A Guide to Social Media for Musicians Who Hate Social Media
Love it or hate it, you can’t escape social media. If you love it, awesome. You’re already a step ahead and you know it’s an indispensable tool to help promote your music. But if you hate it and think that we, as a culture and society, need to stop burying our noses in our phones and engage in actual, face-to-face communication and enjoy a legit connection with other people, well, We don’t blame you. We know that some of us spend too much time on our socials. But even if you hate social media, you can’t abandon this form of digital communication. It’s just too much a part of our life blood.
You can, however, make it work for you without having to be addicted. Your online platforms do not need to take over your life and your existence. Here are the ways that you can make social media work for you.
1. Carve out designated social media time
Designate a set time to do your music-related social posts. You can do set aside one hour on a Sunday, or do it three times a week at the same time. Whatever you choose, create a schedule and stick to it. Dedicate the same time slot each week to doing social media. Make it as regular an activity as rehearsing or practicing.
2. Pre-schedule your posts
Scheduling out your weekly content is a huge time saver. Schedule posts in advance and then forget about it for the rest of the day. Then all you need to do throughout the week is periodically check in for any engagement on your posts. You want to pay attention to who is reacting to what, chime in where it makes sense, make a social media appearance, and then go about your day!
3. Delegate and divvy
If you have social-media-savvy band mates, make use of their talents and have them handle some of the social media workload. Split up tasks among members: One member does Twitter, another does Facebook, and another focuses on Instagram. Or if you have a friend, family member, or fan who is social media junkie, why not involve them? You may be able to hand over the controls of your social media to someone you trust.
4. Keep it professional
You don’t have to get too personal on your public social media pages (unless, of course, that’s your thing). While it’s understandable to want to erase the line between yourself and fans, keep your socials as professional and music-focused as possible. That way, you won’t have to worry about whether or not you’re oversharing.
5. Ignore haters and keyboard ninjas
Don’t waste time on reading and responding to the haters and keyboard ninjas who may be firing off posts about your music. We know this is tough, since you want to go on the defensive. But seriously just let it go. Only respond to posts that demand a response. Don’t waste time reading and replying to negative people. That’s a battle you can’t win and could end up blowing up in your face. You have more important initiatives, such as making and promoting your music.