Musicians: Rock Your Facebook Page
Facebook is now the most visited social site in the United States. And, with 70% of its users outside the United States, it’s also fair to assume that Facebook dominates across the globe. Facebook has 2 billion active users, and while you may not need to reach all of them, there is a very good chance that with some strategic planning you can reach your target audience and be successful!
So, you have a Facebook page for your band. You’ve given it a good URL (one that people can find easily), you have filled it with all the pertinent information about you, your members, your music, your website, etc., and you’ve installed a cool music application (like Reverbnation) so people can listen and buy right from your Facebook page. You may have also done some Facebook boosted posts (paid advertising by post) to attract people to your page. Hopefully you have a decent number of page likes. What’s next? You want to push out new music or music videos, or maybe an upcoming touring schedule. But, how often should you update your page? How much is too much or too little? What type of content should you put into those updates? When is the best day of the week and time of day to update your page?
Well, here are some answers to your questions, and some advice on what your Facebook strategy should look like:
Since everything online works together there should always be a strategic method not only to what you post, but how you post it. And, you should be visible on every music social platform that is available to you. In this particular instance, however, we are talking about pushing out your information (music, videos, etc.) on Facebook. But, I firmly believe that when you embark on a plan to get your music noticed online that it should be across multiple channels such as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, etc., (not just Facebook), and that the user should be able to find your music to listen and to buy from multiple social sites such as Reverbnation, SoundCloud, Vimeo, BandCamp, CD Baby, Amazon, iTunes and Spotify In fact, if your Facebook page has that cool page application (such as) from Reverbnation, the user doesn’t have to go far from where they initially saw your post to buy your music. It’s right there! And that my friend, is huge!
How often should I post on my Facebook page?
Post too little and you are in danger of getting lost in news feeds. Post too much and you will annoy your Facebook fans (they are a fickle bunch). In managing Facebook pages for artists/bands I have found that 3-4 posts per week is usually the right amount. Avoid the temptation to post minute, trivial details on Facebook. Leave that for Twitter (which is a rapidly changing environment that needs to be taken on by a different approach). Of course this can change depending on what type of “advertising” you are doing: If you releasing a new record or music video, or you’re promoting a tour then update your page more often, just make sure the content is of interest to your target audience. (See more about target audience below).
When should I update my page?
The best time to update your page is, unsurprisingly, when most of your fans are on Facebook. A recent study shows that there are three times during the day when usage spikes: at 11am, 3pm and 8pm. This study also found that morning updates are still more effective than those made after 12pm. And additionally, updating on weekdays (other than Tuesday) is far more effective than on the weekends when people are out of their regular routines. So, for example, a posting strategy of 11am on a Thursday or Friday should yield the best results. Note: If your fans are out of the country then you’ll need to take into account for the time difference.
What content should I put in my updates?
This might seem like a silly question, but it’s actually a valid one and a question bands should spend a little time thinking about.
Here are a few tips:
Not all of your content should be self-promotional
You are using Facebook to promote your band and your music and the ultimate goal is to convert your followers into people who buy your music. But you need to also keep in mind that the people who will see your posts in their news feed have demonstrated they like you enough to become your fan on Facebook. They may be already familiar with your music… they may already own some of it. Your posts to these people should not always be Buy! Buy! Buy! A good ratio recommended by social media professionals is 4:1. 4 posts should be about what the band is up to or some things the band likes, or something funny. Then 1 post for new music that is available on iTunes or for pushing out a new music video… and by the way if you like the music, you can buy it right here!’
Respond to comments
Facebook is called a social network for a reason – you need to be sociable and interact with your Facebook followers. Don’t just push out content and do nothing else. If you post an update at 11am check your page a few hours later and reply to the comments your fans have left.
Share your personality and what inspires you as an artist
It can be difficult to come up with new things to post, and you’re struggling to come up with a post for your page. One thing you can do as part of your strategy for managing your Facebook page is get all the band members involved in managing it with you. What inspires them and their music? What are their favorite songs, art, films or books? Do you see something funny or relevant on your personal Facebook news feed that could be of interest to those who follow your band page? Share it! Also, always support your local music scene. All these things prove to be great resources when you want to post on your page but do not know what to say.
Make the most of the cool stuff you have to share
You’ve spent a long time and perhaps a lot of money making a new music video, so don’t just put it on Facebook without making a big deal of it. Create a teaser campaign before you release it. For instance, posting behind-the-scenes photos the week before you release the video and “coming soon” messages are a good way to increase suspense and peak interest. Also, if you have great photos, post them. If there are outtake videos or silly pics, those get the most attention and will certainly do the job in raising interest for what’s to come.
Photos are important. I have found that they are consistently the most visited part of any bands Facebook page. You can utilize your Page Insights to see how each post does. Those that include photos, images and video get the most traction. So, don’t post without adding one of these.
Say thank you
Thank those who support you! It is a powerful way of keeping the connection with your fans. When they buy your music, or show up to a gig, or subscribe to your YouTube channel or Reverbnation, thank them. Even if just 5% of your Facebook fans buy your music or go to your gig or subscribe to your other social channels, they will feel special when you thank them and are more likely to comment on and share your posts, which will in turn publish on their own Facebook news feed. It’s like that old shampoo commercial…they’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on. That is the epitome of what social media is.
Coming up with a strategic plan on how you are going to manage your Facebook page and integrate it with your other social channels and your website is definitely worth it. I realize…it’s not very “rock-n-roll”, but being organized about what you want to say and the time that you say it will make you more successful in your online marketing efforts. Hopefully this advice will help you get the most out of your Facebook page and your overall digital footprint.
Need some help sorting it all out? Maybe you want someone to take care of all of this for you? Give S2R Studios a call today!