Audiomack ARTIST GUIDE
Artists 101
How do I get followers/fans?
Getting fans and followers is all about being consistent and accessible, in addition to making great music. Fans want to feel like they’re a part of your journey, and they want to relate to your music and who you are on social media and beyond. This is why it’s important to be your most genuine self when you’re creating and posting.
“The key is to get fans, not to get streams or views. You can pay for those if you want to—I don’t advise it. The key is finding those people that actually relate to what you’re talking about, and are gonna check for you on your tour, and support you throughout your career. It starts with great music, honest music. Without that, what is it? Sure, you can do all sorts of antics on social media. But they’re not fans of your music, they’re fans of your antics.”
—Benjy Grinberg, Owner of Rostrum Records
“Know who your audience is, and cater to them. Never forget who your audience is. Obviously every artist wants to be a superstar, but conquer your city [first]. Those are your day-one supporters. Build that cult following, and then worry about conquering the entire US. You’re not gonna be able to do everything at once, unless you have major-major label backing.”
—Samuel Cohen, Director of Artist Marketing, TenThousand Projects
“Followers are not fans, and knowing the difference matters. You may have lots of followers, but can you count on them to truly support you? Followers are just along for the ride. Maybe they just discovered you. Maybe they’re still checking you out. Maybe a friend recommended them. Whatever the reason, having clicked the follow button is the absolute least they can do.
“These are people you want to convert into fans—those willing to spend their money or advocate for you. These are the ones in your target audience; they are the ones to market to. The difference between followers and fans defines your return, so spending money to get followers to do something is never as efficient as spending money to get fans to do the same thing.”
—Mark Tavern, Music Industry Educator
“Consistency, and I know that’s not the most simple answer, because there really is no real blueprint. But, consistency and understanding the followers you already have—word of mouth is the best way to get followers. If you’re not buying them, you know they’re coming from somewhere.”
—Ryan Hobbs, Pandora
“It’s authenticity and sharing yourself with the fans, and authentic engagement. There’s so many ways to define what that is and how that looks for each artist. In an industry driven by trends, it’s important for artists to take a step back and define who they are and what authentic engagement looks like to them and remain consistent with that. That’s how you find your tribe in life and your tribe with your fans.”
—MeLisa Heath, Artist Manager
