. Create an artist or band page to keep your work and personal life a little separate. Again, it's all about building a relationship with your fans and enabling as many people to discover your music.
Remember, if you are on social media, be social. Check out other musicians' work, comment, give advice and support.
As well as loosening the power and concept of the record deal, these changes and developments have opened up a whole new avenue of opportunities to explore. If you see a new space in the industry, don't be afraid to venture into it, even if this isn't strictly as a perfroming artist. For example, I recently launched an online music platform profiling unsigned YouTube talent and created a new concept which will allow these artists to move from behind their screens to the stage.
So, whatever area of music you dip your toes into, you must use all the tools available to promote yourself online. You need to show you are innovative and understand the growing market and latest developments; only then can you let your talent and music production fly. Everyone has the potential to be the new face of the industry so ensure that those who might want to work with you are able to see clearly what you aspire to be.
Tom Fazakerley is a co-founder of DIGIHUBB
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