Artist Marketing, Branding, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Social Media, Soundcloud, Twitter, Youtube |
No matter what type of art you create or are involved in, when it comes to building an audience that really appreciates your work, having a presence online will no doubt help you reach that goal. But with so many different ways to connect with your audience, which is the best? And how can you build an audience that really loves what you do? Here’s where original content comes in.
In this article we are going to explain exactly what original content is, what it means for you, and how you can start to create content that works for both you and your audience. Let’s go!
So, what exactly is “original content”?
Social media marketing expert Kimberley-Ann Jiminez describes original content as:
“Any piece of content created by your brand used to instruct, educate, entertain or empower”.
That means basically anything that you create from scratch, whether it be a blog post, an infographic, a photo, or a video; all of these are original content.
Why do I need to create “original content” when I’m an actor/ singer/ artist/ other?”
When it comes to your online presence, there are so many reasons why it’s important to always be creating and sharing fresh, new content with your audience (and a variety of types, if you can!). Let’s outline the main reasons:
1 – Helps you stand out in a crowded online space
Even though there may be thousands of people all working in the same niche; it’s your individual story and experience that can really create and provide value to your audience. A good way to stand out is to truly show your personality and what you have to bring to the table.
Even in an industry where there are “industry standards” for work or for content creation, adding your personal flavour to the conversation can really make you stand out.
2 – Become a subject matter expert
When you give your audience more information about your topic you are establishing yourself as someone who really knows what they’re talking about. Your confidence in your knowledge shines through, which in turn makes people trust you. When people trust your opinion and advice (and it works for them) they will come back time and time again to seek out more information. For a lot of people starting out in your industry or niche, they want and need all the help they can get. That’s where you can provide real value to them, in turn building an engaged audience!
3 – Build your community
Original content that your audience enjoys and can utilise helps forge relationships – they trust you and they want to know more about what you have to offer. Similarly, even if your content is something that entertains or inspires your audience, it’s still eliciting a response from your audience, and that’s what helps build your audience. Similar to how your art can make the audience feel or think in a different way, your posts should do the same.
The more your audience love your content the more comments, likes, shares and mentions you’ll get. Not only that but people will trust you and feel like they know you, which in turn will make them comfortable approaching you and initiating conversation via social media. Interacting with your audience will make potential fans think you really care about the people you’re interacting with, which in turn will make them want to join the club. The more engaged your audience is, the more you’ll attract more!
4 – Add value to your audience
When creating original content, whether you entertain, inform or educate, you’re offering your audience something of value. It could be knowledge that helps them in their industry, information that helps them progress in their niche, or just something to entertain them when they have some free time. Whatever role your content has for your audience, it’s important to maximise it so they keep coming back.
5 – Builds rapport with your audience which potentially leads to sales
Although we’ve already covered building a community (see #3), it’s important to note that building an engaged community can also lead to potential sales. If you’re a creator who is selling your products or work online, a thriving community will be more likely to buy.
It can be particularly hard for independent artists to make sales online, but if you have a community that like and trust you, they will want to support you, and in turn feel much better about parting with their money for you.
So how do I choose what type of content to create?!
The easiest thing to do is to look at what others in your niche are creating and pay attention to the pieces that have had a lot of likes, comments and shares. If it works for your competitors, it’s probably going to work for you.
However, this isn’t a fail-safe method. Others in your niche may have more fans, or may be more established, and therefore it’s hard to tell whether their audience are really enjoying the content, or whether they’re more inclined to like it because they already support the person.
Ask yourself the following four questions to help figure out the best way to create original content that works for your target audience:
1 – How does your target audience normally (and prefer) to consume content?
How does your audience consume content? Do they prefer video content? Are they avid readers? Do they need direct and informative infographics? Pay attention to what has worked for you before – and what works for others in your niche. This will give you hints as to what type of content your audience actually enjoys. And therefore you can modify your social media offering to incorporate that!
For example, if you are a comedian that makes jokes about the lives of Millennials, you may find more luck sharing short videos, sketches and jokes on a platform such as Snapchat. After all, it has been proven that some 78% of 18- to 24-year-olds use Snapchat, and a sizeable majority of these users (71%) visit the platform multiple times per day (Pew Research Center, 2018). Therefore, clearly your target audience prefers to consume content on Snapchat, so start to invest time and effort on that platform!
2 – How often and when do you want to post?
There is no specific formula to how much you should be posting, or when, although studies have shown that there seems to be some trends. Check out the graphic below to help you figure out the best time to post:
3 – What feels natural to you?
Above all, an important thing to keep in mind is what feels natural to you. What type of offering actually suits your personality? If you’re quite a shy person videos are probably not going to present the best version of yourself. If you prefer to write your ideas down than to share them vocally, writing could be the best option for you.
The great thing is that there is something to suit every personality type, and whatever your strengths are, you can find a media format that really can connect with your audience whilst also encouraging you to offer the absolute best of your personality, and in turn, help to cultivate your relationship with your audience.
4 – What are your audience actually going to be interested in?
There’s no use sharing original content if nobody who sees it is going to be interested in it; it’s a waste of time and effort.
Try to think about what your audience would really love to see; for example, if you’re an artist, perhaps you love seeing behind-the-scenes of how particular artists work, the paint brands they use, how long it takes to make their pieces…. and so on. Why not create the same thing for your audience?
Ask yourself: what kind of value can you create for your audience that will keep them coming back again and again?
Examples of original content
- Blog post
- Video
- Podcast
- Infographic
- Newsletter
- Social Media Post
- Webinar
- Gifs
- Films
- Memes
- Live video or chats
- Ebooks
- Online events
Some examples of original content for creatives
ACTORS: A video explaining how you grew a passion for acting, a blog post with your top tips for successful auditions, a photo diary of tips for taking headshots. Here are some more content ideas for actors, including a 30 day calendar!
SINGERS: A fun video where you do impressions of famous singers, a Spotify playlist of famous artists in your genre that your fans may like, an Instagram story of a day in the studio recording
MUSICIANS: A video of a band practice, a curated Spotify playlist of your musical inspirations, a blog post about your songwriting process
ARTISTS: A blog post about what inspires your work, a video behind-the-scenes in your workspace, a product review of paintbrushes you use or have used
WRITERS: A blog post on how your career as a writer started, a video interview of yourself so your readers can get to know you better, host a writing competition on one of your social media platforms, a webinar about how to find ideas for writing fiction
PHOTOGRAPHERS: A behind-the-scenes video of a photoshoot, a blog post about how you edit your photos, a webinar on photography basics for beginners
Now you’ve asked yourself some key questions, take some time to analyse what sort of value you want to offer your followers and what you think they may like to hear about. Research other people in your niche and see what’s working for them. Also take some time to self-reflect; ask yourself what’s going to work best for your personality and what you feel comfortable with. Once you know the answers to these questions you’ll better know how to provide quality content that your audience will love!
Artist Marketing, Branding, Instagram, Social Media
Does having a standout Instagram feed sound like a job that requires constant dedication and extra time that you don’t have? Well don’t fret, because that’s why we’re here! We’ve put together this list of 5 Tips For Creating a Compelling Instagram feed that is sure to get you started off on the right track; you’ll be killing it on the gram in no time!
Find Your Insta-Aesthetic
Finding your Instagram aesthetic and creating a common theme throughout your content is a great way to stand out amongst the crowd and have a recognizable style that followers will come to know you for. Are your shots clean and sophisticated, or colourful and full of energy? Figure out what it is you are trying to say with the content you are creating, and try to reflect that through your posts. The same goes for your captions; short and sweet captions pair well with simple shots, while more engaging, longer captions may pair better with posts that tell a deeper story. Neither option is wrong, it just depends on your brand and the persona you are trying to create for it. Think of your Instagram page as an art gallery for your brand; everything should be reflective of the message you’re curating.
Get Creative With Instagram Stories
The Story feature on Instagram just keeps getting better. Posts on Stories last only 24 hours and appear on top of the home feed. From starting off as a basic photo and filter method for sharing a quick moment from your day (think Snapchat), it has turned into a storytelling tool that can really let you flex your creative muscles when it comes to producing quick content. Polls, gifs, and photo in picture tools all allow for fun content creation, and provide a space for letting your imagination run free! Not to mention, using polls or posing questions is a great way to stay engaged with your followers, and keep them interested in your Instagram page as a whole!
Instagram Stories Are Awesome!
Mix Up Your Content
Getting too repetitive with your content can be a quick recipe for disaster when it comes to any social platform. Unless posting the same content over and over again is somehow churning up engagement for you time after time, you will want to get creative with your post variety. For example, if you’re a painter, posting nothing but your artwork can be great for showcasing your talent, but this method misses the potential for showing off the many other aspects of being an artist! Creative studio setups, time-lapsed videos of art being made, and stylized shots featuring your tools of the trade are just a handful of prospective ideas for content that can bring your followers a little closer into a day in the life of you!
Quality > Quantity
This is a pretty consistent premise in many aspects of life, and it continues to ring true when it comes to creating content. While it may be tempting to pump out post after post from fear of missing out, there is nothing worse than spamming out content that tries to make up for lack of quality with overcompensation in quantity. Take your time, create a post you love and are proud of. Your hard work and patience will definitely pay off this way!
Spend Time In Post Production
Spending that extra bit of time using Instagram’s photo editing tools can sometimes be the deciding factor between a good post and a bad one. Luckily, Instagram makes it easy to tighten up any photo before showing it off to the world. If a basic filter isn’t enough to do the trick, you can manually adjust the brightness, contrast, colour and so much more, with a variety of tools that can have a huge effect on your content. Even the dullest of photos have a chance to be livened up in the editing suite, and spending the time adjusting the multitude of settings can go a long way in prettying up any picture.
Long story short, Instagram is great. It’s a platform that allows for complex creative expression without being overly complex. If you stick to these tips and continue to post regularly, engage with followers, and follow trends, your Instagram page will definitely be turning some heads before you know it. Now get posting!
Acting, Artist Marketing, Branding, Social Media
To be or not to be on social media, that is the question. We’re here to say that the answer is definitely to be. Social media is an undeniably powerful networking tool and an absolutely essential aspect of creating your personal brand as an actor. But if that isn’t enough to convince you, here are 5 reasons why actors should be on social media:
Make New Connections
The most obvious and most important aspect of social media is engaging with other people and making connections. Reaching out to potential followers and like-minded individuals through liking, commenting and even creating a 1 on 1 dialogue is a great way to build a network. You can meet new fans, fellow actors who you admire, as well as casting directors and agents who can get you in the audition room. Making connections has never been easier than it is now; using relevant hashtags and posting on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter can bring you new, relevant followers fast. Social media is a party and the only way to meet new people is through interaction, so don’t be shy!
[Tweet “Social media is a party and the only way to meet new people is through interaction, so don’t be shy!”]
It’s Your Online Resume
Using IMDb Pro can give you the chance to showcase the work you’ve done as an actor, including the roles you’ve earned, training you’ve gone through and education you have under your belt that qualifies you to be the amazing actor that you are! Using sites like YouTube or Facebook are also great for uploading direct photo and video content to demonstrate your talent and personality, showing people what it is that sets you apart from everyone else out there. Also, having an online resume/portfolio showing off your experience gives those with work opportunities a much higher chance of finding you and all that talent of yours!
Connect with Your Fans
Having a relationship with your fans and showing them some love and appreciation is a great way to keep them around, and possibly even bring some new fans in along the way. Reply to comments, share interesting content if it’s relevant to you, give fans a follow back, and advertise upcoming performances. Let people easily know when, where and what you’ll be performing, and how they can come to see you. Don’t be afraid to thank people for coming out; if you noticed specific individuals in attendance, reach out and show your gratitude. Be there for your fans and they’ll be there for you!
Find Work
Finding work with social media is much easier than finding it without. Making connections with the right people and having an online resume can boost your chances of finding work opportunities significantly, and many people looking for talent will post notices on social media sites quite frequently. Social media also presents entirely new opportunities for work in itself. YouTube web series, vlogs, sketches and more are all popular potential options where many now-famous actors got their start in the entertainment industry. It also gives you the freedom to make your own decisions and express your own creativity in a medium that has proven to be quite popular in online communities.
Find Communities
These are a great way to find alike people with similar interests. They could be a community of theatre actors, a community of film students looking for talent for their next short film, or even a community of fans who just appreciate acting and enjoy talking about what’s trending in the world of entertainment. The point is, these are groups of individuals who already like what you like and are talking to each other about it. If you insert yourself into these discussions, you can dramatically increase your chances of finding new followers, work opportunities, exciting offers and more!
Social media is only growing bigger and more prevalent in our world, and it is definitely here to stay. Having an online presence opens up more doors for possibility, provides a better outlet for building a name for yourself, and is essential for self-promotion…so what are you waiting for?
Artist Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship, Facebook, Instagram, Social Media, Twitter, Youtube
With every new year comes a whole lot of new year’s resolutions; these can often be hard to stick to, and sometimes are even difficult to come up with in the first place. So for all of you artists out there, we’ve put together a list of 5 relatively simple to follow social media new year’s resolutions that will be sure to keep you stress free, all while helping you earn new fans and followers!
Spend 30 Minutes Per Day on Social Media
Seems simple enough, right? Spending a minimum of 30 minutes a day on social media can help you see a dramatic change in your online presence. Use this time to check your major social platforms, talk to current followers, reach out to potential fans/collaborators, and post new content. Dedicating this small amount of time every day may not seem like much, but it can really make the difference in the long run.
Engage More With Your Followers
Why do you think it’s called social media? If you’re only using your social channels to post content, you’re only fighting half the battle. Engaging and conversing with followers and fans on social media is an absolutely crucial way to build your fanbase. Respond to comments on your posts, thank followers for sharing your content, and use hashtag searches to find relevant posts and accounts where you can create your own conversations.
[Tweet “Why do you think it’s called social media? If you’re only using your social channels to post content, you’re only fighting half the battle.”]
Find Your Best Social Platform, and OWN It
Although being present on multiple social platforms and having a huge following on various channels would obviously be ideal, it isn’t a necessity – especially if you’re just starting out. Do some research to find out who your core demographic is, and what social platform they typically use the most. Also think about which platform would be best to promote your specific type of work and reach potential followers. For a rundown on different popular social platforms and what each is best for, take a look at our post here.
Learn a new Social Platform
This one may seem a little overwhelming, but partnered with our first resolution idea, it’s quite easily achievable. Many platforms make things simple with user-friendly interfaces and designs, and there are more than enough tutorials and articles on the internet that are available to help with almost any problem you may face. Just be sure to learn a platform that is going to work with your goals as well as the artwork you’re creating. Not sure where to start? Here are a few suggestions for up and coming social networks that speak to artists. If you’re a musician, have some fun with Musical.ly , the social network dedicated to music lovers. If you’re an actor, YouTuber or any kind of content creator who loves live video, check out Hype, which is a combination of Vine meets Snapchat meets Facebook Live! If you’re looking for a professional platform to showcase your creative work (think LinkedIn for artists) Behance, is a great tool to display your portfolio while connecting with other artists.
Put Some Money Into Paid Social Ads
Paid advertisements on social channels are an amazing way to boost your follower growth, as well as put your work in front of eyes that may have never seen it otherwise. And the best part about paid ads, is that you get to choose exactly how much money you want to spend, and exactly when you want to stop. With only a few dollars a day, you can put out content that can help you see a significant change in the way you use social media.
Hopefully this list puts your mind at ease a little bit when it comes to thinking of that New Year’s resolution; just stay focused and stay determined and you’ll be sure to see results. But most importantly, Happy New Year!
Artist Marketing, Music Marketing, Snapchat, Social Media, Uncategorized
Snapchat is a quintessential app for “living in the moment”. Snaps are shared on the fly and in the heat of a moment without the attached worry of how many likes or comments they’ll receive, allowing for more realistic and unedited looks into people’s everyday lives. When using Snapchat as a musician, following this level of openness and transparency shows personability, promotes your art, and shows interesting content beyond your music that fans will be sure to love.
A Day In The Life
If people take an interest in your music, chances are they’ll take an interest in how it comes to fruition. Try snapping some footage of your process, and what goes into making your music what it is. This could come straight from the inception process in the form of songwriting or jamming, to actually recording and mixing the track with snaps of studio sessions and various instrument demonstrations.
But hey, you don’t always have to snap about your music! Let people know that you’re a human being; give them a glimpse of your life outside of music. What goes into your smoothies? What do you do to de-stress after a day of producing music? Fans like to know that their favourite musicians are people who they can relate to: people who take part in everyday chores and activities just like they do. So stop overthinking and let your snaps show your fans the real you!
Image Source
Previewing New Music
A great way that musicians can easily use Snapchat to promote their music, is by previewing new songs. This can be as simple as firing off a quick snap story of you listening to a track that’s currently in the works, or even recording a new track in the studio with your band.
Previewing new work creates a buzz. It gets your followers excited for what’s to come and gives them something to look forward to. Not to mention that sharing these quick snippets is essentially creating shareable content in the easiest way possible. If you’re already in the midst of recording or listening to an upcoming track, why not turn it into a shareable snap that can get people talking about your music?
Behind The Scenes Footage
If you perform live, giving your fans a behind the scenes look is a great way to create excitement and give them a VIP treatment of what goes on backstage. You can show them snaps of what it’s like to make sure your instruments are in tune and ready to go, how a sound check works, or even the various staff at the venue who are working hard to make the concert a reality!
This also goes back to being personable with your followers and shining a light on what life as a musician is really like. Even if your just cracking jokes in the green room or making small talk with the sound guy, most of your fans are likely unfamiliar with what happens beyond the stage, so let them into your world!
Creating A Geofilter For Your Show
This one’s more so for those with a bit of graphic design skills. But if you can pull it off, it can be a HUGE benefit to your live show and the promotion of your music. Ever noticed how when you go to a certain location, new filters directly related to that location pop up for you to use? These are called Geofilters, and they’re actually free for anyone to make! So making one for your show that features branded images and awesome graphics related to your band is a surefire way to get people snapping and sharing that they’re at your show! Pricing to use Geofilters changes according to size of duration and campaign duration.
This is a Geofilter!
To learn more about these Geofilters and how to create them, check out this great walkthrough by SocialMediaExaminer.
If you have extra marketing budget, look into Snapchat Lenses. Similar to Geofilters, a Lens can appear according to your geographical area. Here’s an example of how Ed Sheeran used Snapchat Lenses to promote his new single.
Snapchat Spectacles
Snapchat Spectacles are the newest and greatest thing to come out of Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. Spectacles are sunglasses with built in cameras (talk about 007) that allow you to take snaps hands free, from a high definition, first person POV.
Image Source
As a musician, these can be used to add an entirely different perspective to any of your snaps, with the most notable setting being live shows. Showing your fans what you see from stage is an awesome way to let your fans virtually walk in your shoes, and it gives them a much more intimate feeling of what it’s like to be you!
In conclusion, it’s truly best not to overthink it. As long as you remain tasteful and appropriate, your fans will be interested in what you post because they are already interested in you and your music; so get out there and start snapping!
Artist Marketing, Artist of the Week, Social Media
This week we got the chance to talk with the very talented Amara Strand! Originally from Bangkok and currently based out of Toronto, Amara is an artist who specializes in gorgeous watercolour work inspired by her passion for urban life, architecture and nature. Read on to learn more about her and her beautiful work, and be sure to check out her website and Etsy shop through the links at the bottom of the page!
What draws you to painting and sketch work?
Painting has always been my passion, it is a great way for me to express myself through my art. I also enjoy trying to help people connect with each other through my art. I really got back into painting and sketching again when I started my “Heritage Buildings Project” in 2016.
In 3 words or less, how do people describe your artwork?
Vibrant, Joyful , Inspirational.
What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?
It’s a hard question because I have so many goals that I want to accomplish in my lifetime. My most important goal is to share my art with as many people as possible. I would love to travel the world and sketch on location and have a real studio for myself.
What has been the most helpful social media platform for you to promote your art?
Instagram and Facebook are my two preferred social platforms that I use to promote my art.
What’s the most difficult part of promoting yourself online?
It is very time consuming and I am always searching for ways to keep my followers interested and engaged with what I am doing.
What advice would you give to other artists who are starting out?
Keep doing what you believe in and never give up. Put yourself out there, work hard and have fun along your art journey.
To see more of Amara’s work, you can follow her on
Instagram,
Facebook,
Twitter and
Tumblr, as well as visit her website and Etsy shop at the links below.
