Music is a massive genre of social media. Everyone has a love of music, to the point that it’s universal, and most people are told they should have some musical talent to show off. So it’s easy to see why there is an abundance of creators on social media showing off their talents.
So, how do you stand out from the rest? How do you compete in a highly competitive market like music, that, thanks to the internet has widened its casting to just about everyone? Read our guide to find out.
Make sure it’s valuable to your viewers
The harsh reality of the music world is that viewers, very few of them anyway, are going to appreciate your original, hand-crafted, lovingly assembled music. That’s good to keep a small but loyal audience entertained but supplement it with more content with a wider appeal. Think about covers, perhaps with your own spin on the genre or transplanted into a new cover, tutorials to give your users something new to learn, behind-the-scenes footage so that users can get to know you better, or even mash-ups for the humour element. Remember, on TikTok, where you are most likely to get recognition and reach new viewers, entertainment comes first. If you can make your music content funny, educational, satisfying, or otherwise entertaining, viewers will watch.
Make sure it has a unique style
To expand on that point about putting your own spin on it, make sure your style shines through. You’re an artist, and like a modern painter, your style will eventually make itself known. So even if that popular song doesn’t match your style, cover it anyway. In fact, lean into that in order to give your viewers something they’ve never heard before.
Make sure you have the technical things sorted
The ear is far more sensitive than the eye, which is why you really need the tech to back up your talent. There is no point in giving us a thrashing violin solo if all that the mic picks up is the gentle breeze through your window making everything sound fuzzy. Invest in a decent microphone. Ignore the camera if you want, because smartphone cameras are catching up and audiences are appreciating “lower quality” but be sure to get a decent microphone catching the important part: your music.
Make sure you’re following the rules
Unfortunately, there is a lot of red tape around music in the creator world. You’ll still hear of YouTubers and Twitch streamers cutting out the audio of TikToks because they’re using copyrighted music.
Fortunately, musicians on the app are afforded a loophole here in fair use. If you are “transforming” a song, i.e., covering, mashing, changing the genre, changing the lyrics, etc. enough you should avoid any copyright strikes.
Read up on the legalities of copyright as well as the guidelines of the platforms that you’re using to make sure that you’re not doing anything that could cause a strike.
Make sure you treat it like a private gig
When it comes to your social media presence, treat your platform like a private gig. Go on a live stream and play to an adoring crowd. Take requests from the chat coming in. Do some crowd work with the people streaming in. Post your requests elsewhere and get the conversation going to get your new fans commenting and liking your social media.
Post clips of a funny or nice moment on TikTok and Instagram reels, longer pieces and more in-depth ideas like tutorials or behind-the-scenes can go on YouTube, and you can make a name for yourself as a streamer on Twitch. Make sure you use all the resources available to you.
Make sure you think about the aesthetics
Even if the ear is more sensitive than the eye, you are still trying to make it on a visual medium. And the reality of the situation there is that musicians that make it there have their aesthetic sorted out. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. A bare wall and the sunlight coming through can be enough. Think about what you want to put forward and your taste in music and take inspiration and apply it to your backdrop.
If you are interested in more affiliate and social media marketing insights, take a look at our blog for all the latest news and advice. Or for a more personalised approach, book a free call with a member of our team.
Or, for the very best advice from industry peers, register to join us for our ELEVATE Summit in July. Elevate aims to bring you the latest affiliate, performance, and partner marketing insights from across the globe and it’s all available to stream from our website.
