So You Wanna Be A Superstar? Part III
Now that you’re presiding over your newly formed digital empire don’t think you can rest on your laurels, you can’t take a Field of Dreams approach to this stuff just because you build it does not mean people will flock to be part of it.
The digital world has put control firmly back in the hands of the consumer, this is no more evident than in the music industry. Fans can now download the once precious commodity of recorded music for free, all be it illegally, therefore you need to compete with free.
Now more than ever you need to “monetize”, “incentivize” and “supersize” your fan base, or just turn it up to 11… whatever floats your boat.
If you’ve never heard of Facebook, well then quite frankly this whole new digital market place might not be for you. However, if you have you’re heart set on exploiting this new fangled Facebook this should help you out… http://lmgtfy.com/
• Give your fans a reason to “like” you. Yes, sadly just because you have a Facebook page does not mean that every one of the 400 million users will want to be your friend. Offer them something in return for their friendship, a free remix or exclusive video and you’ll have far more success snaring your piece of the Facebook pie.
• Make me feel special. A common mistake with social media is to post the same content across all your sites, while this does save time it’s important to utilise the strengths of the platform. Photo sharing and tagging is a big part of Facebook why not follow OK Go’s example and take photo’s of your audience and invite them to tag themselves.
• Can you say customisation? FBML, nope it’s not a new variation on FML but a Facebook application that allows you to customise your fan page… well with a little help from HTML. This website (this one right here) should give you some good examples as well as helpful templates for those non-geeks among us.
Wonderful little website that gives you tools galore for creating, hosting and adding to your very own bit of cyber real estate. Although granted you may need to pay/know a friendly geek in order to get the website up and running.
• Visit your own site. Your website should become the hub of your online activity therefore you really need to make sure it’s the most up to date and the one that you clearly spend the most time on. Your website is for your super fans, so make sure you treat it as your priority not just an afterthought.
• Flash is flashy and nothing more. We’ve all seen them, those intros that inspire, excite and make you think holy smokes batman that is frickin’ sweet. However when it comes to finding out when this totally awesome band is playing next your left scratching your head. Plus Apple doesn’t like flash and we all know they own the internet.
• Be prepared to love stats. Google Analytics is free and pretty much the best tool out there for analysing you’re web traffic. See what countries your visitors are coming from, and how well you’re doing at referring people to your websites from your other social media efforts. Yes, it may not fit into the sex, drugs and on the dole lifestyle but it a necessary evil.
No money to record and album? Wait a gosh darn minute, why not get the people that want it to pay for it? True they may want a piece of your soul in return, granted this could be hard for people who sold their soul to the devil in return for insane musical skills.
• You’re not a mobile phone seller. Although you have to sell your project to you’re fans it’s important not to come across too desperate (even if you are). This platform allows for a more inclusive artist to fan experience, and this is the way you need to position it to your fans.
• Offer them something you would want. A mini USB uzi? Perhaps, well it’s better than a t-shirt. Get your creative juices flowing it doesn’t have to be limited to physical goods, I’ve seen bands offering helicopter flights to festival gigs or band sleepovers with breakfast in bed.
• In for the long haul. This way of funding your album/tour is hard work, you need to put the effort in for the start of the project to the end. Keep your “pledgers” updated with video blogs, track demos, photos or anything that will make them feel warm and fuzzy inside.
The internet’s full of these good ideas, sell your own tickets… Sounds pretty obvious when you say it out loud. Although granted not every promoter is going to be particularly happy about you doing it…
• Early bird catches the worm. Yep early bird tickets, fans love ‘em, venues love ‘em and you’ll love ‘em. However it doesn’t have to stop there you can create mailing list only ticket links, or special VIP tickets. Hell you can even make men only tickets… although I think that’s called sexist? Or is it sexy?
• Data can be fun. No honestly it can… well maybe fun is the wrong word. Mind numbingly boring might be more apt. Buuuut if you post different links to your different social networks you can then see which network contains your most loyal gig going fans. Fun huh?
• Rewards are even more fun. Everyone likes rewards, it’s a fact. There’s no scientific evidence for it but it’s a fact none the less. So why not give out a free download card to all the people that came to your gig? All they’re required to do is join your facebook page or mailing list which means you get even more fun data to play with…
Eminem, OK Go, The Beastie Boys… that’s the kind of company you’ll be keeping if you use TopSpin. Their artist store is easily the best on the web, allowing you to put together various fan packages and integrate it into a multitude of other platforms.
Knowledgebases are better than bullet points. I know what you’re thinking… where are the rest of the bullet points? Where’s the three point plan to stardom, well fear not because TopSpin’s knowledgebase is so comprehensive I feel I would be cheapening it by offering any “tips”. So read, absorb and say hello to stardom…
In the highly unlikely scenario that you did not read parts I & II you can find them here…
So You Wanna Be A Superstar? Part. I
So You Wanna Be A Superstar? Part. II
Any questions, feedback, rants, rambles or plain old spam leave them in the comment box below…