14 Methods for Making Your Music Go Viral
Humans are fundamentally connected to music, and we live in a world where it is all around us. Millions of artists all over the world have found a way to leverage this to make a living; however, only the creme de la creme of songs ever makes it to people’s ears.
An artist who is trying to make it big will do anything to get their music in front of people. They could use tactics ranging from mildly embarrassing to cringing without success. So what tactics give the best results? This article will show you 14 ways to make your music go viral.
How to Make Your Music Go Viral
Create share-worthy content
The first step in making your music go viral is to have something worthy of sharing! Many artists make the mistake of disregarding the quality of the music they make, and eventually, they end up putting out mediocre tracks for people to listen to. This kind of practice leaves a bad memory in the minds of potential fans, and that’s not good for anyone. Get your song recorded, mixed, and mastered by a professional who can make it sound great, or simply learn how to do it yourself.
Create a video component
In addition to quality production, you have to create a video component for your music, whether it’s something as simple as you vibing to your new song in a car, playing it to strangers at the park, or a professional music video. The point is to connect with potential listeners, and a video is just right for this. This will give your fans something to look at when listening to your music and also provide them with a better understanding of your song.
Be authentic
Be yourself! Don’t be afraid to talk about your vices, struggles, lows, and highs. You build a lasting relationship with your audience by showing that you can be vulnerable. Everyone loves a “grass to grace” story, which is why it is important to show the climb. You should be sincere about your obstacles, create suspense, and, most importantly, celebrate your little wins. This creates a strong connection between you and your fans.
Find your target market and focus on them
The trick here is to search for an already successful artist whose music is similar to yours and study their social media followers, fan groups, and insights to learn more about your potential audience and what they like. You can also write a detailed profile of the commonalities between them, find out which geographical locations tend to attract people who like your music styles, and dive deep into the demographics. By doing this, you will be able to locate and connect with your soon-to-be fans through your content.
Connect with music industry influencers
Thanks to the internet, you can access influential people who can be stepping stones for your career. Songwriters, executives for music labels, musicians, and owners of businesses are all on social media, and you can reach out to them. One trick to making a long-lasting connection is finding ways to add value to whoever you need help from. Learn more about them so you can provide selfless service without expecting anything in return. As the saying goes, “When you do good for others, it will come back in unexpected ways.”
Collaborate and network
To be fully involved in the music industry, you must collaborate and network. Collaborating with other artists will automatically introduce you to their fans and increase your followers significantly.
Furthermore, collaboration could also allow you to work with some of the most talented people. TikTok’s “Duet” and Instagram’s “Remix” are tools you can use to get noticed if you’re not yet ready to collaborate directly. Also, platforms such as Reddit and Discord can be used to promote your music to potential fans and network with other artists and music industry professionals who could benefit your future career.
Always remember to tag your socials when you collaborate with someone, as this is one of the best ways to generate organic followers, which you don’t have to pay for. Also, keep a record of all your connections and stay in touch with them, keeping them updated with the major changes and growth you experience in your career. This will automatically increase your audience, as your connections will be able to share your news with their loved ones and followers.
Use a music promotion service
The music production process doesn’t just stop once you’ve posted your new music to your social networks; you also have to promote it actively. Using promotional services automatically places you above all else, as these companies have great expertise in promoting music. They have connections with several media outlets, radio stations, and fans, which you can benefit from. Music promotion services will give you a wider range of audiences and fans who will appreciate your music more, and they can also help you generate more income.
Leverage social media
An excellent way to reach new audiences who are interested in your music is by creating highly engaging content on social media. TikTok, for example, is a great tool for music discovery. You can upload different snippets of your song to connect with new audiences and turn them into loyal fans.
Instagram Live is another amazing medium with which you can engage your followers. According to research by Livestream.com, 80% of audiences would rather watch live videos than read a post, and you can use that to your advantage.
Going live gives your followers a chance to see the “real you,” as they could ask you questions and see your reaction in real time. You can also advertise new songs, share exciting news, and generate buzz about upcoming projects.
Build a hype
First, you have to hype up your fans before every release. Think of it as charging up a battery. If you release something when it’s only halfway charged, you’re not going to get as much out of it. However, If you charge it up to 100%, you’ll probably see some great results.
Reward your fans
Another great way to engage your fans is to reward them. Randomly rewarding your followers creatively to show that you care about them will make them feel appreciated. Your strategy could include sending them personal emails, giving them free digital copies of your albums/songs, or setting up a meet and greet. Whichever of these you employ will certainly yield amazing results, and you will have a loyal fan base before you know it.
Get your song on a Spotify playlist
Getting your song on a Spotify playlist will expose you to millions of people on the platform and can also help create a fan base for you. Landing on playlists will help you grow your Spotify artist profile and get your music in front of new and loyal listeners.
You can achieve this by either submitting your song through your Spotify artist account while taking note of all their conditions, or you can directly contact individuals who own playlists and request for your song to be included.
Use Hashtags
Using hashtags is a great way to grow your following and get your content seen. They are powerful tools in social media, and artists can use them to get noticed easily.
When used properly, they can get your music in front of a bigger audience, target a very specific group of people, and boost your visibility. You can also use hot trends and topics to your advantage to draw more people to your content.
Be Everywhere
You need to be prepared with all the elements to go viral by being available on all platforms. Posting to a few socials is just not enough. Your music must be spread out properly and fully optimized on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Youtube, Reverbnation, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. If your music is only on a few networks or sitting on the homepage of a custom player, then it has no wind in its sails.
Create SEO-optimized content
SEO is an acronym for “Search Engine Optimization,” which is the art of making your content visible to search tools such as Google. As an artist, you want your content to rank highly in search results, and you can do this by figuring out what people search for on Google, YouTube, and other social media platforms. You can build your song titles and video headings to match those keywords to ensure that they remain SEO-friendly. Spotify playlists also help to boost the SEO of your songs/brand.
The interesting thing about viral marketing is that it cannot be narrowed down to a simple answer. It is a dynamic creative process, so don’t expect a blueprint. It’s all about the passion in you and the energy that you put into your promotional outreach. If you spend plenty of time making sure that your music has as many outlets for people to access it as possible, this will truly give your music the best chance it deserves to get into the hands of your fans. GUIÓN PARTNERS can help ensure you get the visibility you deserve.
At GUIÓN PARTNERS, we have over 18 years of industry experience and offer music promotion services with a proven track record of success. We’ve worked with some of the most prolific artists in the industry and have assisted in growing their careers. Our team of talented music promoters focuses on creating long-running and profitable global relationships, and we are thrilled to bring these opportunities to our artists.