As the times have changed, well, the times have changed. Technology has been on the rapid rise for the past 20 or 30 years and so has the concept of networking. The kind of networking I'm going to talk about in this blog is very broad and very specific. So let's just dive right in. When it comes to building an online fanbase your options are limited to where the people are. As we all know the number one site used to be Myspace.
MySpace
According to the "modern socialite" this company is dead in the water. Not entirely true. Myspace seems to have ventured from a site that everyone used to a specific site. It's important to keep a myspace musician profile up as many venues still book through myspace. It's really not difficult to keep maintained as you can (which is what I do) imbed the free widgets from Reverbnation in your myspace profile to update your tour schedule and videos.
Facebook
Until the next "BIGWIG" social networking tool comes along, Facebook is king of the hill. Though there are some things that perturb musicians and bands within the Facebook page, it's still the best for what it can do. I've decided that people check Facebook about 3 or 4 times more than they check their email. This can be a good and a bad thing when it comes to musicians.
The Plus:
The most apparent plus out of Facebook is the instant contact you can gain with your current fans and potential fans. It allows you to notify people in regards to: new songs, new dates, goings-on in the life of you and your music.
The Downside:
There can be such a thing as "too much." When it comes to your postings and ultimately SPAMMING on your fans' wall. As independent musicians there is a fine line between promoting and annoying. And sometimes it's a hard tightrope to walk. We really want to get people out to our shows and spreading the word but we don't want to frighten our peeps away. A great article that opened my eyes can be found here:
5 Ways to Avoid Annoying Your Fans
That being said, my booking agent is a wise man. He constantly says things like, "One full room of fans for two weeks is better than two weeks of rooms with one fan." Things that Lao Tzu would say. Funny thing is, most of the time he's correct.
One thing he swears by is there is nothing quite like paper. Paper for contracts. Paper money. Paper. So one thing I constantly keep is a mailing list. A REAL mailing list (for emails) at shows. I was a little skeptical about this at first. But he was right. That list let's you know exactly who was at your show and what city they're from. It also is a way to be personal with the fans who took the time and gave your their information. They're really interested in what your doing. It's not like they just clicked a "Like" button because their friends told them to. Show them the respect. That being said. I personally have an exclusive "perk" for people who sign up on their list. It's a good idea to have a way to communicate almost instantly with these fans for showing you their appreciation for what you do.
Band Networking
If you've played "out" at different areas we all know how difficult and important social networking is among musicians. Open mics, invite onlys, battle of the bands, festivals, meet and greets. All of these things are important when it comes to trying to build your reputation. One of the most important things you can do, especially if you're moving to an area or trying to find gigs in an area is to find the proper website. I've discovered that almost every major city has a site that is controlled, funded, and, for the most part, updated on certain venues and their requirements. I'll begin to list these as I find them in this blog so bookmark this one.
Raleigh, NC (This list kinda encompasses the RTP area)
Venue List
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