So, this is a big question – and there’s been quite the narrative around it as people change their minds about how they’re going to approach social media in 2019. How are you going to create value with your content in order to get people to want to come back? I have this thing – it’s called being a value grinder, and refers to someone who spends a lot of time cranking out valuable content people are excited to come back to see. When you have quality content, nothing else matters, because as long as you can get it in front of people they’ll be stoked to see it. In this article, I want to talk about how you’re going to embrace this, break it down, and reach bold new levels. The music biz is not a kind place and really demands a lot from its participants. Join me as I show you how you can transcend, reach the next level, and engage with people in a way that is engaging and meaningful for all parties.
First and foremost, when you are creating content the premise needs to be good – like really good. If your music isn’t great, your photos aren’t great, and your videos aren’t great, no one is going to care. On some fundamental level, the thing that makes content great is when it’s created with the fan in mind. That is to say – when you create something that gives fans a lot to sink their teeth into, to enjoy, and to fall in love with, you’ll get more traction. When you create something that gives fans a chance to participate, easily share, and engage with, then you’ll get more traction. When you create something that empowers fans to feel immersed in the atmosphere you work tirelessly to create, then you are going to get traction. This can range from anything from bringing fans into your music video (a la Amon Amarth) to just making sure stuff is readily sharable. At the end of the day, your content simply has to be good and tell a story, and when you’ve got that nailed, you’ll have another weapon in your arsenal as you march down the path towards success.
The name of the game when trying to bring value to those around you is going to always be engagement. People want to talk to people who they know will respond to them. If they know you’re willing to interact with them, they’re going to be much more likely to coordinate with you to reach that next level and push towards the next step. When I wanted to blow up my Instagram, the first (and very simple) thing I did was find ten hashtags relevant to me — stuff like #diymusic, #musicindustry, #musicbusiness, etc — and dropped ten comments in each every day. This led to 500 followers in my first week and 800 by the end of my second. I was engaging at scale, and people were loving it! This is the key if you’re pushing to get in front of more eyeballs. It’s part of why I always push live content because it’s pushing storytelling. When you interact with someone in real-time, they’re going to feel like they have a real relationship with you (because they do), and from there, the possibilities are endless.
If you’re trying to figure out how to get posts that are going to get traction, all you need to do is look at the bigger bands in your community. The bands who are 18-36 months ahead of you. What kind of content are they creating that’s getting traction? Just mimic that. I know you’re gonna claim you can’t find twenty bands who are getting traction, but they’re out there. They’re showing up in your Instagram feed. You’re just too lazy or insecure to go out and figure out what they are doing. We’ll fuck that… it’s all publicly available. Click through, see what they’ve gotten up too and then emulate, emulate, emulate. It’s only by looking at metrics and borrowing from those who have figured something out, that you’re going to be able to get anywhere in this thing. The algorithm is constantly changing, so don’t try to beat it. Instead, look at the overall trends your peers seem to be taking advantage of.
The biggest key to all of this is probably authentic video content. Now, I’m obviously biased since I’ve had a ton of success with my Bacon’s Bits video series. (Check ‘em out, @mattbacon666), but at the end of the day, people respond to video. There’s so much smoke and mirrors in music, so you want to fight that. There’s a reason Scotty from Tankcrimes is always posting his album sales numbers – he likes the transparency. It makes him seem honest and real. It gives people a clear idea of what they’re up against and what we are all getting into. When you operate with that sort of honesty, you can only win. Video is great for shutouts too and very helpful for giving with expectation as well. If you give someone a real look into who you are – a look that isn’t obscured by a filter or anything else — then they’re going to dig into that and appreciate you on a deeper level. You become a storyteller, and this is always the key.
Long story short, you need to focus on these things to start generating value. You need to be willing to embrace those around you, and help raise them alongside you if you want to get to the next level. The same way the NYHC built bridges through how they grew up together, you can emulate through how you help those around you. Generating value is easy, you just need to ask your audience what they want and then give it to them. That’s what I do with Bacon Bits. That’s what Fenriz from Darkthrone does with his general ridiculousness. That’s what Heavy Psych Sounds does as a label when they post lots of classic footage of Black Sabbath. Double down on value. Double down on a quality base, engaging with your friends and communicating with strong, honest video content. You’ll be amazed at what the returns are.
MATT BACON
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Matt Bacon is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Having worked with everyone from Glam Rock icon Phil Collen of Def Leppard, to post Black Metal titans Alcest, by way of legendary thrashers Exhorder as well as labels including Prophecy Productions and Ripple Music, he has dedicated his life to helping young bands develop. Having started his own blog at the age of 14 he views his career in artist development as ‘a hobby that got out of hand’. In 2015 he formed Dropout Media in order to better support the artists he loves. We sit here now, years later with countless tours booked, records released and deals signed, and loving every minute of it.
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