Generation DIY: Twitter For The Scholars & Gentlemen

posted in: Features

By now you’ve probably been using MySpace, Twitter and many various social networking sites, but how do you know if you’ve been using them correctly? There actually is a proper way of using these Web sites to maximize your growth potential and reach out to new audiences. Since MySpace is on it’s way of being completely irrelevant in terms of connecting with fans and simply an engine to find and listen to new music, I will be giving you an idea of how to properly “tweet” over the Twitter lines. For anything to do with the entertainment business, Twitter is by far the smartest tool created. You’re just a click away from getting (what seems like) direct text messages from Ben Affleck, the GEICO gecko and even Jesus (yep, he’s on it). Those of us in the music industry know it’s a great way to network, connect and stay in touch with people of different levels: fans, producers, record executives, musicians, tour managers etc. Now, let’s get down to business and get your Twitter account more active than Perez Hilton and Jeffree Star‘s combined.

First off, do you have a Twitter account? If not, visit www.twitter.com and sign up for a free account today. It’s extremely simple and you’ll be well on your way in a matter of minutes. One suggestion would be to have a single account for your band (keep it as short as possible), remember there are only 140 characters allowed for each tweet, and you want as many people to “@” reply your name as possible so keep it simple! Also, make sure your account name is something easy to remember and search, especially for those who don’t know your band yet. To give your page a personalized look, create a background image (it’ll only be visible on the left/right of the main column) that will promote your other sites, logo, releases/promotions etc. Here’s an example of a great background that Every Avenue embedded to help promote their newest album and tour.

Next, each member should have a Twitter account and update it daily”keep these tweets separate from the band Twitter account. Band Twitter accounts should focus on album or tour updates, contests, promotions, etc. Individual twitters are great for creating personal connections with fans across the nation and helping support your bands image by giving fans a face and name to associate with the band. Look at it this way, back when you were younger and looked up to a band you most likely supported them more if you knew a member. It’s a way of giving your fan something more to hold onto rather than a CD or T-shirt.

The best way to gain followers is to follow other people who have a strong presence already and make a connection with that user. Once their friends see your name popping up on their page they will most likely check you out and see who/what you’re all about. Just like your other social-networking sites, be picky about those who you follow/are followed by”like your Mom used to say, don’t fall in with a bad crowd. If you’re a pop group with a demographic of 12 to 16-year-old girls, don’t follow strippers, pornstars, etc. Make a good impression. Remember, behind every youngster who buys your album, there are parents who funds their purchase. Be smart about what you put out there. On the Internet, information will be everywhere in a matter of minutes and is never ever truly gone! Now that you got an idea on whom you should be following, let’s move onto what the content of your tweets should be about.

When posting “tweets” from the band account, try and make it as catchy and simple as possible. Think about creating little slogans, or marketing points to help attract users. One major thing you can do to help strengthen your Twitter presence is by hash tagging or “#hashtagging” different subjects. These enable you to click on and look at lists of tweets from other users who used the same hash tag (or subject), which is a great way of finding new people with similar interests. To create a hash tag, just prefix a key word with a hash symbol (otherwise known as the number or pound sign). Some popular examples would be #realtalk #ftw #fail … well you get the point. It’s also common to use #mm (music Monday) and #ff (follow Friday) on the respective days of the week to give your users a peak as to what you’re currently listening to as well as trading promotion spots with other users to help gain followers. Another great thing to add is twitpic, which let’s you upload photos and send through a tweet to show your fans. Pictures of the band hanging out at a show or with a fan, is a great way to enable a connection so that the user can feel as if they’re “hanging” out with you at that moment. As you can see, there are many tools to use within Twitter so you can properly reach your audience without becoming a MySpace spamming burden.

Hopefully this helps you understand what Twitter is all about and how you can use it to your advantage. If you have other suggestions when it comes to Twitter or other social-networking sites, as always send them in a comment. I’m more than happy to read them!

Six months into the year, Generation DIY. Make sure you keep cool when it gets too hot!