These days there are seemingly endless ways to get noticed, but when your goal is to grow your fanbase instead of earning 15 seconds of fame, it’s essential to maneuver the industry the right way.

Start with Free Events

If you are just starting out, you are likely a relatively unknown artist, regardless of how talented you are. It’s unfortunate but that’s the reality of the business. The good news is that there are several ways for you to start getting your name out there. A popular way for artists to get noticed is with free events. Offer to play just a few events for free and watch as your fanbase grows exponentially.

Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Too many artists greatly underestimate the power of social media when used properly. It’s not just about bombarding your followers with promotional content. Instead, it’s about strategically earning their interest and engaging them. For artists and influencers, there is a “social media rule of thirds” that you want to follow:

• 1/3 of your social media posts should be promotional
• 1/3 of your social media posts should be valuable to your fanbase
• 1/3 of your social media posts should interact with your fanbase

By following the social media rule of thirds you are much more likely to see a response from your followers and develop a larger fanbase.

Don’t Upload Exclusively to YouTube

If you are making music, there is a good chance you have already uploaded one or more videos to YouTube. That’s a good start, but it’s not enough if you really want to get noticed. There are numerous platforms on which you can share your talents. Consider uploading videos directly to platforms like Facebook, Vimeo, or DailyMotion. These sites favor users who use their platform directly, rather than sharing your YouTube video to their sites.

Surprise Your Fans with Occasional Gifts

There are few things people love more than an unexpected gift from someone they admire. Whether it’s tickets to a show for a randomly selected social media follower or a personal shout out to a loyal fan, when you spend your time, give gifts, or even buy goods to treat your fans, it’s a reward without measure. Plus, your purchases will benefit you as you build tradelines from trusted vendors. It feels great and you can’t go wrong by taking the opportunity to boost your credit score.