Many independent artists struggle with social media marketing. It’s not easy to know what exactly to post to break through the noise, get your music heard and reach new potential fans.

I put together a case study based on a recent album campaign I did to show you that it’s not as complicated as it seems to gain traction on social media.

This album rollout campaign resulted in 3 videos I created to promote singles for an artist going viral. This led to Snoop Dogg reposting one of these videos to his 80 million Instagram followers and Erykah Badu sharing another video to her Instagram Stories.

The organic reach for these viral videos spread well outside our network where random, high-profile artists, comedians and celebrities even engaged with the videos. This was my first time experiencing something like this so it was quite interesting to see it unfold.

During the 3 month campaign that started with the first single release on 8/8/24:

• We accumulated over 10 million views for the videos promoting the singles across all platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube Shorts). The videos were shared over 120k times.
• Spotify monthly listeners increased by over 35,000 (25% increase)
• Instagram followers increased by over 4x
• TikTok followers increased by over 17x
• One song from the new album, What Dreams Are Made Of, was added to a Spotify editorial playlist with 241k followers and brought over 80k streams during this period.
• On Spotify, the songs on the new album accumulated over 288k streams, 90k listeners, 28k saves, and 15k playlist adds within these 3 months.

Although we didn’t go mega-viral, these numbers were still impactful for a middle-class, independent artist seeing success on social media for the first time, with numbers exceeding well beyond the norm of what we were used to seeing.

What can other artists learn from this experience to build traction on social media?

In this blog, I will share the full breakdown and timeline of this album campaign, how we tried to capitalize on these viral moments and key takeaways that you can apply to your next campaign.
 

Before The Viral Campaign

 
Before getting into the full details, I want to share some context on how things led up to this album campaign that I feel many musicians can relate to.

However, if you just want to dive into the next section, the key to our viral success was posting short-form performance videos on socials (Spoiler Alert). I wrote an entire blog on this that you can check out.

Like many artists, even those in the music industry for decades, we struggled to find organic success posting on social media and remain a victim to the all-mighty algorithm. We were stuck at around 20k followers on Instagram and 1.4k followers on TikTok.

For previous album rollouts, we kept things relatively traditional with long-form music videos and bits of behind-the-scenes content here and there. When it came to views and reach, our measure of success was reaching views over 10k on Instagram and 800 on TikTok. These are not high standards, but that was the struggle we faced.

As a millennial marketer, I’ll be honest and say I’ve been avoiding TikTok and short-form content for many years despite being aware of its impact. All the artists I work with are already established to some degree, so it took time to figure out a content angle that would make sense for them.

The inherent problem with our marketing efforts has been focusing more on activating/engaging current fans and hoping they would be the ones to lead new potential fans into our marketing funnel through word-of-mouth tactics (i.e. sharing traditional music videos on social media, using songs in their Instagram Stories or playing songs for friends). In other words, not being more intentional with how to market to new fans with how technology and consumer behavior have evolved.

Over the years, I have found this to be an extremely common problem for established and seasoned artists. The discovery potential with the algorithms on these platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) can be massive, but you have to create and format specific content that they want to push to their user base.

For the past year or so, I began noticing more and more artists finding organic success on social media by posting vertically one-shot performance clips with lyrics on the videos. This was my “ah-ha” or eureka moment.

I realized many musicians were taking elements of a traditional long-form music video and adapting it as short-form vertical videos specifically for social media.

However, even editing short clips from a traditional music video into a vertical format isn’t good enough. I touch more on this later.

For decades, traditional music videos have been the primary marketing tool for artists to reach new potential fans. The problem is no one watches full music videos on social media and the algorithms hate it.

I was able to one artist to buy into the idea so we decided to give it a shot in the summer of 2024 with an acoustic album of many of the artist’s popular songs.

We posted about 20 short-form performance videos and there was a good response on Instagram with a few of them. Overall, we did notice that posting these types of short-form Reels gave us more views and engagement than we typically saw by pushing it to non-followers. The cool thing about Instagram analytics is that you can see how a Reel performs with your followers versus non-followers and how many followers you gain from the video.

This allowed us to experiment further and get more familiar with TikTok, a platform I’ve avoided diving into for so many years. With this experience, we were able to do this campaign again, but with the new studio album.
 

Viral Campaign Timeline

 
Now that we have that covered, here’s a breakdown of all the key moments during the campaign. I have included links to the exact video to give you a better idea of what was posted.

Thursday, August 8, 2024: The album campaign kicked off with the first single release of Take It 2 Far. The first short-form performance video was posted on all platforms on the same day. The video started with the chorus, and then led into the first verse. It performed poorly, initially getting only a couple hundred views the first day.

Tuesday, August 13, 2024: The next video to promote Take It 2 Far, starting on verse two, was posted and went viral on TikTok.

Views for the first 7 days of Take It 2 Far on TikTok

Even though it started to tail off a bit, the algorithm was still pushing the video steadily for over a month and brought in hundreds of new followers a day.

For comparison, this is what we typically would see as best case scenario on TikTok before this album campaign started:

The graph above is for a video promoting an acoustic version of his most popular song with over 10 million streams across all platforms.

After the first couple of days, we were getting noticeable bumps in views and engagement too. Once the algorithm favors your video, it’ll push all your other videos to non-followers.

Tuesday, August 20, 2024: After about a week of the song taking off on TikTok, the momentum carried over to Instagram. Up to this point, we gained about 5k followers on Instagram and 5.6k on TikTok.

To keep the momentum going, we shot another batch of videos for the song in a different location. However, none of the videos for this single would ever reach the same heights as the initial viral video.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024: I got a text from the artist showing that Snoop Dogg reacted to his Reel and followed him.

Shortly after, he reposted our Reel to his 89.2 million followers on Instagram.

The video Snoop Dogg reposted to this Instagram followers.

Side Note: We have no idea how Snoop Dogg came across the video as it seemed very random but we’re glad it came across his radar. Because the video was going viral on TikTok and did not have the same response on Instagram. By the time Snoop Dogg saw the video and reposted it, we had FB and IG ads running for about a week already. It’s possible he saw the ad or maybe someone who follows shared it and was connected with Snoop. Who knows.

Thursday, August 22, 2024: After about 24 hours, Snoops’s video hit about 1.3 million views, 30k likes and 1k comments on his Instagram. We wanted to make sure people knew about this so in the next video post for the song, we wanted to acknowledge that Snoop reposted it. We mentioned it in the caption.

Friday, August 23, 2024: Another type of content we introduced was responding to popular comments with videos. The goal was to engage the new fans and show some personality to build a deeper brand relationship with the artist outside of the music. Although these videos didn’t go viral, some of them performed extremely well because of their entertainment value.

We also used this opportunity to make sure people knew about Snoop Dogg reposting. There were already people commenting that either the song reminds them of Snoop Dogg or that Snoop should be on the remix. This was a great tie-in for one of these types of videos.

Wednesday, September 4, 2024: In order to take this momentum to the next level, I felt like we needed to spark more user-generated content (UGC). The hope was to figure out how to incorporate the song into a dance challenge. Instead, we tried launching an open verse challenge for the first time. It didn’t do too well, but we did have about 20 people participate across all platforms.

Thursday, September 12, 2024: The next single “What Dreams Are Made Of” drops. We shot a batch of videos on a rooftop from a space we rented. None of the 6 short-form videos we posted to promote this song went viral, but it still had a positive response.

Friday, September 13, 2024: The second single was added to a Spotify Editorial playlist with 241k followers.

This song was originally supposed to be the last single before the album dropped but we moved it up in response to the viral success we were having with the first single. Because of this, I submitted the song for Spotify editorial playlist consideration a week before the single release date and thankfully it still got added. However, it is still recommended to submit to Spotify at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance of the release date.

During the 3-month album campaign, this playlist brought in over 80k streams. It was great this happened because we can compare streaming numbers for a song that got playlisted but didn’t have the same social media success as the other singles.

Thursday, October 3, 2024: The third single Can We Still Be Friends officially drops and eventually became our most viral song. However, the first video flopped.

Due to scheduling issues, we had to shoot last minute at night the day before the single release. I was not prepared to shoot, but we just needed to improvise something to get a video out for release day.

Not a strong start, but the beauty of doing these short-form videos is it doesn’t matter. You can keep posting until something hits.

Thursday, October 10, 2024: We shot another batch of videos for the third single. For the second video, I wanted to experiment with posting a video that was still on a tripod and had the artist sitting this time. The camera was handheld in all the previous videos and he was standing.

This video also flopped, but why? Was it because of the still shot? Was it the sitting? Or was it because it started with the chorus and went into the first verse? Although it was easy to say that a sitting shot, especially if there isn’t any camera movement, doesn’t make for an interesting or engaging video, we learned that wasn’t the case.

Tuesday, October 15, 2024: The third video we posted went viral and hit similar numbers as the first viral video in August. I wasn’t ready to rule out that a sitting and still camera shot could work so I tried it again. This time, I started the video with the second verse and that did the trick. Also, the reason this video also did better is because you can see his entire outfit.

I believe this video helped the next one to go viral, reaching the most views we’ve seen on a single video so far.

Thursday, October 17, 2024: We post the fourth video and it goes viral, reaching over 2 million views across all platforms and becoming our most successful one in the campaign.

Monday, October 21, 2024: We introduced “fit check” as a new type of content to experiment with. As a fashionista, this type of content made sense for the artist and it did well hitting 160k views. It even caught the attention of West Coast legend Suga Free, to whom many commenters during this campaign have compared the artist to during the album campaign.

Friday, October 25, 2024: The new album officially drops on all platforms.

Monday, October 28, 2024: I suggested the artist go live on TikTok and Instagram to talk to fans about the new album. As strange as it sounds, this move was more about showing the new followers that this artist is a person.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024: Because of the viral success of the video we posted on 10/17, we wanted to post another one with the same backdrop. Unfortunately, it was the last and only take we did in front of the house before getting kicked off the property so we couldn’t finish recording the second verse.

Since we only had half of the second verse recorded, we shared a 20-second snippet and it went viral, also reaching 2 million views across all platforms.

Thursday, October 31, 2024: We released our only “traditional” music video for “It Might Not Be Love” on YouTube. This was shot the previous year. For how much was spent on this music video, it did not provide a good return on investment for how it performed compared to the short-form videos.

We posted a short snippet of the music video on socials but it didn’t perform well. The mistake the first time was mentioning the full video was on YouTube in the captions and on the video itself, which could have potentially caused algorithms to derank it.

Wednesday, November 13, 2024: Erykah Badu shared the 20-second snippet on her Instagram Story. Although this didn’t really move the needle, we still gained about a thousand new followers and it was cool to see this as big fans of the artist.

Screenshot of the Erkyah Badu repost on Instagram Stories

Thursday, November 14, 2024: We introduced a new type of content called BS Comments where the artist would respond to negative comments. It’s our take on Jimmy Kimmel’s Mean Tweets where artists, athletes and celebrities respond to mean comments about them.

Thursday, December 5, 2024: Since the traditional music video wasn’t effective, we shot a batch of videos for the fourth single at a local bar. We posted the first short-form video, outperforming the clips pulled from the music video.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024: The best video for “It Might Not Be Love” out of the recent bunch was posted and it also started to take off leading up to Christmas.

Instagram graph showing the Reel performance for It Might Not Be Love.

It’s annoying that once you run an ad on an Instagram video, the performance metric graphics for ‘followers versus non-followers’ disappear so I can’t show previous ones unfortunately. But since we didn’t run this video as an ad, I’m able to share what the graph looks like for this video. Of course, it doesn’t take a data scientist to understand that this is the type of performance you want to see – views increasing from non-followers.
 

Social Media Campaign Costs

 
For this campaign, we wanted to keep costs at a minimum by focusing on building organic momentum on social media.

Even though we accomplished this, we made sure to push the album from all angles. In addition to paying for radio promotion and a publicist, we also put ad money behind videos that were gaining traction to add fuel to the fire. All these things did help, but all of the momentum came from organic socials from these short-form videos.

So if we’re just looking at the core costs of creating and posting videos on social media, including ad spend, it was about $1,000. This also includes a $250 rental fee to book a rooftop to shoot videos for one of the singles.

This does not of course include the cost to hire someone like myself to manage the entire campaign and create the video assets, but if you’re doing it yourself, this won’t be a cost for you.
 

Key Viral Video Takeaways

 
1. Going viral is often unexpected. You hear this a lot from people who go viral. In our situation, it was definitely true. We were seeing some success posting short-form performance clips for a previous acoustic album release but did not expect any of our videos to take off like the first one.

Because it is unexpected, it’s good to be aware of the action steps you should take if it were to happen to you to keep the momentum going. I cover this below.

2. Negative comments are “good.” As you become more popular, you will naturally have more haters and attract more negativity your way. Unfortunately, that’s the way our culture and society works now. But people leaving negative comments ultimately help your video in the algorithms. This can be viewed as a good thing as long as you’re not reading these comments or taking them to heart.

As someone who read most of the comments, I would say 90% were positive and 10% were negative. A lot of the “negative” comments were drawing comparisons to what the artist looks or sounds like to be funny or entertaining.

3. Luck and timing still matter a lot. The first time I posted the video for the first single, the numbers were doing what they normally would do. But the next video took off on TikTok only and not the other platforms.

The second video that went viral, promoting the third single, took off on Instagram and not TikTok.

Through experimentation leading up to these viral videos, I found that posting around 9AM PT on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday worked the best for us. The analytics on Instagram and TikTok showed that our peak active users was at about 4PM PT.

Sometimes you don’t know what video will catch with the algorithm. You just have to do your best to use the analytics to find the best times to post and keep trying.

4. Comment baiting in the videos helped. It’s one thing to ask a question in the caption as a way to encourage comments from your fans. It’s another thing if elements in the videos naturally encourage people to leave a comment. This could be from how you look, how you dress or any imperfections in the video.

From our end, it was something that was totally unintentional, but it worked in our favor. The artist is very fashion-conscious and can be a bit more… adventurous with his clothing choices so viewers often left comments about it.

5. Experiment with which part of the song to post. Going into this campaign, my hypothesis was starting the video with the chorus or hook was best move. Turns out that starting the video with the second verse performed best. Now, this may vary depending on the genre or style of music you do so it’s important to experiment.

Also, you don’t need to share the entire verse or include the chorus in the video. In fact, I’ve seen plenty of artists just share 15 – 30 seconds of a verse and have it perform well.

With this in mind, we tried sharing a 20-second snippet of a verse and it took off.

6. Social media success does not directly translate to streaming success and vice versa. Despite earning over 7 million views from all of these videos, we saw a slight increase in overall streaming numbers. Once Snoop Dogg reposted our video to his Instagram followers on August 21st, we saw a noticeable bump in streams on Spotify as shown below.

The streaming impact on Spotify after Snoop Dogg reposted the video for “Take It 2 Far” to his 89 million followers.

In general, the numbers and attention you earn usually stay localized within that platform, except when something goes mega-viral. What I noticed is the reverse is true too. If you get a lot of streams from Spotify playlists, this often does not translate to getting followers on social media.

7. You can’t predict which video will go viral. Initially, I thought if certain performance metrics were high enough, the algorithm would more likely push it to non-followers.

On TikTok, you have ‘average watch time’, ‘percentage of full video’ watched and ‘retention rate’. You would think these metrics are important to them since they’re highlighted in the analytics overview.

When I compared these numbers to other videos, I found that there were some that had better metrics but they weren’t getting the same love with the algorithm. There are likely other metrics that are taken into account, like shares and how many videos are created from your original video/sound.

8. High production and higher costs for video don’t mean better marketing performance. As an independent artist, a traditional music video where you’re spending thousands of dollars out of pocket just isn’t a cost-effective marketing tool in today’s digital climate. That’s exactly what we saw play out in this campaign. We got significantly more reach and followers from 20+ short-form performance videos that cost a fraction of what we paid for a traditional music video.

Most of the short-form videos I put together and posted were shot on a $500 camera (Insta360 Ace Pro is now $300, but there’s also a newer model), but you can do better with most modern smartphones, like an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Because these videos can be inexpensive and simple to shoot, you can create more and have them edited much quicker. Because content is so saturated, it becomes more of a numbers game than having super high-quality production.

In fact, highly produced content can potentially work against you in the newsfeed as people subconsciously prefer more authentic, less unedited videos. This is why the short-form performance videos that usually perform best are often one-shot.
 

Conclusion

 
Typically, songs and videos that go mega viral encourage and incentivize user-generated content (dance challenges, lip syncs, reactions, reviews) and/or attach themselves to memes or events. For us, that was one area we weren’t able to capitalize on to take these viral moments even further.

Despite that, this was a successful campaign as a fully independent effort. Creating the right content to promote your release on social media doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.

Hopefully, this case study and campaign breakdown was useful for you. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out, leave a comment or set up a call to chat with me.

The post Going Viral On Social Media: Campaign Breakdown For Musicians appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.

In our current climate, the key to getting yourself in front of potential fans cost-effectively is through short-form video content. Typically, musicians associate this type of short-form content with the dance, lip-sync and crazy challenge videos found on TikTok. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be any of that. This trend of short-form videos can actually be quite simple and more in line with what’s natural for musicians, which is “live” performance.

Short-form live performance videos have grown in popularity in the past couple of years and have shown to be effective for marketing new music and even helping some artists go viral.

In this blog, I cover all the basics you need to know about how to go about creating short-form videos as a musician to promote your music on social media.
 

The Transition From Long To Short-Form Video

 
With the rise of the internet, smartphones and social media over the past 20 years, we have now officially come to the end of the traditional music video era and the new reign for short-form videos. This transition has been going on for many years, starting with Musical.ly (before becoming TikTok). You can even argue this trend started as early Twitter’s Vine in 2013 with its 6 second looping videos.

With the higher cost of attention in the oversaturation of content in our feeds, the best way to reach fans on social media is through short-form video content. When it comes to marketing yourself and your music, video content is king and this shift to short-form makes it much easier for you. Not only is it typically cheaper to produce, you can often do a lot of it yourself.

This has also influenced how music is being made and released, with songs becoming shorter in length (2 minutes or less) and a stronger focus on releasing singles and EPs instead of full albums.

At this point, it should be no surprise that the importance and validity of a traditional budgeted music video for independent artists has diminished. This doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t do a long-form music video at some point, but it’s challenging to get your return on investment if a lot of money goes into it. I see traditional long-form music videos more of a luxury as a brand-building play than a necessity for promoting a song. Some artists want to create long-form music videos as an artist extension of the music for storytelling and there’s nothing wrong with it if you can afford it.

So if you’re still early in your career and you don’t have a budget, your focus should be strategically using short-form video content to build an audience/fan base at scale.
 

Short-Form Video Basics

 
Short-form video is essentially any type of video content that is optimized for social media consumption. More specifically, I’m referring to videos of you performing the song similarly to how you would in a traditional music video. Here’s an overview about short-form videos that you need to know.

There are 4 fundamental characteristics that make a short-form video.

Vertical / Portrait Oriented Video – The video orientation naturally fits with how people consume content on their smartphones. It takes up more visual real estate when someone scrolls through their feed, making your video more noticeable. This means you should be filming with your phone upright (portrait) and not turning it to its side (landscape). If you’re shooting on a camera, it’s best to shoot in 4K so you can crop the footage to fit a 9:16 orientation. The orientation of the video does not effect the potential for the video to go viral. However, vertical videos are more immersive and engaging so it gives you a better chance.

Length – The video length is typically less than 1 minute, but what is considered optimal is debatable and will vary by platform. With YouTube shorts, it has to be less than 180 seconds (179 seconds to be safe) or it won’t be recognized as a Short. Whereas with Instagram Reels, it has to be no more than 3 minutes or the algorithm won’t recommend your video to non-followers. For TikTok, you can’t have a song in a video be longer than 60 seconds due to licensing agreements. In general, short-form videos between 15 to 30 seconds will get the most engagement. The length of the video is key because the average person isn’t watching long videos while scrolling on social media.

On Video Captions – If your music has lyrics, there should be text captions on the video itself, usually in a color like yellow so it stands out more. Sometimes the text will have a black or white outline to help it stand out and not blend too much into the video. Having the lyrics on the video itself is important because many people scroll their news feed without the sound turned on. Seeing text changing in the video also catches people’s attention. Having lyrics is not necessary as some artists prefer a clean aesthetic, but it may vary by song or video. It’s at least worth testing with or without lyrics to see what may perform better with your audience.

Optimized For Short Attention – We all know that attention spans continue to diminish in the digital age, so the video content needs to jump right into the action. This means no slow or long intros. Generally, you need to hook viewers within the first few seconds. This can entail starting with the hook or chorus of a song. Some may even add a visual element in the video editing to draw attention, like camera shake, starting upside down or in black and white.

As an artist, there are 3 general ways you can approach short-form video for potentially reaching new fans.

1. Directly music related: This entails things like performing original music or covers, sharing, playing beats, producing music, mixing mashups live, DJ sets, etc.
2. Making music content tying in interests / hobbies / passions: This is incorporating music and other interests like dance, sports, food, pets, drugs or fitness. For example, making songs based on food recipes like how Good Boy Noah has done with his puppet cheetah.
3. Brand or personality focused: This is more about showcasing your personality whether it’s from doing meme content, reaction videos or short skits, but not music. This can naturally overlap into your interests and hobbies if it’s a part of your brand.

What I’ll be covering is content that is more specific to musicians and involves music performance. Regardless of which way you want to approach it, the intent for your short-form video should seek to either:

• Entertain
• Inspire / Motivate
• Educate

If you’re able to accomplish those things, you’re more likely to have your videos shared and engaged with.

As for where short-form video content is shared, the 3 platforms you’ll want to post on are:

• TikTok
• YouTube Shorts
• Reels (Instagram and Facebook)

Each platform has their differences so you’ll need to make sure you optimize your short-form videos to fit the platform you’re posting on.
 

Short-Form Video Setups & Examples

 
Here are some basic short-form video setups / ideas to consider starting with. Most of the examples shared below are from hip hop / rap artists because that’s what I normally listen to and come across but it can still be applied to other genres and styles. It’s up to you if you want to do an actual live performance or just a lip sync. Lip sync is much easier to film while performing the song live in a video can require more work to capture good audio, but it comes off as more authentic.

Please Note: All setups discussed below involve a performer in the videos. Technically, you can execute short form videos without you physically in it and just have the lyrics go with your music over stock footage. The problem is this isn’t going to be effective for most, especially if you’re not an established artist yet.

However, if creating video content on social media really isn’t for you or you don’t plan on doing live performances, then you may want to consider other music marketing options.
 

1. Performing with still camera on a tripod

This is the simplest thing you can do. Set up your smartphone or camera on a tripod and record yourself. This can be easily done in your home, the backyard or at a local park. Because the shot is still, you’ll want to make it interesting with the background, what you’re wearing or any props in the video.

Once you get comfortable, think about other visually appealing or interesting places. This can be done in national parks with beautiful landscapes, popular vacation spots, tourist attractions (in front of the Eiffel Tower) or busy public areas with tons of people behind you. Just be aware that some places have strict rules about filming so be careful and be discrete.

Examples

• LaRussell in front of a house
• Tanner Adell at a barn
• Stevie Ray at his doorstep
• Mei Semones playing the guitar at her doorstep
• Shanin Blake in a living room
• Shanin Blake on a log in nature
• Infinity Song (Band) in front of an old structure
• Amp Live (Producer) in his studio
• Amp Live on a beach
• Samara Cyn sitting on a chair on a green hill
• Samara Cyn sitting on steps in front of green wall
• KODUKU singing in an open field
• Mary Ann Alexander singing at home with short intro
• Alam Khan playing the Sarode at home (Instrument Only)

2. Using actual live show performance

If you’re already doing a live performance (hopefully in front of a decent sized crowd), you can have someone record you on stage performing full songs. This can also be staged and done in a larger backyard area and a crowd of people. You can then extract the best segments and add lyric captions on top.

LaRussell is someone I’ve come across who has done this a lot. Here are my favorite examples of his:

• Show performance
• Festival performance
• Backyard performance

3. Performing the song in one static location

For this setup, you’ll need someone to film you. The idea is you’re performing in one area, but the camera will be moving with and around you to make things more interesting.

LaRussell is someone who does a great job of this as a majority of the short form videos he puts out uses this basic setup.

Examples:

• A-1 and his producer in a park
• LaRussell performing on the street
• Pink Sweat$ performing live in a parking garage
• Russ in Paris with the Eiffel Tower behind him
• THRONE in a room
• RMS on a street
• Alexia Evellyn in front of a waterfall
• Miles Minnick rapping in an alley street
• Norman Sann rapping in a parking lot

4. Performing the song with constant movement

Instead of standing in one area, you as the performer can be constantly in movement. It can be as simple as walking straight towards the camera or moving around within a scene.

The rap duo Flyana Boss has done a great job of executing this with running in their videos, which has prompted many viewers about how they were able to pull it off as smoothly as they have.

Examples:

• Shanin Blake slow walk towards camera
• Pink Sweat$ on a moving boat
• Flyana Boss running out of a restaurant
• Flyana Boss running in Disneyland

5. Performing a song while doing another activity

Another setup to change things up is to perform while doing another activity. This can be done with a static camera or someone else to film you.

The activity can depend on your personality and interests that make sense with your brand or the song you’re performing. Or it can just be completely random or unexpected to create some intrigue.

Rapper Locksmith created a video series called Lock Lyft where he invites fans on a car ride and he performs for them while driving.

Examples/Ideas:

• Driving (Locksmith)
• Biking (Flyana Boss)
• Cooking
• Rolling up a joint
• Exercise
• Hiking
• Roller Skating / Skateboarding
• Household chores

6. Performing with props or extras

Incorporating props or other extras into your setup is an easy way to make your videos more interesting. This can be something as simple as a big hat, a mask, green screen, other performers or even the rain. You can also try using your pet or your kids.

The band Walk Off The Earth and LaRussell does a really good job of using props in their videos.

Examples

• Static performance with kid
• Juggling a ball with paddles
• LaRussell with a photographer in front
• LaRussell shot through a basketball hoop
• LaRusell with bikers
• Coyote staging a set in a kitchen with props and actors
• Pertinence in front of a car and hanging mic
• Scoochie Boochie in front of volcano using greenscreen

7. Performing and acting out the lyrics

Lastly, consider creating a scene and acting out the lyrics you’re performing as if it was a one shot music video. Let’s say you’re performing a song about a break up, have someone in the shot pretending to be your partner and reacting to the news. Here’s an example of that from Russ (TikTok) and another on Instagram for the same song.
 

Short-Form Video Creation Tips

 
– Do multiple full takes. When filming, rather than just doing a verse and hook in one take, do multiple takes of the entire song so you can extract the best parts as different videos. You can do this to test which parts of the songs perform better.

– Maximize each location. One location can be used to do multiple songs and in different parts of the space. For example, let’s say you film in a park. You can shoot standing on a table, sitting on a bench, in front of the playground, on a swing or slide, on a basketball court, etc.

– Schedule a day for content. If possible, dedicate a day for content (“content day”) where you can record multiple videos in one session to save time. Performing 3 songs in 3 different locations in a day can potentially yield up to 18 to 36 short videos for you to post.

– Stay organized. Create a system to keep all the video files organized because you’ll be posting these videos multiple times. If done right, you should have an organized library to pull from to be consistent with your posting.

– Perform versions of songs already on socials. If you do a lip sync, just make sure to do it to a version currently available on social platforms, like TikTok and Instagram, so that you can add your song from within the app itself. This allows you to earn royalties from your video and it displays your artist and song name in your post. When you upload your music to an aggregator like DistroKid, they will have an option to distribute to social platforms. In most cases, a platform like Instagram can auto-detect the song and tag it on the post without you having to manually add and sync the track.

– Practice before filming. Make sure to really practice and rehearse your performances, especially when shooting with a videographer. You want to make sure you’re respectful of their time. Keep going even if you mess up a part. This saves everyone time, especially if you hired someone to film you.

– Don’t put text captions on the bottom. Captions are traditionally on the bottom, but it shouldn’t be with short-form videos. The placement of text captions for your lyrics should be placed closer to the center of the video because of the overlays that TikTok and Instagram has. If you have the text too low, it will overlap with the title, caption and engagement overlays on the bottom. If you have the text too high, it may likely cover your face and you definitely don’t want that. You should be able to see a preview of where the overlays are before posting to see if it clashes with your text.

– Autogenerate captions to save time. You can auto generate captions for your videos in typical video editing software like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro, which is what I use. The same goes with mobile as my preferred app for editing on my phone is InShot and it has the ability to auto generate text captions from the audio. There are also free online video editing tools like CapCut and Veed that offer free plans. Instagram and TikTok also have a feature that can generate captions for you. Regardless of which tool you use, it will require making edits as it won’t be perfect, but it will at least save you some time.

– Keep testing. Don’t assume something doesn’t work the first time you post it. There are a lot of variables involved when you share something to social media, whether it’s the day of the week, time, platform, world events, the song or the video content itself, so you can’t draw conclusions after one post.

– Experiment and get creative. A lot of what was covered in this blog are basic starting points, so there’s definitely room to get creative and experiment. There are other elements, concepts, edits, props or camera tricks that can be incorporated to create a more visually appealing experience. Maybe there’s an opportunity to turn your videos into a series or highlighting a fun alter ego.
 

Final Thoughts on Short-Form Video

 
Creating short-form videos to promote your music doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. As you’ve seen in the examples shared in this blog, it’s actually quite the opposite. Many artists have found success doing simple, straightforward performance videos to promote their songs on social media. If you’re consistent, you should see gradual growth of followers as these platforms will start to suggest your videos to new audiences.

I found viral success posting these types of videos on Instagram and TikTok. Read my full breakdown of this album release campaign that led to multiple videos going viral and Snoop Dogg reposting one of them.

But remember, creating and sharing short-form video content is only one part of marketing. It’s an important tool for attracting new potential fans and engaging your current supporters, but there’s a lot more that goes into the marketing process. I’ve covered many aspects of it on various blogs on this website. Just don’t expect that this is the only thing you need to do to build a music career from scratch.

If you’re just starting out and have a few releases on digital platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, don’t be afraid to throw some ad money behind these videos to get some feedback. If you encounter a situation where one of your videos goes viral organically on a platform, then you definitely want to spend money for ads to add gas to the fire.

Lastly, music quality still matters. Your success with short-form videos is still going to be dependent on how good your songs are. If you do short-form videos consistently for a year or so and still haven’t gained traction, maybe your songs aren’t good enough yet and that’s okay. As long as you like your work, keep learning and improving upon your craft.

Not all songs should be fully marketed with a budget, but sharing these low-cost performance short-form videos is a great way to see what songs are ready.

For more specifics on how to shoot video with your smartphone, check out this blog here:

6-Step Guide to Make Quality Cover Song Videos With Your Smartphone

The post How to Create Short-Form Videos to Gain New Fans As A Musician appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.

In this blog, I share 5 live performance discovery platforms that basically any musician can apply for a chance to get featured in front of new potential fans.

Before You Apply

 
Even though these live performance discovery platforms are free to apply, make sure you’re giving yourself the best chance to succeed. You don’t want to waste your time, or anyone else’s, by submitting when you’re clearly not ready.

Here are some things you should do and have ready beforehand:

• Read the directions and requirements carefully to see if you’re eligible.
• Explore and research each of these platforms to make sure your music is a good fit.
• Have experience performing live. After all, these discovery platforms are based on performance, whether in person or on video.
• Released music on major streaming platforms. At the very least an EP and/or a handful of singles. If you need some help, here’s my free guide and checklist for releasing singles.
• Establish a web presence like a website with all of the essentials and active social media profiles.
• Offer a way to collect emails to build your email list.

It’s really important you have this online marketing foundation, just in case you do get accepted for one of these platforms. Getting discovered by new fans won’t do much for you if you don’t have the follow up ready so they can continue the fan journey. You want to have your marketing and branding systems in place to develop and strengthen that fan relationship once they discover you. On the other hand, without these elements, you may not get selected in the first place.

If you don’t have much money to work with, here’s are tips to market with little to no budget.
 

NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts

tinydeskcontest.npr.org

Masta Ace performing on Tiny Desk Concerts.

Origin Location: Washington D.C.

About: This contest needs no real introduction. You may have seen your favorite artists perform on Tiny Desk Concerts at some point. For those not familiar, it is a video series of live concerts that started in 2008 and hosted by NPR Music and All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen.

Although the Tiny Desk series is often reserved for more established and popular artists, there’s a “tiny” chance for you to get on there.

Starting in 2015, NPR Music hosts an annual contest from February to March where judges select one winner to play their own Tiny Desk concert set. In addition, they get to headline NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour and get featured on NPR’s All Things Considered radio program. Over 6,000 videos are submitted each year, but there can only be one winner.

BUT… just because you don’t win the contest, doesn’t mean you still can’t get exposure from it.

In 2018, I wrote about an artist in my city who blew up from his Tiny Desk Contest submission video. Even though Hobo Johnson didn’t technically win the contest that year, he still ended up performing on his own Tiny Desk Concert session because of how memorable his submission was. As of this writing, his “Peach Scone” submission has received over 22 million views on YouTube alone.

Genres: Any

Audience Reach:

• 7.63M+ on YouTube
• 1M+ on Facebook
• 746K+ on Twitter
• 428K+ on Instagram

My Comments: I would encourage anyone who plans to submit a video to watch the submission videos of the past winners, which you can find on their contest page. This is so you can get a feel for the diversity of the artists and range of styles that get selected. You don’t have to be a super confident and polished rock star to win. Nor do you have to conform to a certain image or body type.

In terms of the video submissions itself, one common element I see in these videos is that it’s often a one-shot, one-camera video. I feel like anything with multiple camera angles and high production value may be too polished for the judges. I think that one of the key elements that the judges look for in these submissions is raw authenticity and high production video can contradict this. Just my personal observation.

Second, you don’t need fancy or expensive video equipment to win. As you’ll see, some of the submissions were shot with a smartphone by themselves. If you plan to shoot your own video, you can use this guide I created to help you get the best quality video from a smart phone.
 

COLORS x STUDIOS

colorsxstudios.com

Doja Cat performing at COLORSxSTUDIOS.

Origin Location: Berlin, Germany

About: COLORS is a unique aesthetic music platform showcasing exceptional talent from all around the globe, focused on promoting the most distinctive new artists and original sounds. In the context of an increasingly fragmented and saturated scene we seek to provide clarity and calm, offering a minimalistic stage to shine a spotlight on the artists and give them the opportunity to present their music without distraction.

Genres: Any, but they seem to lean a bit more towards R&B, Soul, Hip Hop and singer/songwriter types.

Audience Reach:

• 6.65M+ on YouTube
• 1.3M+ on Instagram
• 282K+ on Facebook

My Comments: It’s likely you may have seen a COLORS x STUDIOS video at some point with their signature single color background and microphone hanging from the top. Although their focus is to showcase newer, emerging artists, there have been plenty of established artists who have performed like Billie Eillish, Doja Cat, FKA Figs, J.I.D. and Quavo & Takeoff.

Although their main studio is in Berlin, they have set up temporary studios in different countries to focus on curating local talent for their editorials and videos. More recently as of this writing, they were in Vietnam and published videos for Vietnam-based artists Suboi and Low G. So even if you aren’t based in Berlin or not able to travel there, it’s still worth submitting from other countries in case they want to focus on seeking artists in your country.
 

Audiotree

audiotree.tv

Jacob Collier performing on Audiotree.

Origin Location: Chicago, IL

About: Audiotree showcases talented musicians and bands from around the world. Originally created to give young bands a platform to be seen and heard, the Audiotree Music channel has become a cornerstone in the music world. The concept is to capture intimate performances from diverse artists in a professional studio at no cost to them.

Genres: Any

Audience Reach:

• 743K+ on YouTube
• 87K+ on Instagram
• 40K+ on Twitter

Sofar Sounds

sofarsounds.com

AstraLogik performing at Sofar San Francisco

Origin Location: United Kingdom, but available worldwide

About: Sofar Sounds is a global community of music lovers creating space where music matters. Through curating intimate performances in unique locations, Sofar shows create lasting connections between artists and fans.

Sofar brings artists and guests together in intimate settings without distractions, pretense or crowds. Sofar shows transform everyday spaces — from living rooms and rooftops to boutiques and museums — into captivating venues for secret, live shows, creating inclusive experiences that bring people closer together.

Founded in London in 2009, Sofar invites guests to discover new artists, places, and people, whether at home or abroad, in over 400 cities around the world.

Genres: Any

Audience Reach: These are numbers for their main global channels, but each city or chapter of Sofar Sounds will have their own social media accounts to cover their local area. For example, the ones in my area are Sofar San Francisco and Sofar Sacramento.

• 1.35M+ on YouTube
• 272K+ on Instagram
• 217K+ on Facebook
• 40K+ on Twitter

My Comments: I’ve had a chance to attend a few of these shows many years ago because my friends performed. You can check out their videos here:

• AstraLogik (you can actually see me in the background)
• Zion I (RIP)
• Basi Vibe
• The Philharmonik

Sugarshack Sessions

sugarshacksessions.com

Fortunate Youth performing for a Sugarshack Session.

Origin Location: Bonita Springs, FL

About:Sugarshack music channel is an entertainment and discovery platform for live music lovers. Built upon the foundation of a multimedia company, the Sugarshack Music Channel uniquely connects people with artists through audible, visual, and real life experiences.

The Sugarshack Sessions was started as a digital music series that featured unique and intimate acoustic sessions filmed/recorded in a backyard in Bonita Springs, FL in 2014. The idea: to do something we loved with people we cared about to create something positive for others.

The Sugarshack Sessions is now one of several programs featured on the Sugarshack Music Channel. The channel has grown from a backyard hobby into a full-time business that includes an online community of more than 350K+ subscribers and 400M lifetime views who tune in to watch our acoustic sessions, live music videos, documentaries, and podcasts that feature local, emerging, and national bands.

Genres: There’s definitely a certain musical style and vibe that they cater to as opposed to genres. Everything is acoustic and leans more into the island and reggae vibes. However, you will see some rock, country and hip hop artists as well but it’s gotta have that feel good vibe and sound good acoustically.

Audience Reach:

• 396K+ on YouTube
• 106K+ on Instagram
• 60K+ on Facebook

My Comments: They have multiple different content series, but their main discovery series is called Sugarshack Sessions. Plus, I love how they will include “For Fans of…” in their social posts to help viewers get a sense of the type of artist someone is.
 

Conclusion

 
There are a number of ways to get exposure as a musician but nothing beats seeing a performance in person. Although it’s not exactly scalable, I’m a big believer this is the most impactful way to gain fans.

Unfortunately, these opportunities don’t come easy for newer, emerging artists. This is why you want to take advantage of these live performance discovery platforms as they can potentially bring in more gigs in the future.

If you’re still new to performance, I would recommend avoiding these live performance mistakes.

The post 5 FREE Live Performance Discovery Platforms For Musicians To Apply appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.

In this blog, I will go over how you can record your own videos without the need of any fancy cameras and minimal investments in equipment. All done simply through your mobile phone. Yes, you can still produce good quality video content with it. (Example of a ” target=”_blank”>viral video I shot with my iPhone 16 Pro). This guide is perfect if you’re new to video or you just want tips to make improve the video quality of your content.

I’ll specifically focus on cover song videos since it’s a very common and viable type of video content artists will release.

Using cover songs as a strategy to blow up isn’t as powerful as it used to be in the earlier days of YouTube just because of all the competition now. However, this doesn’t mean a good cover video can’t be effective to engage fans and earn new fans.

Whether or not you decide to do covers of other songs, at the very least this blog will still be useful for covering video basics you should know and essential equipment you should have.

Please Note: This blog contains affiliate links to Amazon, meaning that I get a small commission when you purchase any of the items I recommend. This is a great way to support the work that I do at no extra cost to you. Read my full affiliate link disclosure here.
 

1. Planning & Preparation

 
It’s always smart to take a step back to do some planning before hitting record. Here are some things to think about when you’re preparing.

Decide On a Song

The song you choose may influence your other decisions on where and how to shoot the video so you’ll want to figure this out first. Start with your favorite songs since you’ll likely be more familiar with the lyrics.

For more strategic purposes, you may want to do new, popular songs or songs that are trending since people are more likely to search for them and can stumble on your cover version of it. To get a pulse on what’s trending, you can use TikTok, Twitter, YouTube Charts or Google Trends.

Another strategy is to cover a song in a different style or genre to create something more unique. This has to be done tastefully because if something is off about it, you’ll go viral for the wrong reasons.

For some inspiration, check out one of the original cover song YouTubers Kina Grannis. Despite having over 1 million subscribers, she still puts cover songs consistently along with her originals for over 10 years now.

Lip Sync vs. Live Performance?

There’s two general ways you can record a cover video. You can either record yourself performing the song live or you can record the audio beforehand while you lip sync in the video. To keep it more simple and less work later, you’ll want to do the first option. This means you’ll also want to rehearse as much as possible before recording so there’s minimal takes.

Doing the lip sync version can be a bit more advanced and will require some post-production video work so I won’t get in depth in this guide. Unless of course, you play the cover song on speakers and record yourself live lip syncing, but that’s not going to provide the best results.

Where to Shoot

 
Indoors

Typically, you’re going to want to shoot indoors because it’s easier to control your surroundings. Find a spot in your space that you can tidy up. This could be a home studio, a nice space in the living room or even your bedroom. Just make sure it’s clean and not distracting.

Here’s an example by Butterscotch covering a song by Prince live on video in her room:

One important thing to consider if you’re recording live audio with your video is the acoustics of the room you’re in. Because sound bounces off walls, floors, ceilings and windows, you want to control those things to get the cleanest audio possible and eliminate echoes. If you have a home studio already, it makes sense to record there since you should have it soundproofed.

For starters, add rugs on non-carpeted floors and hang blankets on bare walls. I’m not an expert in this field, but check out some home tips on improving room acoustics. You can easily look up “room acoustic basics” on YouTube to learn more about the science behind it and even tutorials.

Outdoors

Shooting outside can be a great option, especially if you want a more appealing visual backdrop. It can even as simple as your backyard:

If you want to spend a bit of money, you can rent an Airbnb home with a nice backyard view.

There are a few things to consider when shooting outside:

• You’ll have to account for any random noise from street traffic, airplanes, nearby construction and animals. If you’re going to pre-record the cover song and lip sync in the video, consider adding some subtle outdoor sounds in post-production that make sense in the video to make it more realistic.
• The sun is a very powerful source of light so you have to be more careful when you shoot, which is covered in the next section.
• Shooting in certain public places for commercial purposes (which include cover song videos) might require a permit. For example, if you decide to shoot somewhere with a cool scenic background at a national park, you may need to pay for a permit to shoot. You can get kicked out or even fined for doing it without getting permission. Do some research beforehand by searching “(name of the place) + video permit“. Some places will allow low-impact filming for commercial purposes with a couple people as long as it’s not disruptive to other visitors.

Outdoor Example: Here’s a cover song video I recorded for my friends AstraLogik at a local park. They prerecorded the song before hand and played it in their ear piece as I recorded them lip syncing / playing along on the guitar. We recorded ambient sounds nearby and layered into the song later to help make it sound realistic. There was a slight overcast when we started recording, but as it got towards the end of the song, it gets brighter as the clouds moved away. The funny thing is it matches the lyrics she’s singing about how “there will be a brighter day,” which was totally coincidental.

Lighting

Having good lighting is crucial for a good video. You don’t want videos that’s too dark where people can’t see you and there’s a lot of noise/pixels. You also don’t want anything too bright where the video is blown out or you’re squinting from the bright sun.

For indoor lighting, you’ll want to consider setting up close to a window to get some natural light if shooting during the day.

If you’re shooting at night, you’ll likely need some extra light sources. This could be as simple as a room lamp with a shade over it to go with your ring light.

The placement of light sources, the type and color tint are all factors to help you get the best quality out of your videos, but it can be more technical. To keep things simple in this guide, I’ll touch on this in the advanced section of the blog.

If you do decide to shoot outdoors, you really have to be cautious about lighting, especially with the sun. The sun is a very strong and harsh source of light. Ideally, you’d want the sun to face you but it probably won’t look good if it’s making you squint the whole time. If you have the sun behind you, your face won’t be lit up. It can create a silhouette look that could be a look you’re going for.

If there’s an overcast or a cloudy day, this helps to diffuse the light and makes for a great time to record. Otherwise, it’s best to avoid shooting hours around noon or when the sun is at the highest peak. Times that are closer to sunrise or sunset (golden hour) are more ideal.
 

2. Equipment

 
There are some basic items you’ll need to help make shooting video much easier by yourself. You shouldn’t have to spend more than $100, assuming you already have a smartphone or iPad.

Smartphone:

You’ll want the most updated version whether it’s an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel. For an iPhone, you’ll want at least an iPhone 12, but having one of the newer models, like an iPhone 16 Pro, would be more than sufficient.

If you wanted to invest in a separate camera, I would recommend the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. I don’t have one personally, but I have a videographer friend that uses it for the artists he shoots. Looks surprisingly great for it’s size and performs well even in low light. I would definitely consider getting one for myself.

Tripod:

To shoot video by yourself, a tripod is essential. Because you’re using it with your iPhone, you don’t need a heavy-duty tripod. Here are some great options at affordable prices:

I recommend the Amazon Basics 60-inch lightweight tripod, which will run you about $30 dollars. This is something I used to have before I upgraded my DSLR.

You could also go with the Amazon Basics 16.5 – 50-inch lightweight tripod, which is smaller and costs almost half the price. Just be aware that these cheaper tripods are not ideal very expensive, heavier professional cameras, but are perfect for your phone camera.

Another great option is the Fugetek 51-inch tripod, which costs around $25. For its size, it’s ideal for smartphones. It also includes a phone mount so you don’t need to buy it separately.

Lastly, for something a little more sturdy, try the UBeesize 67-inch camera tripod for $38. This is more ideal if you want something that can be used for other heavier devices and not just smartphones. This also comes with a rotating phone mount.

Flexible Tripod:

In some cases, your traditional tripod may not work for you because of the lack of space. A flexible tripod is great for putting on a desk or table to record. Because the legs are flexible, you can manipulate it to sit how you want.

The brand I personally use is the Joby GorillaPod, which will run you around $45. This model is made for heavier cameras like DSLRs, but of course, it can be used for smartphones.

If you don’t use it with a DSLR, you can get the Joby GripTight ONE GorillaPod ($35) or the Joby GripTight Smartphone/Action Camera Flexible Tripod ($50). Both come with a phone mount.

Phone Mount/Adapter for Tripod:

Some tripods don’t come with a phone mount so you’ll need to buy one separately. There’s a bunch to choose from, but you just want to make sure it fits for your smartphone and it can rotate to your needs.

Vastar Smartphone Tripod Adapter ($8) will fit most smartphones and will rotate to shoot vertically or horizontally. You can also go with the Jansite phone tripod mount with remote 360 rotation for $10.

If you don’t mind paying up for a reputable brand, I recommend the Ulanzi ST-02S aluminum phone mount for $18. The best part is it has a cold shoe mount, which is a slot that allows you to attach an external microphone to connect to your iPhone for higher audio recording.

Lighting

Ring lights are very popular for recording and live streaming video on a smartphone. They often come with a tripod and phone adapter so you don’t need to buy them separately.

For $36, the UBeesize 10-inch LED Ring Light with tripod stand and phone holder is a great start. For something more compact that can be placed on a desk or table, I would go with the UBeesize 10-inch LED Ring Light with stand and phone holder for $25.

If it is in your budget, I would recommend using at least 2 light sources (a key light and a fill light). Your secondary source of light can be a softbox or a reflector.

The light reflector I have is a Neewer 43 Inch 5-in-1 Collapsible Multi-Disc Light Reflector. This can also be useful outside to reflect direct light from the sun to your subject. For those not familiar with a reflector, you can see how it’s being used in this video clip.

External Microphone (Optional):

The audio captured from your smartphone mic, especially the newer models, can be sufficient. However, if you want audio quality that’s a step up, you should consider connecting an external microphone.

The external mic I personally use for my DSLR is the Rode VideoMicro Compact On-Camera Microphone ($50), which is very popular model and brand. I was previously using the Comica CVM-VM10II Professional Cardioid Video Microphone, which did a decent job for the price ($32 – $36).

You can also consider the Moukey Universal Video Microphone ($30) or the Movo VXR10 Universal Video Microphone ($50).

To use an external mic, you will need an adapter from the mic (3.5 mm jack) to your specific smartphone because the 3 mics above do not include one. For iPhones, get the Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter.

You will also need a place for the external mic to sit when connected to your phone. The Ulanzi ST-02S aluminum phone mount has a cold shoe slot for an external mic and it will fit on any tripod.
 

Gimbal / Phone Stabilizer (Optional):

If you want to move away from doing fixed shots with your smartphone, you may want consider incorporating some camera movements in your footage. Although not necessary, having a gimbal for your smartphone is a useful tool to level up your videos if you have someone helping you film. For those who are not familiar, a gimbal is device that helps to physically stabilize your smartphone and keep it balanced to give you smooth footage. This is a good investment to have if you plan to do other types of videos outside or want to incorporate movement.

A popular brand and model for gimbals is the DJI Osmo Mobile 6.

What I personally use and have is the Zhiyun Smooth 4 Gimbal Stabilizer. It works great for me because I have an iPhone 12 mini but you’ll need to see what type of phone the gimbal supports before you purchase. There’s a newer model available as well.

3. Camera Settings

 
Once you have all the preparation done, it’s almost time to start recording. Before starting, you’ll want to tweak some settings. As an iPhone user myself, I can only explain it for that device. Go to your ‘Settings’ app, and scroll down to ‘Camera’.

Resolution: This refers to how big the video size is. The most common resolution is HD (High Definition) at 1920 x 1080 pixels. There’s also 4K which is double the size of HD for higher quality, which also means it takes up more storage space and requires more processing power.

Frames Rates or FPS (Frames Per Second): FPS refers to how many still images does your camera capture in one second. The 3 typical FPS settings are 24, 30 and 60. A higher FPS makes the video more smoother for a lifelike/realistic look. 24 FPS gives it more of a cinematic feel you would see in movies or music videos, which is what you want for your cover song video.

Formats/Camera Capture: Not to get technical, but this just refers to the file format of the video. ‘High Efficiency’ allows file sizes to be smaller so you can store more videos on your phone, but it can be tricky to work with if you use video editing software like Adobe Premiere. ‘Most Compatible’ results in bigger video sizes but it can work easier in different apps. If you’re just going to keep the cover video simple and edit on your phone, you can use ‘High Efficiency’. But I prefer to go with ‘Most Compatible’ over ‘High Efficiency’.

What should you use? The ideal setting you’ll want to shoot is either 1080p (HD) or 4K at 24 FPS. For iPhones, you can only shoot 24 FPS at 4K so go with that.

Another alternative is to shoot 60 FPS at 1080p and convert it to 24 FPS in a video editing software like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. This requires more advanced knowledge, so for simplicity sake, just shoot 4K at 24 FPS.

Just keep in mind that for platforms like YouTube and Facebook, 4K is ideal because the resolution will adapt to the viewer’s preference or internet connection speed. If you’re posting to Instagram, you’ll only need 1920 x 1080p because it doesn’t support 4K.
 

4. Setting Up the Shot / Recording Video

Composition: Composing a shot just means deciding where the subject is within the shot. You may have heard of the Rule of Thirds before in photography. The basic idea is that if you divide your video frame into thirds vertically and horizontally, you’ll get something that looks like a tic tac toe grid (see above). When composing your video, you want the subject (you) to sit along where the 4 points that these lines intersect. The top horizontal line should line up where the eyes are to help improve the composition as well. Using the Rule of Thirds is said to make the shot more balanced and interesting. This is not a hard rule that you have to follow but it’s a great start for composing your video. Our natural tendency is to have the subject right in the middle, which is fine too but maybe aim to have the eyes line up with the top horizontal line.

You can add a grid overlay for your Camera app to help with composing your shots. On your iPhone, go to ‘Settings’ and scroll down to select ‘Camera’. Under the ‘Composition’ section, turn on ‘Grid’. When you pop back into your camera app, you’ll see the white lines over your screen.

Backdrop: Tidy up the area behind you if you’re indoors. Make sure the background looks presentable and not distracting.

Lighting: Typically, you’ll just set up the light in front of the camera, which is fine. If you can implement some of the 3 point lighting setup techniques, even with just 2 light sources (key and fill), that would be more ideal. If shooting during the day, you can use the window as a second source of light in addition to something like a ring light. Be careful with shooting in a room with overhead lights directly below you or in front of you as it can create ugly shadows on your face, especially under your eyes.

Sound: Don’t forget to turn off any air filters, appliances, fans or anything that can be distracting. Make sure the room acoustics are good by adding things to absorb unwanted echoes and cover bare walls and non-carpeted floors.

Front or Back Camera? The camera on the back of your camera is likely to be better than the front facing one. The problem is you’re not going to be able to adjust your shot as easily without being able to see the screen unless you use the front facing camera. Do some test shots until you get it right or have someone help you. Otherwise, the front facing camera can work.

Test Shots: Be sure to do some test shots to see how it looks and sounds. If you have an external mic connected, you may have to unplug it to hear it playback on your phone speakers. If you’re doing a lip sync version and you want to play it off as it’s a live recording, make sure the right cables are plugged in and devices are on.

Get basic assistance: It’s possible you can do this all yourself. But if you have a friend or partner who can help out, even if they don’t know anything about video, you should see if they can give you a hand. This could be as simple as setting up the shot and pressing the record button.
 

5. Post-Production / Editing

 
Once you record the video, you may want to do some basic touch ups or clean up the footage like cut dead air at the beginning or end. Although I haven’t used it, YouTube allows you to make basic edits once you upload the video to their servers.

You can also download a video editing app to edit the footage on your smartphone. I personally use InShot, which is available for both iOs and Android. There is a free version you can use, but features and functions will be limited. If you upgrade to Pro, it costs $3.99 a month or $19.99 a year. You can also pay a one-time cost of $49.99, which is what I did.
 

6. Upload / Search Optimization

 
Once the cover song video is ready, the most likely place you’ll be uploading your cover song / video content is YouTube. Here’s some basic things you’ll want to optimize so your video is more likely to be discovered and watched.

YouTube Thumbnails – The most important element is the thumbnail because it’s what people notice first in search results. The idea is you want to attract people to click on your video. You can just use a frame in the video, but I recommend using a tool like Canva to add some text to make it stand out.

Video Title – Ideally, start with the name of the original artist and song title then your artist name. What appears first in the title is generally considered more important so you want the more popular artist to be listed first for search purposes.

Original Artist Name – Song Title (‘Your Artist Name’ Cover)

Video Description – Fill this out as much relevant information as you can. Include who the original song is by, lyrics to the song, your short bio, a link to your website and social media links. If you released the song on digital platforms, include a smart link for people to listen on their preferred service.

Tags – Tags are keywords to help YouTube understand what your video is about. Add all the proper and relevant keywords for your video. Don’t stuff random terms that are not related to the video. In order of importance, tags are at the bottom compared to the title, thumbnail and description so don’t spend too much time getting all the right tags.
 

Advanced Video Tactics

 
In this section, I just want to touch on a few ideas to take your cover song videos to the next level. It does require video editing software like Adobe Premiere or Apple’s Final Cut Pro or another person to help. Nothing here is too complicated though as there are plenty of video tutorials on YouTube that show you how to do these things with your video editing software of choice.

Green Screen

One way to make your cover songs a bit more dynamic is using a green screen in the background so you can.

Here’s an example where we used a green screen for Butterscotch’s cover of My Favorite Things. Butterscotch shot all the video footage and sent them to me to edit.

If you’re looking to buy one, I personally own and recommend is the Neewer Chromakey Backdrops, Double-Sided Green Screen and Blue Screen, 2-in-1 Collapsible and Reversible Background ($47). It does not come with a stand or something to hold it up so you’ll need to buy that separately.

If you want something more stationary, you can try the YAYOYA Green Screen Backdrop Kit with Stand 5×6.5 ft. ($43) or the Heysliy Green Screen Backdrop with Stand Kit for 5 X 6.5 ft. ($60).

Couple things you need to pay attention to when setting up your green screens are shadows and green screen reflections. Here are some tips to get the perfect green screen setup.

Gimbal – Video Stabilizer

For those who don’t know, a gimbal is a device that helps to stabilize your videos when you’re shooting. If you want to record a more dynamic cover song video and you have another hand to help, you may set up another angle using a gimbal.

The Zhiyun Smooth 4 Professional Gimbal Stabilizer ($100) is what I used for my iPhone 8 and now iPhone 12 mini. This does not work well with iPhone 11 and up so make sure whatever gimbal you go with that it actually fits your phone like the Zhiyun Smooth 5. This version comes with an attachable LED fill light.

Another mobile phone gimbal to consider is the DJI Osmo 3 ($99) or the DJI OM 4 ($150).

Some smartphones like the newer iPhones have built-in video stabilization so you may not need a gimbal.

Multiple Camera Setup

If you want to get a bit fancier, you might want to do a multiple camera setup with multiple smartphones or mobile devices.

This is more advanced so it’ll require post-production work to piece the videos together so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re just starting out and you don’t have any experience with video editing. Depending on the type of music you do or play, I would say no more than 3 cameras.

Also, I highly recommend using the same exact device. So if you have an iPhone 12, make sure the other other cameras are at least iPhone 11 and not like an iPhone 6.

The reason is because each camera brand records and processes color a bit differently. There may be subtle differences in each shot. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a minor issue but I figure you should be aware of it.

Three-Point Lighting Setup

If you have the resources and time to learn some lighting basics, this can help elevate your video quality. Typically, our natural inclination is to place the light directly in front of us. For practical purposes, it’s fine. However, this isn’t ideal because it flattens the subject. What helps make a good quality video is strategically placing or manipulating lights to create depth and dimension for the subject to stand out.

There are tons of different free video tutorials you can watch. Here’s one of them:

Upgraded Video Capturing App

If you want to use a more advanced video capturing app, I personally use ProCam. One of the big reasons I use it is because it has a built image stabilizer to smooth out handheld shots. If you’re just doing still video on a tripod, this isn’t important but you can also customize a lot of other camera settings you can’t do on your iPhone.
 

Conclusion

 
Cover songs are one type of content that you should have in your arsenal. Everything covered in this blog should help you make better video quality with your smartphone. You can still make quality videos without using expensive cameras and equipment to elevate your music career.

Related Blog: How to Create Short Form Video Content to Gain New Fans As A Musician

The post 6-Step Guide to Make Quality Cover Song Videos With Your Smartphone appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.

During this trip, I had the chance to consult and create content with Marcus Miller alongside his wife and manager, Brenda Miller. One of the things we created was a video of Marcus eating ramen at Ippudo, a popular ramen chain from Japan known for their Tonkotsu ramen. We were in Fukuoka, where Ippudo was founded in 1985, and ate at the very first location.

Here’s the video I made that got 190k+ views:

Seems random for a musician to post, I know, but it actually performed quite well and exceeded our expectations.

This month’s blog is going to be a bit different from what I usually post since I didn’t have time to work on something while I was in Japan. I’m going to share my experiences working with Marcus Miller on things like that ramen video and touch on some key points on content creation.

My original plan was to do an in depth blog and e-book on content creation for music artist, but this could be a nice introduction for it.

I’m going to use Marcus Miller as a case study for creating content so it can help you think about how you approach your content.
 

Who is Marcus Miller?

 
I imagine many people reading this won’t know who Marcus Miller is. To be honest, I didn’t know who he was either, due to the fact that I don’t listen to jazz. I learned that he’s a legendary bass player who has worked with Miles Davis and other many other big names in music.

You might think that this blog doesn’t apply to you because you may not have 600k+ Facebook followers. Or simply because you’re not a legendary jazz musician. However, I still believe there’s something to learn from this, even if you don’t have the fan base, brand or reputation he has.

Because of the type of music he does and the generation he comes from, Marcus hasn’t really made the most out of social media. They’ve had a Facebook page since 2010, but only recently created an Instagram account in 2015. Even then, they weren’t really active on Instagram until May of 2018. In other words, they are still learning and exploring what works for them.
 

What is Content Marketing?

 
Content and content marketing have been big buzzwords within the online marketing world for many years now. For those not familiar with the concept, this is a good starting point. Otherwise, you can jump into the next section.

The goal of content is to either inform, engage, educate or entertain the consumer to develop a stronger relationship with the brand or company. Through this blog I publish on, I create content that aims to educate and inform artists and musicians like yourself.

The thing is, this idea of creating content to build a brand and fan base has been around for a very long time with traditional media (TV, radio, print). Articles in a newspaper or magazine is content that is meant to get your attention so companies can get ads in front of you. It’s no different than media companies (before Netflix) creating TV shows for you to watch in order for them to make money off advertising.

In this digital age, we have the ability to quantify it much easier and accurately with social media followers and subscribers. In fact, as an artist, you have the tools and ability to become that TV station, magazine or newspaper.

It’s important to understand that as a music artist or musician, you are a content creator. The songs and music videos you create are content. Typically, that is the extent of what musicians put out on social media, but it doesn’t have to be.

As an artist and brand, you should see yourself as a media company. Social media is your distribution channel for the content you create. What you decide to create should aim to reach new people, deepening relationships and defining your brand. Your music is always going to be a big part of it, but you don’t have to be limited by it. By thinking of yourself as media company, I believe it’ll allow you to build your brand and grow your audience more effectively.
 

Brainstorming Content

 
Prior to the shooting of the ramen video, we discussed and shot a few other pieces of content related to the Japan Tour. With Butterscotch as a special guest, we did an intro video where they did a little beatbox and bass jam.

The idea was to showcase Butterscotch to Marcus’s audience since the tour was promoting her as the special guest. I put some clips of them performing together during soundcheck and the live show which we ended up posting on their channels.

A fun idea I’ve thought about was Butterscotch teaching Marcus how to beatbox while Marcus teaches Butterscotch how to play the bass. I didn’t think Marcus would do it, but Brenda ended up suggesting it, and he was down for it. We recorded on my phone to make it feel more personal but we haven’t posted it yet. I think it’ll be a fun video to share so I’ll be updating the blog once they post it.

Screenshot of the video Marcus teaches Butterscotch to play the bass.

Screenshot of the video I made of them together.

Marcus Miller recording voice overs for a video I recorded.

How the Ramen Video Came About

 
Before I get into the ramen video, most of the content ideas were premeditated. A majority of it was just being able to come up with ideas in the moment and recognizing the different opportunities based on what’s going on.

The night before we flew into Fukuoka for their last show, I was told by a local in Nagoya that this is where popular ramen chains like Ippudo and Ichiran first started. As a big ramen fan myself, I was excited to try it at the original locations.

My first idea was to have Marcus and Butterscotch eat ramen at one of these places together and document the interaction. Unfortunately him and his wife got lost, so I ended up eating with Butterscotch and the band. It just so happened that they were playing jazz music.

When they eventually found us leaving, I stayed back to film Marcus trying out Ippudo for the first time on my phone. The fact that they were playing his favorite era of jazz music in the background, was a perfect tie in for the video.

Surprisingly, the video did really well and exceeded our expectations considering the video was 4 minutes long of him eating ramen and commenting about the music playing in the background. It’s quite slow with a few funny parts of him not knowing how to open the door and struggling with the noodles.

As of the publishing of this blog, the video has hit about 190k views on Facebook. It’s the third highest viewed video he’s put out.

The two videos with higher views are extremely good pieces of content, one related to his father, and the other was a video clip of him playing with Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire).
 

Compared to His Other Videos

 
Although he’s only put out about 27 videos on Facebook since joining in 2010, there’s no way this ramen video would have topped these two other videos. I share my thoughts on why and what makes it good content.

Preacher’s Kid (354k views)

The video is a song dedicated to Marcus Miller’s father, who recently passed away in 2018. Aside from the beautiful song in this 11 minute video, he starts off by sharing an amazing story about his father and the context for the song. It’s a touching and emotional video considering he posted this for Father’s Day.

When you share something like this with a lot of sentimental value, it tends to get good engagement. This should be obvious when you share content that triggers strong emotions.

Playing with Verdine White on stage (194k views)

For those who know who Verdine White is, this would be considered a somewhat epic video. I honestly didn’t know who he was either until last year when Butterscotch opened for Earth, Wind & Fire. Verdine White is the bassist for Earth, Wind & Fire and one of the original founding members.

In the video, Marcus Miller jams out with Verdine White during an Earth, Wind & Fire set in Japan a few years ago.

Live show footage tends to be overdone and get boring when posted, unless there’s something cool, novel or unique about the experience.

For this video, it was great to have two legendary, bass players jam out together so you can see why it got a lot of traction.

Not All About Views

 
When accessing if a piece of content is successful, we have to remember that it’s not all about views. For platforms like Facebook and Instagram, a view is counted when someone watches a video for 3 seconds or more. Watching something for 3 or even 10 seconds isn’t going to get you the impact you want from a piece of content. A metric like audience retention or minutes watched is a better measure.

What we should be evaluating is the engagement numbers, such as comments and shares in relation to the number of views. Likes aren’t as valuable because you can just click a button and without really having to watch it.

Essentially you just divide the engagement metric (likes, comments or shares) by the number of views and multiple by 100 to get the engagement rate. This just tells you the percentage of people who take an action from viewing the video.

Here’s a breakdown of how I would evaluate the performance for a video:

Ramen video (Published in January 2019)

Views: 157k
Likes: 5.6k
Comments: 203
Shares: 712

Engagement Rates
Likes 3.57%
Comments 0.13%
Shares 0.45%

Verdine White video (Published in September 2016)

Views: 194k
Likes: 6.2k
Comments: 184
Shares: 1,833

Engagement Rates
Likes 3.2%
Comments 0.09%
Shares 0.94%

Preacher’s Kid video (Published in June 2018)

Views: 354k
Likes: 7.4k
Comments: 826
Shares: 5,874

Engagement Rates
Likes 2.1%
Comments 0.23%
Shares 1.66%

Even though the ramen video had a higher rate of likes than the other 2 videos, it doesn’t compare to the other two important metrics of comments and shares. It got more views, but the ramen video didn’t really activate viewers the same way as his top performing video, the Preacher’s Kid.

I know this breakdown is on Facebook and I believe Instagram is the more important platform at the moment, especially for more of the younger artists out there who are reading this. Instagram doesn’t have a share metric, but hopefully this section demonstrates how you might evaluate a video’s performance.
 

Conclusion: What can you learn from all this?

 
1) Being an artist or musician today isn’t all about music.

One of the very common themes I write about in my blog is the idea of building a brand. A brand can have, and should have, different facets to it outside of just the music. Of course, as a newer, less established artist, this may not be an easy process.

I’ve written a lot of blogs on branding so I suggest checking them out.

Even though a video of someone eating ramen is a bit random, it was still entertaining and relevant to Marcus Miller’s audience because of the jazz music playing at the ramen shop. Most musicians reading this won’t necessarily recreate his success if they just went to some ramen spot and record themselves eating it, but I think the more important message is how the idea came about rather than the idea itself.

2) Good content doesn’t need to be “professional.”

The ramen video I shot and made was all done on my iPhone on a gimbal. I used an app called ProCam to capture the footage and pieced it together with the app called inShot. It’s really amazing what you can do with just a smartphone nowadays.

Don’t think you need expensive equipment or software to make good content. The trend I’ve noticed is that people seem to respond more to lower production value because it comes off as more authentic and personable.

3) Don’t worry about the length of the video.

The average attention span for humans in our digital age is about 5 to 8 seconds. Generally you want keep things as short and to the point as possible. People who are scrolling in their timelines or news feeds aren’t necessary there to watch long pieces of content.

However, don’t let this dictate the length of your video. If the content is good, it shouldn’t matter how long it is (within reason of course). Obviously on Instagram, you are limited to a one minute video unless you post multiple one minute clips or post to IGTV where there’s a 10 minute limit. For lengthier videos, it belongs on Facebook or YouTube. You actually will get better organic reach for videos 3 minutes or longer.

The ramen video was slightly over 4 minutes. It has its moments, but it does drag a little bit. In the midst of getting this video out quickly, I didn’t have a chance to really review the video otherwise I would have shortened it a bit. Don’t get me wrong, it did well, but just don’t fall into this idea that everything has to be short and quick.

4) Know your audience.

One of the things that we theorized was that Marcus Miller’s audience doesn’t really care about anything other than seeing him play the bass. Because his fan base tends to veer towards an older crowd and generation, we figured they may not care to see him eat ramen or show his personality outside of the music.

The better you know your audience, the better you can provide content they will like and resonate with. Best way to know your audience?…

5) Keep experimenting.

The big key takeaway from this blog should be to experiment. You still want to try to tie your content to either your music or brand.

We had no clue that this ramen video would perform the way it did. You just don’t know until you try. When experimenting, try spacing things out so people don’t get thrown off from what they are used to seeing.

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The post Content Creation: Musicians Can Learn from a Legendary Bassist Eating Ramen in Japan appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.

I had the opportunity to attend the 2018 Forbes Under 30 Summit in Boston where he performed and did a 20 minute talk to entrepreneurs on the factors that contributed to his success. I managed to record the entire thing so this was perfect to share.
 

Here’s the video of his talk on October 1, 2018:

1) 2:20 – (Save money for taxes, TuneCore)

2) 4:05 – (Leverage)

3) 4:43 – Can you walk us through your creative process?

4) 5:19 – As aritsts get bigger and bigger, they often stop often interacting with fans cause they don’t want their personal life everywhere. How do you feel about fan interaction?

5) 6:24 – Do you see a benefit in hiring a marketing or P.R. team to go through your social media?

6) 7:09 – What’s the one thing you wish you would have known before started your process?

7) 8:56 – How did you strengthen your emotional intelligence?

8) 9:24 – How much of life do you think is transparent on social media? Percentage?

9) 9:50 – So you’re talking about having people invest in you and knowing your song. You’re clearly a celebrity, how can a founder of company, who’s not a celebrity, get people to invest in them?

10) 11:35 – When it comes to your music videos, how much creative ideas are other people bringing to the table versus you? So are you coming up with all of this, do you have a team or is the label coming up with them?

11) 12:34 – It seems like a lot of your brand is about the hustle and putting in what makes you “you” and showing that to the world. Is there an artist or a level of your DIY that you aspire to? In the sense of how much of yourself is involved in that process. When do you step back and let your celebrity live as it is?

12) 13:31 – What’s your favorite skill you possess?

13) 14:29 – As an artist, how do you balance collaboration in buliding up your own platform?

14) 15:23 – (Skill is developed, confidence)

15) 16:52 – How do you find the balance of chasing your dream and having a regular life (going school)?

16) 18:10 – Greatest full circle moment?

I was able to attend because Butterscotch, an artist I work with, performed before Russ for the opening night of the summit. It was actually my first time seeing Russ live so that was really cool.

Butterscotch opening for Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit

Russ with Butterscotch after his set for Forbes.

For those not familiar with Russ

 
From a marketing perspective, Russ is an Atlanta based rapper known for building his fan base from the ground up by basically releasing a song every week for 2 years. From December 2011 to August 2014, Russ released 11 albums and 87 singles consecutively all for free on Soundcloud. Additionally, Russ produced, mixed, mastered, engineered, written, and perform the songs all by himself.

In 2015, his break out song “What they Want” was released on Soundcloud, which eventually went double platinum. This lead to a partnership (record deal) with Columbia Records in 2016.

His album “There’s Really a Wolf” became the first ever in hip hop to be certified platinum with one artist handling all the production alone, and all the vocals with no features.

The moral of the story is it took him at least 10 years of making music and putting out 70+ songs before one took off. Not only does it take persistence, but you need to have patience.

Key takeaways from his talk

 
Although I encourage you to watch the entire 20 minute talk, here are key points you should take with you:

• Hard work beats talent. No matter how talented you are, you still need to put in the work. If you’re not that good, it’s possible to get better over time. Russ sucked when he started in 2006, but he had to work hard to get better at everything.
• Put aside money for taxes and stop spending money on stupid shit. Treat your music career like an actual business. This means reporting your income and invest your money back into the business. It’s already difficult to make a sustainable living as an independent artist, so be very mindful of what you spend your money on.
• Consistency. Although Russ doesn’t address it directly, it’s clear from what he’s done that you need to be consistent with the content you produce.
• You have to believe in you first, before others can. A lot of people give up even before they start. It doesn’t mean be arrogant or cocky. It doesn’t mean ignore criticism or constructive feedback. You just need to be able to be persistent and adaptable so failures don’t slow you down. Find ways to build your confidence like developing your skill set.
• Having patience isn’t about waiting. It’s about being able to accept that the road to success is a very long journey of hard work, failures and passion.
• Build leverage. If you want things your way and not have to keep depending on others, you need leverage. In other words, you need to have or create things that others see value in and can benefit for themselves. This is often in the form of building a good social media following or fan base and quality songs.
• Find what works for you. Don’t assume everything that worked for someone else will work for you. Be willing to experiment and try different things that make sense for your circumstances.
• Be careful with who you surround yourself with. Having driven and ambitious people around you is so important for success. You want people on the same page as you to bounce ideas off of and stay motivated. Having the opposite can hinder your career.
• You need to struggle. It’s safe to say that most artist are going to face challenges and obstacles in music. You need to have the mindset that it’s part of the growth process. It’s okay to make mistakes, but learn from them and don’t dwell.
• Find a balance on social media. Fan interaction and engagement is important to build stronger relationships with your supporters, but you have to deal with negativity as well. Don’t let negativity win. Know when to take mental breaks.
• Get people to invest in you. Having good songs people like is obviously important, but you want to get people to invest in you as an individual, artist and brand.
• Don’t let fear paralyze you. Putting yourself out there as an artist can be scary, but you gotta face your fears. Don’t be afraid to do things that are uncomfortable because you know it will make you better. Fear is an opportunity for growth.

Quoteables

“Patience to me is putting out a song, putting out beats, putting out albums, none of it working, and just not losing enthusiasm. I think bouncing from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm is like patience in a nutshell.” – Russ

“Embrace the struggle. It’s fire, embrace it.” – Russ

“If I feel scared of something, I’m going right towards it head first because on the other side of this fear is growth.” – Russ

The post Forbes Under 30: Russ on Dominating with DIY Marketing (Video) appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.

Facebook Live is a great opportunity for musicians to reach and engage with fans in a fun, unique way. If you haven’t seen the results you hoped for, don’t worry. I put together these tips that will help you make the most out of your next Facebook Live experience.
 

What is Facebook Live?

 
For those who are not familiar, Facebook Live is a feature that allows anyone with a Facebook account to broadcast live video to their audience. What makes this type of streaming unique is the ability to broadcast live via your mobile phone or tablet. It’s a powerful tool for musicians to strengthen the emotional connection they have with fans and potentially attract new ones.

Right now, Facebook ranks live video higher than pre-recorded / uploaded videos. Facebook Live videos are given preferential treatment in the newsfeed, which automatically increases their reach. Why? Here’s what Facebook had to say about it:

“People spend more than 3x more time watching a Facebook Live video on average compared to a video that’s no longer live. This is because Facebook Live videos are more interesting in the moment than after the fact.”

Now that you know how Facebook Live can help you reach your audience, here are 8 tips that will improve your next Facebook live video:
 

#1: Decide on a good broadcast idea and plan it out

The most fundamental aspect of creating a successful Facebook Live broadcast is starting with a good idea that you think your fans will actually enjoy watching. Ideally, you want to keep the video topic related to your music and brand, but it’s okay to experiment. The main point to keep in mind when picking a topic is that it helps your fans connect with you and possibly see another side of your life outside of music.

The two common ideas for musicians are Q&A sessions and doing a jam session or live performance.

There are definitely other ideas you can experiment with. You can use it to go behind the scenes of creating new music, make a big announcement and even have other musicians as guests. Come up with fun games to play with your fans using the draw on-screen feature during a live broadcast like Pictionary. With 6 reactions (like button), you can use it for polling. You might have new merch ideas you want to run through with your fans to get their reactions.

Once you figure out what you want to broadcast, do a bit of planning and outline how it is going to play out. The last thing you want to do is sit on live video looking confused or lost on what to do next.

Where you film is going to play a big role in your video too. Make sure you limit distractions and have a good internet connection.
 

#2: Promote the broadcast so people know ahead of time

 
Most artists I’ve seen use Facebook Live go live at a random time of the day without promoting it beforehand. It usually does well because Facebook sends a notification out even after the artist is no longer live.

However, if you want maximum impact, let your fans know ahead of time with an email or social media posts. Here’s an example from one of my favorite artists:

Create some anticipation or even an element of surprise to get people to tune in.
 

#3: Broadcast for at least 10 minutes

 
It takes time for Facebook to notify your fans that you are recording live and build an audience. If your live video is too short, your fans won’t have the opportunity to join. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen with Facebook Live is artists who only record live for a few minutes. There’s nothing truly wrong with a short broadcast, since you’re still creating some content, and it may fit with what you want to accomplish. However, you’re not getting the most out of the live component, which is what makes the experience special.

Streaming too long can also be a potential problem since not everyone can stick around for the entire length of the video or will want to watch an hour-long replay. But Of course, your audience views will vary depending on what is being broadcasted.

I think the sweet spot is a 15 to 30 minute broadcast. The longer you stream, the potential to get more views will increase, but the average time per viewer will most likely decrease. Again, it’s going to come down to testing and seeing what works best with your audience.
 

#4: Use a captivating title to describe your live video

 
A great title helps your fans know what your live video is about and what to expect. Use a description that makes them feel like a part of the experience by using action verbs, such as: come with me, make music with us, or join me. The title can be relatively long, but people may not read it if has too much text. Keep it short and sweet when you can.

Keep in mind that other people not in your Facebook fan network can potentially see your broadcast through the Facebook Live map discovery feature. This map allows users to explore videos being broadcasted live anywhere in the world. It can be a good opportunity to attract new fans.
 

#5: Engage with your audience

 
The best part of live video is audience engagement and the interaction that happens between you and the fans. During the live broadcast, encourage people to comment, like, share and ask questions. When answering questions, address fans by their names in your response. Treat them as if they are in the room with you. This is the element that makes live video really special, so make sure you take advantage of it.
 

#6: Review performance data

 
In order to improve for your next Facebook Live session, it helps to see how well your past broadcast performed by looking at the analytics. To do this, go to your fan page and click on the ‘Insights’ tab on the top.

You can see the stats for your live video in the ‘Video’ tab found in the left column. This will show you all the video posts, both live and prerecorded, so find the live video you want to analyze. If it was recent, it should be listed in the ‘Overview’ screen on the bottom.

Once you click on the live video post, a pop-up window will show you the stats. If you are unsure about what the data is telling you, click on the icon with the lowercase ‘i ‘ in a circle to see what it means.

Two important metrics to pay attention to are:

1) Peak Live Viewers: Click on ‘Peak Live Viewers’ to see the highest number of viewers you had during different parts of the live video. The number itself is not necessarily important, but rather looking at the graph to identify issues based on drop-offs at certain parts of the video. If this is the case, watch your video at that time mark to see if you can figure out what may have cause viewers to stop watching. Reviewing this allows you to get feedback on what you could be doing that cause viewers to stop watching.

2) Video Average Watch Time: Aside from looking at post engagement, the most important metric you want to improve on is ‘video average watch time’ or audience retention. It takes the total minutes watched divided by the number of views, which tells you how engaged your average viewer was during the live stream. You can track this information to see if the average watch time of your viewers is increasing in each live video you put out. Another way to look at video engagement, click on the stat to see an audience retention graph.
 

#7: See what it’s like on the other side

 
If you’ve never been a part of the audience in a Facebook Live video, see what it is like on the other side to get some perspective. Before doing your own live stream, join someone else’s as a spectator.

Use the map discovery feature to pick videos to watch and get some ideas for what is interesting and what you think will appeal to your fans.

https://www.facebook.com/live

Maybe some other artists you follow have been using it so check out what they’ve done. Watch different types of videos to get a feel for what works and what doesn’t.
 

#8: Don’t overdo it – keep Facebook Live videos special

 
Using Facebook Live gives you an extra boost in reach for your broadcasts, but don’t abuse it. Do it a couple of times a month max. Depending on your idea and audience response, you may decide to do a regular monthly broadcast.

The main point is you want to keep Facebook Live special by not doing it too much, especially if you’re just trying to force it. Your fans get a Facebook notification, which is helpful in getting people to tune in, but if they are constantly bombarded with notifications or the content becomes repetitive, you may disappoint or annoy your fans. Adhere to the golden rule: everything in moderation.
 

Conclusion

 
As with everything online, you need to test and experiment to see what works best with your audience. With these 8 tips, you will be in good shape to put on a successful live broadcast and deepen the relationships with your fans.

Need more help? I created the Ultimate Facebook Live Guide for Musicians that will lay out everything you need to know in detail in order to maximize the power of Facebook Live.

What you will learn in this guide:
• Why musicians need to take advantage now
• Step by step guide of how to get started
• Ideas specific for musicians
• How other artists use Facebook Live
• Tips and strategies to maximize reach and engagement
• How to analyze your video performance to improve your results
• List of tools / equipment to make broadcasting easier
 
[Download the Ultimate Facebook Live Guide for Musicians]  
Last Updated: February 2018
 
 

Need Inspiration or Examples for Facebook Live?

 
Here are examples I’ve curated from independent artists who have used Facebook Live. I hope they give you some inspiration for filming your own live streams.

I will do my best to keep this list updated. If you come across a cool Facebook Live video from an independent artist, please feel free to share it with me so I can add to the list.
 

Live Performances

 
Butterscotch – Jam session with looping:
https://www.facebook.com/butterscotchmusic/videos/10154428932382270/

Eligh – Private live performance:
https://www.facebook.com/therealeligh/videos/1160033840675994/

Living Legends – Live performance view on stage:
https://www.facebook.com/therealgrouch/videos/1333259713361882/

Other Music Related

 
Butterscotch – Making a big announcement:
https://www.facebook.com/butterscotchmusic/videos/10154130538772270/
 

Non-Music Related

 
Eligh – Getting new tattoo:
https://www.facebook.com/therealeligh/videos/1253741184638592/

Lupe Fiasco – Throwing the first pitch at MLB baseball game:
https://www.facebook.com/LupeFiasco/videos/10153699177502282/
 

Behind the Scenes

 
Eligh – Shooting a music video:
https://www.facebook.com/therealeligh/videos/1213519841994060/

Eligh – Playing beats to sell:
https://www.facebook.com/therealeligh/videos/1177626975583347/

Amp Live – Making a beat
https://www.facebook.com/amplive/videos/10154540586168470/
https://www.facebook.com/amplive/videos/10154617401068470/
 

Q&A

 
RA Rugged Man:
https://www.facebook.com/180800567216/videos/10153708504267217/
https://www.facebook.com/180800567216/videos/10153614204427217/

Kina Grannis:
https://www.facebook.com/kinagrannis/videos/10154418471476505/

Aesop Rock:
https://www.facebook.com/AesopRockWins/videos/1013739072008773/

Zion I:
https://www.facebook.com/zionicrew/videos/10155382200404498/
 

Want to Contribute?

 
Let me know if you’ve come across some very cool live streams from other independent artists and I will link them here.

The post Facebook Live for Musicians: 8 Tips for a Successful Broadcast [Including Examples] appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.

The hot new trend in the social media world right now is mobile live video. For indie artists, its use is definitely picking up momentum. You might be thinking, why should I care? Well, let’s take a quick step back to see what’s been happening with mobile live streaming.

Mobile live video first started with the apps MeerKat and Periscope in 2015. Although Meerkat came out first, it couldn’t keep up so it had to move into a different market. Periscope was later purchased by Twitter.

Facebook, the world’s largest social media network with over 1.5 billion active users, jumped in with Facebook Live shortly after.

Youtube recently announced it’s own live mobile video function to be built into its app. As I write this, only a select few Youtube users will have this feature as they continue to test it before releasing it to the public.

Even Tumblr is getting in on the action with their announcement.

Although Snapchat isn’t technically mobile live streaming, its growth has been unbelievable the past few years. This helps to support the increased demand for unpolished, “in the moment” video content. More people are now using Snapchat than Twitter, Pinterest and Linkedin.

When you have all these social media giants getting in on the live mobile video, it’s a huge sign that you need to consider incorporating it into your social media strategy. At the very least, experiment with live mobile video. Getting exposure as an independent artist is tough so it’s important to take advantage of new trends before everyone else.

Update 12/23/16: Instagram has rolled out their own mobile live video function in their app. Also, Twitter now allows you to broadcast live video directly in their app via Periscope. Yup, looks like mobile live video is the future of social media.
 

What is Mobile Live Video?

 
In case you’re not familiar with mobile live video, it’s the ability to livestream or broadcast video to an online audience through an app on your mobile device.

Live streaming has been around for a while, but it was mainly through a webcam on a desktop or laptop. With nearly 2 out of 3 Americans owning a smartphone, this function has now carried over to mobile devices.

Here’s why it’s such an attractive tool for independent artists:

1. Intimate Engagement: It takes engagement and fan interaction to the next level when fans can see and interact with you live.
2. Convenience and Accessibility: It gives you the ability to easily broadcast in the moment, behind the scenes content for fans.
3. Unique Appeal: The idea video being streamed live is intriguing and gets people’s attention much more than a prerecorded video.

The key to mobile live video is real time engagement. Your online audience has the ability to interact and make comments live while you are streaming. This function helps to create deeper personal connections with your fans. Without this real-time interaction, it’s really no different than just uploading a video.

Personally, I know I get juiced when an artist I like and respect interacts with me on social media. To be able to do it live is taking fan engagement to the next level.
 

Video Content is the Future

 
It’s becoming clearer that video content in general is going to dominate in the future. In 2015, mobile video traffic accounted for 55% of total mobile data traffic. That’s a pretty high number, and it’s only going to increase. A recent study by Cisco states that three-fourths (75%) of the world’s mobile data traffic will be video by 2020.

In the United States alone, we will account for 77% of the total mobile data traffic by 2020. That’s increasing from 61% in 2015.

With that being said, it makes sense for the big dogs in social media to dive into mobile live video. Here’s what Facebook said about Facebook Live in a blog post:

“Now that more and more people are watching Live videos, we are considering Live Videos as a new content type – different from normal videos – and learning how to rank them for people in News Feed. As a first step, we are making a small update to News Feed so that Facebook Live videos are more likely to appear higher in News Feed when those videos are actually live, compared to after they are no longer live. People spend more than 3x more time watching a Facebook Live video on average compared to a video that’s no longer live. This is because Facebook Live videos are more interesting in the moment than after the fact.”

For musicians and artists, it offers another medium to catch people’s attention and provide more exposure. To me, it makes sense to learn how to live stream and get comfortable with it now. There’s obviously a huge potential that Facebook and Google see in this so you should too.

Just remember, don’t just live stream any random event. You should have a clear plan and strategy of what you want to film. Use it sparingly, as long as you can provide good engaging content. Using live video for captivating events keeps your video special. Also, you need to give live streams time to build up momentum, so don’t stream for only a few minutes and stop. I would say 10 – 15-minute sessions would be ideal.

Hopefully, you’ve been convinced enough to at least test it out with your own fans. Here’s an overview of which platforms to focus your efforts on as an independent artist:
 

Facebook Live

When Facebook first rolled out mobile live streaming, it was exclusively for celebrities and influencers. Now anyone can use it, even though your own personal Facebook profile.

For those who don’t know, Facebook is competing with Google / Youtube to grab a chuck of the video market share. In order to get ahead, Facebook gives an additional reach boost for people who use their in-platform features, especially for live video.

Pro Tip: You will get more reach and views on your video if you upload directly to Facebook instead of uploading a video to Youtube and then posting the Youtube link on Facebook. So if you have a music video or a live performance you want to share with your fans, upload it to Facebook in order to maximize your reach to your Facebook fans.

Because Facebook is pushing hard for their mobile live video feature, you will get a huge reach boost when you use it to stream. Here are the analytics for a mobile live video I did on Facebook Live for AstraLogik. It was probably one of their most popular and engaging posts ever, or at least within the past year. Although most people didn’t watch the entire 50-minute live stream, it reached 2,700 people organically.

In my opinion, Facebook Live is a top priority for independent artists looking to reach and engage their fans Chances are, you’ll be broadcasting to a familiar audience of fans who already like your page, so it’s a good way to warm up to live video. It will also offer the best return for investment since Facebook is the largest social media network. Plus, when you go live, your followers get a notification to attract a larger audience.

To add to that, Facebook has announced a ton of new functions and features in the works to compete against Youtube, Periscope and Snapchat.

• The Messages icon in the middle of the Facebook mobile app is being replaced with live streaming function.
• Similarly to the hearts on Periscope, Facebook Live will show likes and reactions in real time while you live stream video.
• Like Snapchat, filters and the ability to doodle or draw on their live video will be added.
• A discovery feature, like the map in Periscope, is going to be more accessible.
• Users will be able to live stream their video to Facebook Groups and Events.

Periscope

As one of the first to pioneer the mobile live video movement, Periscope is a good platform for finding new fans. Perform some songs or experiment with making new music to see how people respond. With a prominent browse and search feature, your live broadcasts can be easily found by anyone in the world through their map or listing function. Just from the way it is set up, it makes it a good tool to meet new people and potentially attract new fans.

Periscope can be linked to your Twitter account so your Twitter followers can see your live streams even if they don’t have Periscope.

Youtube Live

Youtube Live is still currently in beta, but it would be smart to hop on when it’s released since Youtube is the king of video content. It is slowly rolling out to big Youtube channels, just like Facebook did, so it should be available soon.
 

My Question for You

 
Have you had success with using mobile live video for your music? Let me know in the comments below.

The post Why Independent Artists Need to Get on Mobile Live Video Now appeared first on D4 Music Marketing.