BE THE CONTENT NOT THE COMMERCIAL
“Excuse me, can I have your attention please?” Or…
“We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this breaking news…”
In the days where TV consumption and commercial radio were the main sources of entertainment, it wouldn’t be odd to hear such phrases.
But now?
When it comes to entertainment, news, music, whatever – people have so much control over what they consume. And a lot of that includes Social Media.
Now, unfortunately, a lot of us still view posting on social media and promoting our brands as though they are interruptions. Ok, obviously in some senses they are, but my point is we shouldn’t TREAT them as if they were.
So ask yourself: When it comes to your audience, are you the content or the commercial. And for the sake of definition, here’s what I mean for each:
CONTENT
- The consistent source of entertainment they’re looking forward to that adds a variety of value to their lives.
COMMERCIAL
- The promotional interruption that only shows up inconsistently and mostly just when they want me to buy something?
Think about it…
So when you catch your favorite show on “normal” TV or even shows on some social platforms, chances are you know the date and time the new episodes air. You’re following the storyline and have an idea of who the characters are and little by little get a bigger picture of who they are.
You’re invested in the bigger picture.
So even if Season 8 (of Suits) doesn’t measure up, you might continue to watch it because you’ve invested so much time with the characters. Note, I said you MIGHT continue 🙂 lol
Depending on what platform you’re watching, every so often during your show, you’ll be “interrupted” with commercials or in some cases ads. Yeh, those annoying promotions that companies target and place there specifically to get you to buy their product and sometimes will even air several times in the same episode (*the worst*).
So here are a few things to think about this month and more so this month’s game plan.
FRAME OF MIND
Answer these questions…
– How often do you typically post on social media?
– On what platform are you most active?
– Looking at your insights on FB and possibly IG, when are your fans online most often?
– Do your fans have any expectation of when your content is coming, or is it a random hit or miss activity depending on what you’ve got to promote?
Define your social mix…
– what topics, passions, events, etc. are you most interested in that you’d be able to share on social media? That’s your social mix.
And don’t get me wrong, the PURPOSE of your mix is to tell your story. After all, we want people to invest in our character, don’t we?
Here are some examples of what I might consider for my mix of posts/interests.
- Behind the scene photos of me at work—at a computer, in a coffee shop, holding up t-shirts, working with camera equipment
- Motivational quotes — I’m always motivated by those who have come before me and being creative is an up and down battle every day. If the right quote, delivered at just the right time can change my day, it may be able to do so for others as well.
- Living Life with my wife — Jessica has been my longtime business partner, bandmate, and biggest cheerleader. We’re often found cracking each other up, eating out and 2 or 3-star restaurants and watching action movies.
- What I’m listening to — this could be indie bands, old school songs we used to perform, our own music, podcasts on digital marketing, or influencers in my topic wheel.
- The Beach / The park—My home and office are right by the beach in Huntington Beac, California. We moved across the country recently, so taking in all of the environment is something that’s still new, so I share scenes of doing so.
- Client projects—Sharing content we create for our clients gives my audience insight into what I could possibly create for them.
- Something from my weekend—I spend a lot of my weekends working, and a lot of that is at church doing sound. There are always some great sermons, always interesting people, and I get to hear my wife sing which just might be my favorite sound in the world.
- Tools, tips, and tutorials — finding things to share or teach to try and make band leader’s lives easier
Also, don’t forget the most important aspect of the content. YOU. Don’t be afraid to add yourself in the mix. In fact, to really help people connect with you, there should be some images of you. With that, I might add this to my mix…
9. Photos of myself—So people get familiar with my face and feel like they see the person behind the Instagram account they follow. Photos of yourself will always get better engagement because people want to see YOU. It’s humanizing to my brand.
Maybe you’re a foodie and always have lunch at interesting places. Maybe you have an awesome day job where you travel, so you’re in different cities. Or perhaps you’re an avid movie goer and love giving unofficial reviews of your favorite action films.
You get the idea. There are so many things by which you can connect with your fans. But let’s take it even further.
With so many content tools, mobile apps, and inexpensive resources available to you, there’s no reason you can’t BE THE CONTENT your audience is tuning in to on a regular basis.
YOUR SHOW
Let’s get the idea down for your show. Here are some things you could consider.
Start your own Concert Series
Record a weekly Songwriter Sessions,
Facebook Watch TV show Podcast, Talkshow, YouTube Series, Reality show, etc (I could go on), you don’t need anyone’s permission AND it’s as easy to do as it ever was.
What’s stopping you?
THE CHALLENGE:
Start something, anything that shares your story, your music, YOU on a regular basis. Doesn’t have to be daily or weekly, but set up a consistent schedule and BE THE SHOW that your fans look forward to. – Do you practice once a week with your band? Take us there.
– Do you have a house gig you plan on a regular basis? Make us a part of it.
– Do you go figure out a reason to buy gear every week? Take us with you.
Entertaining your followers should start waaaaay before you get on stage and the truth is — you’re only an “annoying interruption” if you want to be.