How To Market Your Band On Instagram

When it comes to making your band known these days, it’s not just about playing good gigs and getting your fans on an email list. Sure, that’s a start, and nothing beats a live show to get fans interested in your music. (After all, that’s when they hear your real sound, and connect to it emotionally, which is an irreplaceable experience.) But the ability to grow your brand with Instagram is key if you want to connect with your fans online. Especially because many of them are likely to be younger generations such as millennials and Gen Zers, they’re going to want to connect with you after gigs, and learn about your new songs and going on tour, via this platform.

Understanding how to market your band on Instagram is highly important. By using the right strategies, you’ll get more loyal followers, which means more success at your gigs and getting more people supporting your art. Here’s how to do it.

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Run your account as an Instagram for Business account

Any professional business uses an Instagram for Business account. So do influencers, who make lots of money from promoting anything from lipstick brands to airlines. And when it comes to being an artist, the same applies. Even though you have a band for reasons other than to make money (though the money never hurts!), switching to an Instagram for Business account will benefit you hugely. The minute you switch, you’ll automatically show up on more feeds, getting more engagement. Additionally, you can connect your account to your website and Facebook account, and include extra information such as your contact information and address.

Another plus? Instagram for Business includes the free Insights feature, which will give you the chance to learn more about your most successful posts, and provide you with the average and location of your followers. Considering that Instagram is the second-most popular social media platform in the US (second only to Facebook), switching to this kind of account will make a huge difference to your online following.

Come up with an awesome aesthetic and voice

Depending on what kind of genre you’re creating music in, your aesthetic is going to be different. If you’re one singer-songwriter playing folk music, then readers will expect different kinds of pictures and fonts than they would if you’re in a metal band. Take a look at what famous musicians in your industry are doing, and think about if it’s something your audience would like. Researching your audience (both literally and online) doesn’t hurt, either. Once you’ve done that, you can come up with a color scheme, as well as a tone of voice (Clever? Ironic? Authentic?) for your captions that will make you relatable to your fans. Most importantly, remember that what you write has to match the mood of the songs you write.

Speaking of your audience, don’t forget to engage with them anytime they comment or start following you. Especially with something as personal as music, engaging with them will make a lot to them–and if your band is new, you’ll get a lot out of this strategy. Additionally, follow other bands and local venues so that you can start making connections and getting offers to open and perform. Considering that there are currently 25 million businesses on Instagram, you can see how effective it is for making industry connections.

Use Instagram Stories

Another great feature Instagram offers is Instagram Stories. And for musicians, this is especially useful because it’ll give you the opportunity to share your live gigs with fans. You can also sit down with a camera and show fans your writing sessions and what it’s like to edit a new song at the studio. Considering that there are now 400 million daily users using Instagram Stories, and you can now add background music to this feature, it’s one of the best ways for you to share your everyday adventures in a band with your followers. Just imagine how cool it would be for them to follow you live on tour!

Be smart about hashtags

Finally, remember to be clever with your hashtags. Use ones that are related only to your band, and also use hashtags related to your genre, venues you’re performing at, and cool stuff you’re doing (e.g., #ontheroad). Additionally, don’t forget to use location tagging! Especially if you’re a local band, this can make a huge difference. Posts tagged with a location receive 79 percent more engagement than those that don’t, so remember to include the venue where you’re performing!