Successful musicians and pop artists must build and retain a dedicated following of fans. It has been said that a musician may make a living with just 1,000 dedicated followers, but how do you convert casual fans into super fans who support your career and buy your records? The simple approach is to treat your fans like insiders, establish a unique relationship with your audience, and keep them coming back for even more.
It is said that a viable music career requires a lot of devoted followers. When you’re just starting out, it can feel nearly impossible to get the initial few passionate fans who are so important for developing traction. There are dozens of ways to gain more followers for your music, but it will ultimately come down to your level of commitment as well as finding the optimal blend of approaches for your individual music career strategy.
One of the most important aspects of a successful music career in Nigeria is the development of a large fan base, which requires both online and offline effort. Numerous superstars today use the power of social media to showcase themselves and their music, and they are reaping the associated rewards. The fact that it is free is a significant advantage for anyone trying to establish a strong following on social media, and not just celebrities.
When it comes to creating a strong fan base in Nigeria, it is also possible for the average person, provided they have the necessary abilities and techniques. There are numerous ways to build a big fan base in Nigeria, but the trick lies in selecting the approaches that work best for you and using them consistently until you reach your goals. With the appropriate tactics, you can establish a loyal fan following that will support your music and advance your career.
Many individuals feel that creating a fan base entails nothing more than marketing yourself on social media and using it to spread your music, but this is not the case. You need a strong presence on social media and fan following to achieve success. Social media is a tool or platform that can be used to market your music, but if you do not have followers, you will not achieve the desired outcomes no matter how much time and effort you put into promoting yourself on social media.
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Here are ways on how to build a strong music fanbase in Nigeria:
1. Understand your brand
Before doing anything else, you must understand your brand. Your brand comprises and is affected by all you do, from how you engage with your followers to how you show yourself in person and online. Take the time to determine what is actually distinctive about you, your art, and your story, and then develop your brand identity accordingly.
2. Engage your fans
If you wish to maintain and build your following, you must interact with your fans as frequently as possible. It will require regular effort on your side to keep people aware of you, strengthen relationships, and ultimately cultivate superfans who will help promote you & support your profession over time.
3. Be consistent
To cut through the noise and maintain the interest of the music lovers you’re attempting to reach, you must be consistent throughout all of your forms of communication. Whether it’s your email newsletter, pages on social media or new music releases, ensure that your audience always has something to anticipate and look forward to.
4. Utilize hashtags
Hashtags are an excellent technique for helping music enthusiasts discover you. Utilize trending hashtags on Twitter and Instagram to engage with niche audiences and conversation topics that are relevant to you.
5. Conduct a giveaway
Everyone enjoys getting free stuff! Offer an exclusive music download in exchange for an email address, or host a merchandise giveaway on social media. If you can incentivize your existing fans to promote the gift with their friends, you will likely acquire new music fans.
6. Form partnerships with regional bands and brands
Similarly to performing at charitable events, collaborating with local businesses and other musicians allows you to harness each other’s audiences. You might trade support spots on forthcoming performances with a similar band, or create a cover video together. You might also reach out to local visual artists to make creative, one-of-a-kind band merch, in exchange for promoting their work at your gigs, on social media, and in your online retail store.
7. Interaction
It is essential that you are always responsive while interacting with your fans in a cordial manner. You must give them your undivided attention and time anytime they have a query or concern for their own good. This is a crucial aspect of establishing a solid fan base in Nigeria, and you must constantly respond whenever they have things to say.
8. Establish ties with influential figures
Obviously, this is simpler said than done, but as you probably know, in the music industry, relationships are key. One tweet from an influential person with a large following might transform your music career. If you are completely new to the music industry and have no contacts, you should attend networking events, conferences, and local industry meetups. There are also numerous online communities including Facebook groups you can join to expand your network, as well as services that provide access to individuals that can assist you in promoting your music to a larger audience.
9. Experiment with Instagram advertisements
If you’ve ever used Facebook Ads Manager, guess what? You already know how to put up Instagram ads, since they’re created on the same platform. Instagram is a wonderful tool for creating an artist’s brand and contacting music fans where they are already spending a significant amount of time online. Just ensure that you are familiar with a few Instagram advertising best practices before you begin, and then continue to experiment to achieve better and better outcomes.
10. Experiment with Facebook advertisements
With a bit of testing and the correct audience targeting, you can run Facebook advertisements that reach new music enthusiasts at a low cost and with great efficiency.
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11. Conduct a publicity campaign for your latest record or tour
Initially, you will likely want to start small and complete the work yourself. Even if you only receive a handful of features on independent sites, you will be in a better position to receive larger attention the next time you have newsworthy information to share. However, once you get substantial popularity, you might consider employing a professional music promoter to manage your campaigns.
12. Utilize the latest social media tools
Keeping up with the most recent music discovery trends needs a considerable amount of proactive effort and promptness. However, if you are able to foresee the emergence of a new platform and jump on board before every other musician does, you will enjoy an enthusiastic, attentive audience with little competition.
Consider TikTok as an instance; it has been a major driving force of music discovery for a younger population, and only recently have larger companies begun to catch on. You are not mandated to join every new social media network you encounter, but why not give it a chance if you believe it could be the suitable spot for you?
13. Responsibility
As an artist or musician, it is your job to direct your followers’ attention toward something significant, rather than using it for self-promotion with no genuine purpose. If you want individuals to support your music, it’s crucial that you do something significant that demonstrates the importance of your music. For instance, if you’ve been diligently working on your music and it’s nearly finished, it could be a good idea to devote your time to a cause that is dear to your heart. This will obviously demonstrate your dedication to your music, and your listeners will enjoy it.
14 Perform live shows
A live performance is one of the most effective means of gaining new followers and connecting with others. It’s also an opportunity for fans to experience your music as opposed to simply streaming it. Live performances of your songs have a greater impact. However, gigging requires a plan. For instance, avoid performing live too frequently. If you perform every weekend in the same location or venue, the value of your performances will decline.
And don’t forget to greet audience members and interact with them. Also, attempt to perform with established musicians that have a large fan base. Playing with artists that have a larger fan base is a great method to gain new followers. Make connections with local artists & venues, as well as touring artists. In the music industry, networking is key.
15. Create excellent music
In the end, it will be extremely difficult to garner actual followers if your songs and performances are substandard. Concentrate relentlessly on developing your songwriting & performance abilities. If what you’re doing is truly unique and fantastic to your target audience, they will become raving fans and promote you to other friends and followers.
16. Obtain exposure on music blogs
Getting your music recognized is one of the primary challenges for an artist. Having your music included on blogs is an efficient approach to reach new listeners and promote your music. Support from a music blog will boost your visibility, establish your credibility, and open doors to new prospects. However, it is difficult to have your music featured on a blog, especially with so many up-and-coming artists competing for attention. NaijaTastic is an excellent platform for showcasing your music.
17. Leverage trends
Utilizing trends is the easiest and quickest approach to promote your brand online. Trending topics will assist you in hacking the system of the platform in order to increase user interaction. You should ensure that you will be able to exploit the trending issue in an engaging and entertaining manner, so that your fans can quickly comprehend what is going on in your post. Attempt to be in the news as frequently as possible.
18. Maintain an active and strong social media presence
For musicians, the rise of social media is a great advantage. A solid social media presence is necessary for marketing your music, interacting with fans, and growing your fan base. Additionally, a successful social media approach connects you with colleagues in the music industry and opens doors to new prospects.
19. Leverage fans of other artists
Utilize the fans of other artists, venues, and brands in order to expand your fan base. For instance, collaborate with other musicians, produce remixes, and perform at locations with a devoted fan base. Utilizing the audiences of others is a simple approach to gain new admirers.
20. Produce video content
Videos are a powerful promotional tool for music. Moreover, YouTube has evolved into an essential media tool for musicians. YouTube is more than just a video platform; it provides additional benefits. It is, for instance, one of the major search engines. People also use YouTube to discover songs. Additionally, music is the most sought-after topic on YouTube. Videos give another option to communicate with your music’s audience. Also, there are far more options for video streaming than music streaming.
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In Review
A fanbase is the reason why all musicians create music. You create music so that people can hear it, and not just hear it, but also love it. For fans to like your music and the artist, it requires patience and a sense of loyalty; this does not come immediately. Developing a following is a gradual, ongoing process that occurs throughout an artist’s career. Turning your fanbase into a community is the most effective approach to create a highly engaged, motivated, and growing fan base. Using these strategies will boost your fan base.
However, you must frequently interact with your fans if you wish to keep and expand your fan base. Also, maintain consistency if you wish to cut through the noise and maintain the interest of your fans. Give your fans something to anticipate or expect consistently. Finally, be original and think beyond the box. Determine what your audience likes, and then have fun with it. However, you should also ensure that you employ these ideas effectively so that your music may attract the appropriate level of attention and interaction from fans.
