“You must network! It’s all about connections! Network, network, network!”
We singers get this advice all the time, but rarely receive any information about how to do this, or what it even means. Today, in the age of technology and social media, networking supposedly has never been easier, yet still there’s no manual. As a result, many singers dive into the waters of social media, just to realize they don’t know how to swim.
Hopefully, this post will give you a better understanding of common social media blunders, why they happen, and how to turn them around.
1. You aren’t on the internet. At all.
I hate to tell you this, but you can’t just avoid the internet altogether. A dizzying amount of people not only use the internet daily, but conduct business on it. You already know that though, because you’re reading this post right now!
Still, if I search your name online, I come up blank. Then, I try to search your name and your voice type, or with the word “singer” because perhaps your name is much more common than mine. And still… blank. I don’t need to find a lot of information, but singers do need to make these three things available about themselves on the internet:
- A small blurb about themselves
- A portion of their work (recording, resume, etc.)
- Online contact information
A simple website would do the trick, or perhaps you could list this on one social media platform. Imagine if you’re unsearchable for a moment: Someone hears you sing at a concert or a competition, then they go to look you up because they want to work with you, but they come up empty. That’s a lost opportunity.
2. You are on the internet, but not actively so.
You have a website and you have a social media account or two. Great! I click on it to see what you’re about and… nothing. You’ve posted perhaps twice since creating the page two years ago, or you have concert dates listed from 2012. Whoops.
I know you’re busy, but the return on this investment of your time will pay off, I promise. Social media does not have to take up your entire life, but you do need to devote just a little time to it. 30 minutes a week should do the trick. If this really sounds too horrible to you, it would perhaps be better for you to have a website and be done with it. Inactive social media accounts ultimately are more frustrating to those looking for you than nonexistent ones.
Singers, do you make these social media mistakes? Don't worry, they're easy to correct! #singers Click To Tweet
3. You don’t use a nice profile picture.
This one is pretty simple. You probably have a headshot, so use it! It looks nice, it looks like you, and it’s a good way to identify you on any social media platform, no matter how common your name is.
4. Your posts don’t demonstrate your work, or they don’t represent it well.
This one is tricky. The question here basically is, how should singers use social media? I like to think of social media like a cocktail party; you schmooze a little, give people tidbits into your life, and maybe hand out a business card or two.
With that in mind, what kind of stuff would you talk about at a cocktail party? Perhaps you have a new project you’re working on that you’re excited to talk about. Maybe you want to get to know someone better through a mutual friend. You may even have a performance coming up you want to share. Just be careful to find the difference between sharing information and bragging. Remember, these are real people you’re talking to. You don’t want to overload them with junk or egocentric information.
5. You don’t respond to comments.
You are on social media, you post regularly, and your posts are quite nice! Your fans and followers then comment on them because they like hearing what you have to say, but you don’t respond. How disappointing! Again, remember that those you talk to online are real people, just like you. It is not only hurtful when you don’t receive a response to your comment, it is off-putting. You don’t need to say a lot, a simple “Thanks!” or “I’m glad you enjoyed that!” should do. It should fit into your 30 minutes a week.
So there it is. Simplified, be sure to have your basic information and picture on the internet, share your upcoming work and projects, and respond to those who reach out to you. Not too hard, right? It doesn’t need to take a lot of work; a little goes a long way.
What kind of content do you share? What do you like to hear from others? Have you made any social media mistakes before? Share with us in the comments!