In this episode Anthony Pacheco from Simpl and I talk about using organic social media content and ads to market your music.
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Important Points:
Andrew and Anthony talk about focusing on organic social media marketing first when starting out as an artist, especially if you have a limited budget. Engage authentically with potential fans online through platforms like Reddit, Facebook groups, etc. This can help build a foundation before paid ads.
Anthony suggests repurposing your best performing organic social media content into paid ads. This content has already been tested to resonate with your audience.
Anthony and Andrew talk about regularly creating short-form video content that feels authentic and organic. This could be quick performance clips, behind-the-scenes, etc. Consistency is key.
Anthony shares why you should consider niche communities and fan groups related to your music when marketing. Interact as a genuine fan yourself rather than self-promoting.
Podcast Outline:
[00:04:17] The best marketing advice is to be yourself and post authentic content on TikTok. Don’t rely solely on music videos. – Anthony
[00:04:48] “If your content sucks, chances are your ads suck” – Andrew
[00:08:03] For new artists with limited budgets, focus on organic marketing like engaging in online communities as a fan. Build genuine connections. – Anthony
[00:08:29] Using your social channels as a way to test ads. – Andrew
[00:10:12] Today’s fans value authenticity. Post real, in-the-moment, short-form content. – Anthony
[00:12:05] For instrumental artists, perform your music on TikTok. Show your talent. – Anthony
[00:16:43] Use organic social media to test content for free before paid ads. The best performing organic content will also do well in ads. – Anthony
[00:21:38] To easily create lots of content, film yourself performing your full song in cool locations. Chop it up into segments and play with hooks. – Anthony
[00:26:25] To promote your music in online fan communities, don’t spam links. Have real conversations and build friendships as a fellow fan. – Anthony
[00:29:02] It took a long time of community marketing to slowly build an audience, but it creates real connections and impact. – Anthony
[00:35:53] The key is getting artists to post quality organic content first so we have good creative assets to test in paid ads. – Anthony
[00:39:35] For tour ads, target music interests narrowed by related interests like anime. Converts very profitably. – Anthony
[00:42:21] Record video invites for your event ads. – Andrew
[00:43:38] Tour ads work best when retargeting engaged fans. Harder for new artists with no existing audience. – Andrew
[00:47:48] Don’t expect fans to pay on Patreon if you don’t even post on your own socials. Add value before monetizing. – Anthony
[00:54:23] Focus on quality organic content first, then monetize later once you have an audience. – Anthony
[00:55:10] Start posting organic social content. You’ll thank me later. – Anthony
[00:56:28] There’s no one best platform. Focus on TikTok and Instagram in that order, but always depends on the artist. – Anthony
Wise Words:
[00:04:42] “My general recommendation would probably be, when you’re new, assuming you have time, you should start the organic route first, so you can actually figure out the content that works best, because your ads are just content that’s being pushed out to more people.” – Andrew
[00:10:08] “You should be paying attention to what they (your audience) like. But I read this study to where they value authenticity. More than anything, being real and things looking and feeling organic.” – Anthony
[00:20:23] “It doesn’t sound like a lot from the get go, but scheduling seven days of content, not just across Tik TOK, but Instagram reels, Facebook reels, YouTube, Twitter, like whatever you’re doing, it’s like it adds up. And so that’s why I use a scheduler.” – Andrew
[00:55:10] “Start posting on social media organically. You’ll thank me later. And if you don’t know where to start, check out the Levelr app.” – Anthony
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If you enjoyed this interview you might also like this one I did with Xan Griffin about how he got 100k+ monthly Spotify listeners organically.