In this day and age, social media platforms play a huge role in every musician’s success.
Social media can help you grow your audience, reach out to your fans, and gain exposure.
However, you need to know how to use it well – and you need to choose the right platforms.
So for today’s post, we’ve rounded up the best social media platforms for musicians.Â
1. YouTube
When thinking about social media, Facebook and Instagram are probably the first things that pop up in your mind.
But did you know that YouTube is considered to be a social media platform as well?
In fact, YouTube is the most-used social media in the world, and with 2.1 billion monthly users, it’s arguably the most popular website on this list.
That said, if you’re looking for effective ways to promote your music online, creating a YouTube channel is a must.Â
Uploading and promoting music on YouTube is fairly easy – once you upload a couple of videos, you can claim your YouTube for Artists channel, customize it, and continue creating engaging content.
And don’t forget to use YouTube social media components as well: interact with others, network, and find similar channels and YouTubers.
You can also interact with your fans in real time via live-streaming sessions.
And you schedule YouTube Premieres to build anticipation and allow your fans to get together.
All in all, YouTube is arguably one of the best social media platforms for musicians – it’s popular and easy to use, and it offers the possibility to reach a wider audience.
2. Instagram
Instagram offers the possibility to reach a wider audience as well – but just like with anything else, you’ll have to put the work in.
And the platform does offer limited options for musicians since it’s based on photographs and reels.
On the other hand, Instagram has a reputation for being a top social media platform, especially among Millennials and Gen Z.
It’s a good platform for sharing news about the latest releases and upcoming gigs that also allows you to create a visual identity for your music.
Plus, sharing content and increasing followers on Instagram is not so difficult – you just need to find a good way to go about it.
For instance, you can reach out to influencers and creators who create content that aligns with your values and style and you can ask them to use your song in their reels, stories, or other content.
And you can reach out to blogs and journalists who post music reviews.
Instagram can surely help you build a strong online presence, but it’s also not the only platform you should use – it’s simply a nice, additional tool that will help you grow your audience.
3. Facebook
When hearing the term social media, many people think of Facebook.
Although many other platforms have emerged over the years, Facebook is still the largest social network out there.
But Zuckerberg’s network has transformed over the years as well – it became so much more than a convenient way to connect with friends.
Facebook is now also an advertising platform and an important vehicle for social media marketing.
But it’s also a good music promotion and branding tool for musicians – almost all successful music artists have their own Facebook page.
So although the network perhaps isn’t as popular as it used to be among some generations, it’s still one of the most important websites for musicians.
Facebook indeed provides many useful tools for promoting music, and it has groups and online communities that offer a good way to reach out to music lovers.
Searching for groups focused on specific genres or local artists in your area is always a good idea.
Either way, it’s important to connect with like-minded people, interact with the community, and post engaging content.
4. TikTok
TikTok emerged in 2017, and it quickly became a worldwide sensation.
With its short videos, TikTok is hands down one of the best social media platforms for musicians.
However, TikTok mostly attracts younger people, and a large majority of TikTokers are between the ages of 18 to 34.
That said, if you want to reach out to other age groups as well, you shouldn’t rely only on TikTok.
Nevertheless, this is a good way to promote your music and find new listeners.
In fact, your track has the potential to go viral on TikTok – so if you have a music distributor, make sure your music is available on the TikTok library.
Imagine this – a TikToker with millions of followers uses your track in their video.
This might not be a guarantee that you’ll build a fanbase in an instant, but a certain percentage of users who hear your track will certainly check out your account and your music.
So if you’re looking for an easy way to make your music heard by people from around the world, reaching out to creators on TikTok might not be a bad idea.
5. Discord
Discord started as a simple chatting feature for video gamers.
The platform eventually transformed into a social hub and chatting platform used by millions of people.
Discord allows you to create your own channel as well as sub-channels focused on certain topics.
You can also invite people, chat and video-call members of your community, run contests, and so on.
Discord is a versatile platform for sure, offering many useful options and communication tools for musicians.
it gives you a direct line with your fans that feels more personal and inclusive than other social media sites.
All in all, Discord is definitely worth checking out, especially if you want to communicate with your fans and truly hear them out.
6. Soundcloud
Soundcloud is regarded as one of the best social media platforms for musicians for a simple reason – it’s focused on music.
Founded in 2007, Soundcloud is still one of the most popular streaming services and a go-to social media platform for artists.
It allows you to upload your tracks, find new listeners, create playlists, and much more.
On Soundcloud, listeners can also leave a comment on a specific section of your song, which allows you to get more in-depth reviews and opinions.
Hearing what your listeners have to say about your music is important – even if you come across some negative comments.
But Soundcloud mostly attracts music fans and enthusiasts searching for a simple way to stream music or discover new tunes.
Therefore, uploading music on Soundcloud is a must for every aspiring musician.
7. Bandcamp
Bandcamp is another popular website built specifically for music artists and bands.
It’s different from Soundcloud and similar sites because it’s focused on selling music – and that’s why it’s so important for artists and record labels.
When a person buys something on Bandcamp, an average of 82% of the money goes to the artist or their label.
Bandcamp is an online record store, but it’s also a place where music lovers come to find new music and connect with like-minded people.
To get started on Bandcamp, you need to sign up, upload your music, and use hashtags so people can easily find your music.
The website is very easy to navigate, and you’ll probably start to get followers and grow your audience very quickly.
More importantly, people will be able to support you directly, which gives you a chance to sell your music, promote it, and find new opportunities.
Best Social Media Strategies for Musicians
Without a doubt, social media platforms can help you gain exposure and grow your audience.
And as your popularity grows, so do your chances of getting yourself noticed and landing a good record deal.
It all depends on your goals and priorities – either way, if you want to make it in the music industry, building a strong online presence is a must.
Music has a reputation for being one of the more difficult industries to break into, and that’s why you need to stand out from the crowd.
But you don’t have to do anything reckless to get yourself noticed – you just need to reach people who resonate with your music.
And the best social media platforms offer an easy way to find new listeners and get your music heard by millions.
Besides finding a social media platform for musicians that aligns with your goals, style, and preferences, you also need to create a good social media strategy plan.
For instance, short-form content has been dominating the Internet for a while now, so if you want to reach a large number of people, you should post short, engaging videos.
If you want to reach a wider audience, you need to understand how the algorithm on social media sites works.
And short videos are currently trendy across all platforms.
Of course, sites like Soundcloud and Bandcamp work a bit differently.
You need to get to know your platform, and you need to learn how to use it properly.
Once you learn how the platform works, you can optimize it and customize it – focus on the message you want to convey as well as the musical personality and mood you want to create.
It’s important to build a recognizable aesthetic and an online space that aligns with your music and your musical identity.
Also, be consistent, and plan things upfront – break big releases into smaller content, and make sure you keep the momentum.
You should also use analytics to find out what works and what doesn’t.
If you learn what drives engagement and inspires your fans to interact, it will be easier for you to create content in the future and you’ll have more time to focus on your music.
Best Social Media Platforms for Musicians – Final Thoughts
Being active on social media is one of the most effective music marketing strategies nowadays.
But you don’t have to be everything everywhere all at once – find platforms that you feel most comfortable with and focus on your music and the content you want to share.
If you’re honest, authentic, and enthusiastic about your music, you’ll attract people who are genuinely interested in your music and build a fan base before you know it.Â
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