The first big step in internet entrepreneurship for bands was Myspace. How could it not be? It allowed artists to quickly create their own website, complete with a song player, pictures and the opportunity to market themselves to fans worldwide. However, in recent years Myspace’s user experience, not to mention reputation, has significantly declined. While the original social networking giant still works as a great website supplement for bands, it no longer carries the clout of Facebook in the marketplace. The reason why is a detailed story, so let me focus on the merits of Facebook for tomorrow’s next headliner.
1. Everybody uses Facebook.
There are over 500 million (and increasing) active users of Facebook, half of which log on every day and 70% of which are located outside of the United States, according to their own data. This is a staggering amount of people around the world! Getting radio airplay, record and distribution deals and significant tours requires a strong fan base. In the digital age, with this many people using Facebook, what better way to introduce your art to the world?
2. Fans want an artist, not a celebrity.
Okay, so there are still Justin Biebers out there, but the most loyal fan base with the most staying power long-term isn’t found in mainstream pop music. It’s found in garages, bars and concert halls and clubs. There are an astounding number of incredibly talented bands making waves in independent music because more and more kids want artists they relate to and can talk to after the show without paying hundreds of dollars for a VIP backstage pass ticket. These groups are even appearing in more mainstream circles as this trend continues (Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons)! Facebook gives you a chance to connect on a more personal level with fans, updating them daily with personal anecdotes and band happenings, and linking them to your Twitter, blog, Myspace and YouTube pages. I know a number of professional singer-songwriters who even make their personal pages public and give their fans the same access to their lives as their own family members!
3. Facebook is easy.
In the end, we all want to make work as efficient as possible. Facebook requires a minimal amount of maintenance (With my band, I spent about 30 minutes a day updating our page and responding to fans), quickly customizable boxes and applications for providing access to music, show dates and other information, and an easy way to connect to current fans and make new ones. For example, my good friends Deadhorse (Deadhorse Facebook page) have over 3000 Facebook fans in just over 1.5 years of being a band. Some of these were gained through extensive touring and then following up via Facebook, others simply stumbled across their page. Frontman Brian Morgante does an incredible job with reaching and retaining fans through their Facebook page, never possible without such a great tool.
To sum it all up, the garage bands of today can’t expect to go anywhere very soon without using Facebook to its full potential. You can write great music, but only with the internet and Facebook will it reach the masses.
Why Should My Band Use Facebook? is a post from Internet Entrepreneurship - Class Blog of ENTR 409 at Grove City College