Social Networks as Marketing tool for Musicians - Interview with SALAM winner of 2008 Jordanian Band Competition
Posted on 9/26/2009 by Rani Dababneh
The rapid rise over the last years of Social Networking Sites is changing the game, manipulating some rules, directing us to a new generation of social networking, leading us to some new lifestyles that were never there before.
So as social networking sites forced them selves to be used by the majority, it is not a surprise that they are being targeted by business leaders who are coping with the change and promoting their products online.
Musicians and Bands too are coping with these new lifestyles and doing their own ways to promote their Music Online, but some of them are not convinced yet of the great benefits they can get by using Social Networking Sites as tools to market their Music.
Myspace, Facebook and Twitter are the most famous and mostly used Social Networks.
besides the easiness of reaching fans cross countries and overseas, I guess one of the great features that a musician can find there is the ability to interact and connect with fans, getting immediate free feedback then publishing responses, unlike some old ways as mailing lists, audience and fans will feel closer to their celebrity hence more connected, so fans would be more reliable and they will act as another marketing technique themselves by sharing music or news of their favorite musician on their own profiles.
Above Social Networks are popular but general, so you can easily get lost there, so finding Specialized Niche Social Networks which are smaller networks with a targeted audience may be a solution so you will be having more "real fans" as people in such networks are all like minded. for musicians and bands you can find reviews of the best Music Social Networks here.
The use of General and Specialized Music Social Networks is the key to become a professional working musician today, and the web community is the best place to begin with.
I have Interviewed a Jordanian Musician [Salam Homoud, leader of SALAM Band - Winners of 2008 Jordanian Band Competition] and asked him couple of questions in this aspect:
Q. - Please tell us more about you and your band, a brief description of how did it all start
A. - I started making music 14 years ago, I taught myself to play the guitar, which was my main instrument of expression through the years, but I soon got my hands on a piano, a bouzouki and a few other instruments; in an attempt to bring out the music I heard inside my head in the most interesting way possible. I was part of many bands and formed a few as well, but a couple of years ago I decided to take it more seriously and formed my current band, “SALAM”.
The music I compose could be best described as experimental, fusing an array of music from around the world together, I sing in both Arabic and English… but it’s the instrumental pieces I feel most affinity with.
Q. - Since when have you been using Online Social Networks as marketing tool for your music?
A. - Since mid 2006.
Q. - which social networks are you using? have you tried the Specialized Music Social Networks or you are only using general ones?
A. - I started using Myspace since mid 2006, and created my Facebook music page around a year later. So far I haven’t used any specialized ones, maybe soon though.
Q. - Which is the best Music Social Network in your opinion and why?
A. - Each has it’s own audience, but in my opinion Facebook helped me connect with local and international listeners much easier than Myspace, It could be because of it’s simpler interface.
Q. - As your first target is the local audience, do you think General and Specialized Social Networks are really doing a great job in Jordan and Middle East? are fans familiar enough with them?
A. - Yes, I think Fans are getting more and more dependant on Social networks to discover new music and get notified about upcoming events and so on.
Q. - How far did you go using Social Networks, do your have fans overseas yet?
A. - Nearly half of the fans are from Jordan, but we also have many fans from North Africa, UK, Canada, France, Mexico, US, Germany, Pakistan, Greece, Netherlands and many other countries.
Q. - What other techniques are you using to promote your music? do u think you can get more fans than any other technique using Online Social Networks?
A. - No answer to this one, Sorry :)
Q. - What is your next step in promoting your music online?
A. - My first album will hopefully be finished before the end of this year, I posted some songs and teasers on Facebook and Myspace, and more will be uploaded very soon.
Our official website should be launched around the same time too.
I’m also hoping to make the album available for sale online as soon as it’s done, as it’s very important to me to make the album accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world.
So as social networking sites forced them selves to be used by the majority, it is not a surprise that they are being targeted by business leaders who are coping with the change and promoting their products online.
Musicians and Bands too are coping with these new lifestyles and doing their own ways to promote their Music Online, but some of them are not convinced yet of the great benefits they can get by using Social Networking Sites as tools to market their Music.
Myspace, Facebook and Twitter are the most famous and mostly used Social Networks.
besides the easiness of reaching fans cross countries and overseas, I guess one of the great features that a musician can find there is the ability to interact and connect with fans, getting immediate free feedback then publishing responses, unlike some old ways as mailing lists, audience and fans will feel closer to their celebrity hence more connected, so fans would be more reliable and they will act as another marketing technique themselves by sharing music or news of their favorite musician on their own profiles.
Above Social Networks are popular but general, so you can easily get lost there, so finding Specialized Niche Social Networks which are smaller networks with a targeted audience may be a solution so you will be having more "real fans" as people in such networks are all like minded. for musicians and bands you can find reviews of the best Music Social Networks here.
The use of General and Specialized Music Social Networks is the key to become a professional working musician today, and the web community is the best place to begin with.
I have Interviewed a Jordanian Musician [Salam Homoud, leader of SALAM Band - Winners of 2008 Jordanian Band Competition] and asked him couple of questions in this aspect:
Q. - Please tell us more about you and your band, a brief description of how did it all start
A. - I started making music 14 years ago, I taught myself to play the guitar, which was my main instrument of expression through the years, but I soon got my hands on a piano, a bouzouki and a few other instruments; in an attempt to bring out the music I heard inside my head in the most interesting way possible. I was part of many bands and formed a few as well, but a couple of years ago I decided to take it more seriously and formed my current band, “SALAM”.
The music I compose could be best described as experimental, fusing an array of music from around the world together, I sing in both Arabic and English… but it’s the instrumental pieces I feel most affinity with.
Q. - Since when have you been using Online Social Networks as marketing tool for your music?
A. - Since mid 2006.
Q. - which social networks are you using? have you tried the Specialized Music Social Networks or you are only using general ones?
A. - I started using Myspace since mid 2006, and created my Facebook music page around a year later. So far I haven’t used any specialized ones, maybe soon though.
Q. - Which is the best Music Social Network in your opinion and why?
A. - Each has it’s own audience, but in my opinion Facebook helped me connect with local and international listeners much easier than Myspace, It could be because of it’s simpler interface.
Q. - As your first target is the local audience, do you think General and Specialized Social Networks are really doing a great job in Jordan and Middle East? are fans familiar enough with them?
A. - Yes, I think Fans are getting more and more dependant on Social networks to discover new music and get notified about upcoming events and so on.
Q. - How far did you go using Social Networks, do your have fans overseas yet?
A. - Nearly half of the fans are from Jordan, but we also have many fans from North Africa, UK, Canada, France, Mexico, US, Germany, Pakistan, Greece, Netherlands and many other countries.
Q. - What other techniques are you using to promote your music? do u think you can get more fans than any other technique using Online Social Networks?
A. - No answer to this one, Sorry :)
Q. - What is your next step in promoting your music online?
A. - My first album will hopefully be finished before the end of this year, I posted some songs and teasers on Facebook and Myspace, and more will be uploaded very soon.
Our official website should be launched around the same time too.
I’m also hoping to make the album available for sale online as soon as it’s done, as it’s very important to me to make the album accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world.
http://www.myspace.com/salamonmyspace | http://www.facebook.com/salam.music
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6 Response to "Social Networks as Marketing tool for Musicians - Interview with SALAM winner of 2008 Jordanian Band Competition"
Interesting article Rani I really enjoyed it, I think using social networks helps a lot in this day and age where almost all people around you have several social network accounts.
I've been using Twitter for instance to follow business and technical news announced by companies and organizations such as Google and TechCrunch. I'm also using WatWet to follow updates from SALAM.
On another note, I am a fan of SALAM and I think their music brings something new to the Jordanian music scene :)
I believe that social networking sites offer Musicians a big opportunity to express themselves and their Music in an easy short way; for Example as a facebook member I find it easier to read about my favorite bands, their latest songs and news using facebook because you'll find all what you need to know in their page. And I guess it's also easier for them to stay in touch with their fans by uploading everything online; this is also good moneywise… They don't need a commercial or a journal's corner to tell us about their upcoming concert.
Thank you Rani for the lovely article… And I should also add that Salam is my favorite Jordanian Band.
:-)
Keep up the good work.
Nice and impressive post I thinks that social media networking sites gives a lot of opportunity for musicians and their creative music in just short way. Thanks a lot for sharing this unique information for musician I appreciate this.
You commented that social media forced themselves to be used by the majority. I'm not talking just musicians. Even businesses utilize social media. I agree with your comment because times are changing and our market is in these social networks. But we have a choice. There are still other options for us, not just social media. I think a better way of saying it is we are forced to use social media because everyone's using it. It's not like we're rejecting social media.
so, far i have seen the role of social marketing in online business, but this is the first time I'm seeing it's purpose for musicians....
yeah! i enjoy reading this., i like it
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