Get off the Internet

Social media has changed the music industry landscape exponentially in the past decade – especially with how it enables fans to get closer to their favourite independent and mainstream artists. As much of a necessary evil as it has become to constantly plug yourself on the ever-growing number of social media channels, it isn’t the be-all and end-all of growing your fanbase.

This article will cover a few of the ways it is possible to grow your fanbase away from social media and create connections which have the capacity to be so much more meaningful than a fleeting digital exchange.

Introverted artists and band members may recoil at the thought of attempting to amass a fanbase away from the confines of social media, but if the crushing existential weight of the pandemic proved anything, it is that there are few good substitutes for real human connection.

There is somewhat of a paradox in the consistent push for musicians to glue themselves to social media platforms, the acknowledgement that musicians are more likely to struggle with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, and that the comparison trap and time vacuum of social media only worsens mental health.

The pressure for artists to be constantly on social media is practically the modern-day equivalent of expecting rockstars to be all about sex, drugs, and rock n roll while crying out that so many are lost too soon to addiction. Social media burnout is unequivocally real, and we may never see the true extent of how it is hindering the music careers of many artists, but every artist who has felt the pressure to come up with witty and meaningful content, and show their gratitude to every commenter will have felt the impact.

Thankfully, getting off the internet doesn’t necessarily mean moving away from your fans. In fact, it can help the experience of being an artist or a music fan to feel less insular. It is no secret that grassroots scenes up and down the UK and across the globe are struggling to regain the same communal spirit following the pandemic. But if enough bands are willing to try, music communities may start thriving once again. Even if you only have a modest following and you’re far from the top of the Billboard charts, if enough artists make small changes, radical differences aren’t out of the realm of possibility.

As social media can be just as toxic for music fans as it is for musicians, it may be beneficial to find ways to connect on a personal level away from social media channels. You can get inventive with how you connect with your fans in the following ways:

• Hosting pre-show meet and greets with your fans instead of saving your socialising for after-show parties and the merch stall.

• Setting up a PO Box your fans can use to ship physical items to you, such as pictures, letters, or artwork.

• Sending postal packages to your most loyal fans containing stickers, badges, thank you notes, postcards or Christmas cards.

• Sending exclusive unreleased music to members of your mailing list.

• Setting up merch pop-up shops in your hometown, where your fans can purchase exclusive merch.

• Giving personalised shoutouts to your fans during your shows.

• Staging unconventional performances in intimate and unexpected settings, such as shops and house parties – you may have to go acoustic with these ideas!

• Hosting intimate invite-only listening parties where you premiere a new release.

• Invite your fans to workshops where you share your songwriting or instrumental skills.

• Hosting ask-me-anything sessions on platforms such as Twitch.

The best method of growing your fanbase away from social media will vary for every band or artist, and even though they may require time, energy, and sometimes a financial investment, for independent artists, a loyal fanbase isn’t something that should be taken for granted.

Your most loyal fans will always be happy to promote your music and let their social circle know why you are a band worth following – think of it as a smaller-scale equivalent of brands enlisting the help of influencers to raise awareness of their brands. With this in mind, embracing user-generated content is highly recommended to artists looking to grow their fanbase away from social media.

User-generated content is one of the only reasons that TikTok is currently a thriving platform. Thankfully, it isn’t the only way of inspiring your fans to create user-generated content. Other ideas include:

• Inspiring your fans to get creative in fan groups and websites and offering exclusive perks, merch, or previews in return.

• Share fan-made lyric videos and remixes on your social media pages.

• Create collaborative playlists with your fans.

• Exhibit fan artwork during your shows.

Incorporating any of these ideas into your music career may feel like a bold move, but that only goes to show how comfortable/lazy we have become in the digital era of music. For a prime example, think how reluctant gig promoters are to promote gigs away from social media.

Article by Amelia Vandergast