Content Creation
Look, I know that most artists and songwriters do not want to be “content creators.” I have heard scores of wordsmiths and melody junkies decry the hold that social media giants have on us. I too lambast Silicon Valley’s contributions to our collective obsession with being chronically online. I get it. Trust me.
No really, trust me.
That said, I’m going to join the chorus of music industry professionals and say this: suck it up. Whether we like it or not, content creation and audience acquisition go hand-in-hand these days. For the indie artist or songwriter trying to build a reputation, your social media profiles are your calling card. Partially, that’s due to the ways in which social media now allow us to build out our niche audience. The other part is that music business execs of today either don’t have the funding, skill, or expertise to build an artist from the ground up - you wouldn’t believe how many signed artists have reported that their marketing teams strategy is just to post to TikTok.
That said, when your tools and a signed artist’s tools are the same, you’re at a bit of an advantage. So, here’s some easy habits you can form to be a better “content creator” in addition to being a great songwriter or artist.
Post a TikTok once a day that uses a trending hashtag or sound. You want to high engagement and this is an easy way to get it.
Repost those TikTok’s to YouTube and/or Instagram Reels. Luckily, you can recycle the same content for different feeds.
Prioritize Instagram stories. This is an easy way to remind your audience that you exist and stories often have a high engagement rate.
Schedule in times to post to Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. If you can make content creation a routine then it won’t feel so burdensome.
Remind yourself that content creation is a part of your job. It can be discouraging to watch post regularly when all you want to do is make music. But, just remember that everyone has parts of their jobs that they hate and, maybe, this is one of yours.
Artists! Songwriters! I’m sorry that you have to spend so much time on the internet. And, I’m sorry that so many music execs have abdicated the responsibility of growing an artist from the floor up. Don’t get discouraged. I know that you can be a prolific content creator in addition to being an exceptional songwriter.
