Social Media is everywhere. just about every person has at least one social media platform they use on a daily basis. and for artist this is a goldmine. social media is a promotion/marketing platform and a way to connect to their fans, but a lot of artists don’t use social media effectively, an a lot of times it does more harm tan good. how many times have you seen an artist get in trouble for something they post on their social media? a LOT right because social media is such a personal thing to them, most artist will opt to run it themselves. but as an artist you are a BUSINESS as well, and as a business you are held to a certain standard and to meet that standard sometimes you may have to relinquish control. this is where Social Media Management comes in.
What Is Social Media Management?
Social media management is the process of managing your online presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter by creating, publishing, and analyzing content you post. Managing social media also includes engaging and interacting with social media users. so basically a SMM will come in, analyze the artists account and see where they need work. sometimes is creating content, other times is about engaging fans. SMMs help artists grow their accounts by creating content(pictures, videos, reels, stories, etc.) engaging fans (commenting and answering questions) and coming up with strategies for things like how to use hashtags and finding the best times to post. some will also help give their platforms a consistent look. without having to do all of these things all the time it gives the artist more time to do what they do best and that’s create. not that the artist wont have to do work on it as well. the bottom line is that as an artist your fans want to see YOU what you are doing, and what you are into, they want to connect with just more than your music.
Why Does An Artist Need A Social Media Manager When They Are First Starting Out?
Your social presence is the leading force in promoting your music. your social media is a BIG part of your BRANDING. (Yes, you are now a brand) and how your brand is portrayed could be i big factor in your success, so you want to make sure its as consistent as possible. and you want to be able to do it on multiple platforms. and as you and your brand grows, so will your social media platforms and strategies. and a good SMM will help you with that growth. its another part of your team you should think about adding. like a good engineer or manager a social media manager will work WITH you to put out the best version of you for your fans.
What To Look For In A Social Media Manager.
Not All social media managers are the same. some specialize in one or 2 platforms, and others take a more general approach. here are a few things to consider/ look out for when you are looking for a social media manager.
FIRST you have to figure out YOUR goals. why are you getting a SMM in the first place? Are you trying to book more gigs?
Get A larger following? Get More streams? Knowing this information will help you steer campaign objectives and your social media manager in the right direction.
now you have to make sure your SMM can help you meet those goals. Most SMMs will monitor comments, set up accounts, schedule posts and even help with online brand development, but not every manager will be able to help you promote merchandise, run contests and/or sell tickets online. This is important to consider since many of the aspects of brand management that were once separate from social media are now integrated into the platforms themselves. So make sure your SMM has all the skills you require! this includes setting up platform based merch stores and running paid ads.
Can They Control Multiple and New Channels?
Just because a social media manager is successful on one platform, does not mean that their skills will always translate to other channels.
A good SMM will have proven themselves on all the major platforms, and also have their eye on the ones on the rise.
It is important to be able to cross-promote and generate multi-channel buzz around your music, as well as be able to pivot over to any new channels. so can they run a promo ad on Facebook, Twitter, IG, YouTube and integrate your music in a Tik Tok vid?
At the end of they day your social media is a reflection of YOU and YOUR BRAND and a good SMM is a great teammate to have because you are not an expert on social media, they are, but NOBODY can tell your story better than you. so the combination of bout will hep you grow your brand and get your music out to more people.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert Anderson Is an artist and producer. he also owns and operates Big Boss Ent , A Promotional company for artists and REA Social Media Management, a standalone social media management firm catering to music artists. you can check out REA Social Medias Instagram HERE
