In today’s digital age, the music industry is more connected than ever before. Gone are the days of relying solely on physical networking events to make connections. Now, with a few clicks and a strategic approach, you can build valuable relationships with musicians, industry professionals, and potential fans.
Networking online is perhaps the most accessible and convenient way to make new connections in the music industry and open doors for yourself. If you have access to the internet, there’s no excuse not to network on social media, via email, and in forums. Here are a few tips.
Find your Online Community
Define your audience
First point is to identify your target audience and the online communities where they congregate. Are you a singer-songwriter or a guitarist seeking collaboration partners? A DJ looking to connect with other electronic music enthusiasts? Or perhaps a producer searching for vocalists? What sets you apart from other artists? What kind of music do you create? Who are you trying to reach? You have to understand and define your objective and niche! Without this, you will lose a lot of time!
Make friends
Making friends on social media doesn’t have to feel like networking. Simply follow musicians who live in your area, have a similar music style, or are at the same career stage as you. Engage with their content, chat with them in the DMs, and genuinely support their work.
You never know how one of these online friendships may pay off. When you’re looking for help, advice, or an introduction to someone you’d like to work with, you’ll have an entire community to turn to.
Join groups
There are plenty of Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and forums where you can meet other musicians and potential new connections. There are even social networks catered specifically to musicians (consider looking into platforms like Drooble, ReverbNation, and Vampr). Building genuine relationships within these communities can lead to valuable collaborations, mentorship opportunities, and of course, increased visibility.
Build Your Online Presence
Build relationships
Is there someone you’d like to reach out to who doesn’t even know you exist? It’s perfectly fine to send them a DM, cold call/email, or message on LinkedIn, as long as you stay respectful and keep their interests in mind. Whatever you do, don’t start the conversation by immediately promoting your music. Instead, take the time to establish a relationship and think about how working together could be beneficial for both of you.
This should go without saying, but make sure this new relationship you’re trying to build is a realistic one. In other words, don’t try to message Taylor Swift to see if she would share your first song. If you’re looking for a collaborator or someone to join your business team, make sure this person works with artists who are in a similar place in their career as you.
Having a strong Online Presence
A strong online presence is crucial for building a loyal fanbase, attracting the attention of music industry gatekeepers, and ultimately achieving your career goals.
Social media platforms are essential tools for building a great community. Choose the platforms that best align with your target audience and artistic style. Generally for musicians, the best place are Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Create engaging content in order to showcase your music and your creativity! Don’t forget to interact with your followers and with other artists!
Online presence can also be related to a personal website presenting your music. Of course, as a musician, you have to use YouTube, Spotify, Pandora and a few other music platforms.
Offer Collaboration and Value
Offer help and share your skills
Networking is a two-way street. Rather than constantly seeking out people who might be able to help you advance in your career, think about how you can help other musicians. What advice can you share? What unique skills can you offer? Focus on being helpful to others and they’ll be much more likely to return the favor when you need it.
Don’t spam
Sending a message online takes a few seconds, but that doesn’t mean that you should reach out to as many people as you can. Send a message only to those with whom you truly want to build a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship.
More importantly, if people don’t respond or don’t seem to be interested in continuing the conversation, don’t bombard them with more messages in an attempt to change their mind. Be respectful of people’s time and remember that no one owes you anything.
Use cross-promotion
Cross-promotion is an effective strategy for expanding your reach. Partner with other artists to create joint campaigns, share each other’s music on social media, and support each other’s endeavors. Collaborating with other artists can expose you to new audiences and help you develop your skills. You’ll create a new and positive reputation, and build a strong network of allies!
- On 08/02/2024
