Social media is a powerful tool that concert promoters can use to get people in the door and foster excitement about an event. When promoting a concert before, during, and after the fact, it’s crucial to utilize the different platforms out there like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Vine.
Whether you’re putting together a show at a local bar or trying to fill a stadium with thousands of seats, social media is extremely useful for promotion purposes. Before you get started, take a look at the following checklist to make sure you’re generating the maximum amount of buzz possible.
Figure out which platforms your audience utilizes
You may be working with an artist who has fans that are 50 years old and older. Or perhaps you’re promoting the concert of a band that appeals to 14 year-old-girls. One size does not fit all on social media, so you must meet your audience on the platforms they are using.
While Facebook is a favored platform amongst people of all ages, Vine, for example, is for a younger age demographic. A majority of the users on the site are 18 to 20-years-old, according to an infographic from TAMBA.
Putting it into action
If your artist has a younger fan base, post Vine videos with your artist to build anticipation leading up to the show. Show them rehearsing, preparing for the concert, and exploring your town. On your own end, you can show a preview of the light effects you’ll be using or clips from your artists’ past concerts.
For inspiration, look at the Vine account for Justin Bieber, who has three million followers. His videos have been played more than 448 million times, and they simply show him goofing on our tour and hanging out with friends.
Hype up the show on Twitter and install a Social Media Display
Twitter is most frequented by people ages 18 to 29-years-old, followed by men and women ages 30 to 49, according to a Pew study. If your artist has fans in that age range, or they have a large Twitter following, you should make use of the social network to promote your concert.
Putting it into action
By the time the concert is first announced, you should be following your artist on Twitter. Then, start retweeting their content to your followers. Before the show, generate relevant hashtags and use them in your posts. Ask your artist to start tweeting them out as well. Check out the Twitter account of Merriweather Post Pavilion, a venue in Maryland, for some best practices.
During the show, you could use a social media display to showcase fan tweets, Instagram photos or even gifs at the concert. You could encourage fans to post questions that the artist will answer in between songs or tweet out pictures of them live at the concert. Audience members will get excited about seeing their pictures and tweets on the board. As an extra bonus, you’ll have the Twitter accounts of your audience members so that you can target them when the artist comes back into town.
Run a photo contest on Facebook
Want to receive more likes and appear more frequently on your audience’s timelines? Incorporate photos into your Facebook campaign. According to an infographic made by KISSmetrics, photos receive 53 percent more likes, 84 more click-throughs, and 104 percent more comments than the average post.
Putting it into action
Weeks before the concert, post the contest on your Facebook page, and ask your artist to post it on theirs, too. Users should submit photos of themselves wearing the artists’ merchandise or rocking out to their music for a chance to win a prize. Some ideas might include two free tickets, backstage passes, or free food and drinks at the concert.
During the show, you could also run a contest. Ask the audience to take photos of the musicians and then hashtag them and post them to your Facebook page. The best photographer will receive tickets to a future concert you’re holding or some free swag from the artist.
More tips and tricks
- Remember, content is everything. You should be posting photos, Facebook and Twitter updates, and blog posts before, during, and after the event. Coordinate content production and distribution with your artist when they sign a contract with you. Ask them if they’re able to promote the show on their own accounts. Let them know about the different campaigns you plan on running, as well as how they can help you get people excited about the concert.
- People are glued to their smartphones, even at concerts. Since they’re already going to be on them, give them something to do, whether it’s on Twitter, Facebook, or Vine.
- Research campaigns big and small. Study how large companies and venues such as Live Nation, Madison Square Garden, and AXS promote their shows. Look at the social media accounts of local promoters who have been successful, too.
Have you ever promoted a concert on social media? What tools did you use? Let us know in the comments section below.