If you’re a musician or a performer, you probably already know that YouTube is one of the best promotion tools at your disposal. Being a YouTube musician gives you instant access to potentially millions of users who watch videos every day. But if you’re a vlogger musician, you’re not limited to YouTube promotion. You can actually reach a wider audience beyond your regular subscribers, by using several different social media channels in order to cross-promote your material. Here’s a list of five other social media platforms even the best YouTube musicians should think about using:
- Twitter
Even if you aren’t able to be clever in 140 characters, you have a unique opportunity to connect to both fans and industry professionals when you’re an active musician on Twitter. There are 310 million monthly users on Twitter, so if you don’t have a Twitter presence, you’re really missing out on the chance to let people know about your music. You can promote new videos, engage with your supporters, and suggest collaborations with others in the biz. It’s a way to show your personality and promote your endeavors. Plus, you can encourage your followers to re-tweet your content, which means that it’s more shareable than other platforms might be. - Instagram
Instagram has become very popular within the last couple of years, and now that you can post video as well as photos, it’s a great platform for musicians. A musician on Instagram can give followers a peek at their daily life, divulge a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of their music, or reach new users with a well-placed hashtag. You can share a segment from a new music video or give a personal shout-out to a fan. No matter what, your followers will appreciate getting to know you on a more personal level through the images and video you share. - Periscope
Periscope is great for sharing live feeds and engaging your followers in real time. You can get your fans excited about an upcoming release, share your thoughts on a topic, or give them an insider’s glance at what you’re up to. Because it offers live discussions, you can see what your fans are saying as you’re broadcasting. Instead of your fans waiting for your next video to upload, they can feel like you’re right there in their home with them. It’s a great way for creative YouTube musicians to connect with fans on an instant and personal level. - Snapchat
Snapchat is definitely gaining popularity lately with its fun filters and fast, personal content. Because snaps self-destruct after 10 seconds, it’s a no-fuss way to connect and distribute content. You can make your story public for anyone to see or send snaps to specific users. It’s actually a great marketing material because, unlike other platforms, the majority of Snapchat users will open snaps from other users or brands they don’t know. It’s a type of marketing that doesn’t feel spammy. You can promote yourself and what you do without annoying anyone, and your followers will feel like you’re accessible in a way that existing purely on YouTube won’t allow. - Vine
Now that Instagram allows video, Vine isn’t always as necessary, but since Vine is a video-only app, it still has a certain appeal for those who can’t get enough of those six-second videos. You can also share Vine content on Instagram really easily, which makes content creation a lot easier and gives you more time to focus on your music. You can capture quick recording moments, promote a snippet from your newest YouTube video, or send out a fast thank you to your fans. Plus, with 40 million users, it’s an app you don’t want to ignore.
If you’re already a popular musician on YouTube, you might not realize the opportunities you’re missing by not being accessible on other platforms. But being active on other channels in addition to being a YouTube musician can only help increase your brand awareness. If you’re looking to have more recognition and increase your YouTube views, you’ll want to embrace these other promotional channels, too.