Did getting active on social media do anything for you?
- Thread starter gohrev
- Start date
mikrokosmiko
Active Member
Hi! I have a youtube channel and I post now and then extracts from my concerts as a performer. Those videos have result in new gigs as a performer. Also, some of my compositions in Soundcloud have led to paid jobs as a composer. But not much!
NekujaK
I didn't go to film school, I went to films -QT
I occasionally post some of my music on YouTube, FB, and SoundCloud, but it's only there so I can point prospective clients to it. I don't do anything to actively promote myself online.
That said, I got into writing library music because a label stumbled onto a couple of my videos and reached out to me. That was a very lucky needle-in-the-haystack discovery, that couldn't have happened if I didn't have some of my music out there.
But aside from that one instance (which turned out to be pretty significant), all of my other composing gigs for film, trailers, etc. have all come thru personal contacts and referrals.
That said, I got into writing library music because a label stumbled onto a couple of my videos and reached out to me. That was a very lucky needle-in-the-haystack discovery, that couldn't have happened if I didn't have some of my music out there.
But aside from that one instance (which turned out to be pretty significant), all of my other composing gigs for film, trailers, etc. have all come thru personal contacts and referrals.
J-M
A glorified bedroom composer...
I don't care for social media that much tbh, but my presence on Twitter led me into making some expression maps for Eduardo Tarilonte's ERA libraries, but that's mostly because I tagged him on one of my posts.
Other than that, I mostly follow and interact with other creatives.
Other than that, I mostly follow and interact with other creatives.
Jeremy Spencer
Senior Member
I’m on a few platforms, but don’t actively promote myself. I just post links to my latest work, production albums, website, etc. Yes, it does sometimes lead to a gig, but my #1 tool is my website…that I use as a digital business card.
kepler
New Member
Posting and replying to people on Twitter (X) that I admire, and talking with others on the platform who seem to be fans of the same things as me, has led to some great friendships and collaborations. Post your own stuff, re-tweet your friends' stuff, engage with people you like and ignore the trolls. Block anything/anyone that doesn't bring you joy. I've also had composer friends see what I'm working on through social media, and have been fortunate enough to have some of them pass work my way that they thought I would be a good fit for. It's also allowed me to showcase some of the more niche instruments I play, and I've had people hire me to play on tracks they're working on because of it.
I had my start on Myspace and Youtube circa 2005 but as you can imagine at the time it was not overpopulated with people doing creative work as of now.
Now things have changed and social media is all about creating daily new content all the time like vlogs and trivial stuff to be noticed. If you don't do that you just get buried.
I think the key is to have a really unique content and stand out that way.
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Dylanguitar
Senior Member
I'm on FB, instagram and youtube. I use FB for normal stuff....thoughts, musing, ramblings.
I use Instagram as a sort of "personal website", where people can quickly see what it is I can do.
I'm probably going to get my YT channel more together this year.
Of the 3, I put most effort into Instagram. It's mostly bite sized clips so it lends itself to people checking you out that way instead of having to scroll through long form videos. Most of the work I've gotten is word of mouth or just working with a bunch of musicians, but I'm very happy that I (finally) have some easily accessible stuff online if somebody needs to hear me before giving calling me for work.
I use Instagram as a sort of "personal website", where people can quickly see what it is I can do.
I'm probably going to get my YT channel more together this year.
Of the 3, I put most effort into Instagram. It's mostly bite sized clips so it lends itself to people checking you out that way instead of having to scroll through long form videos. Most of the work I've gotten is word of mouth or just working with a bunch of musicians, but I'm very happy that I (finally) have some easily accessible stuff online if somebody needs to hear me before giving calling me for work.
MarcusD
Tinkerer
Mostly just put something out there and see what happens. Not really one for being overly active posting on social. But my take away is;
If what you offer is any good, people will come to you and spread the word around (and also tell you if somethings shit and needs improving)
With social, it’s easy to oversell yourself (following all the current trends etc..) to the point where it looks fake, try hard and annoying. Be authentic, be honest, be you.
If what you offer is any good, people will come to you and spread the word around (and also tell you if somethings shit and needs improving)
With social, it’s easy to oversell yourself (following all the current trends etc..) to the point where it looks fake, try hard and annoying. Be authentic, be honest, be you.
JohnG
Senior Member
I think for composers it depends a lot on what you're like.
Are you cool, or its opposite? -- Eddie Izzard likens "being cool" to a sort of dial or clock-face, on which you move gradually from "cool, cooler, very cool and....looking like a dickhead." Some people have an uncanny knack, or an innate compass for being cool.
I don't find it fun -- Apart from here at v.i. control, I find myself less happy and creative after my rare visits to 'social media.' In fact, it leaves me feeling as though I need a wash or a long walk in nature to cleanse. Same reasons everyone has.
Is your material really good? -- although it's indispensable to show your wares, it's hard to know when to strike. Have you reached a level of competence and excellence that will invite gasps of admiration from studio honchos? Or do you sound (as most people do at first) like a less-glittering imitation of your compositional heroes? At the outset of one's journey, should one grab the biggest possible megaphone and try to draw traffic to it, or maintain a quiet website to which you can direct people who are already interested in you?
Who knows, really? It's not for me.
Good advice from @MarcusD below:
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J-M
A glorified bedroom composer...
Twitter became "fun" only after months of muting and blocking. And never, EVER leave the "following" tab. Beyond that lies insanity.
rgames
Collapsing the Wavefunction
I think social media is good for engaging an existing audience but not very good for building one.
In other words, create an audience outside of social media then engage them within it. There are exceptions, of course, but there's a strong trend there.
To be clear, that observation applies to musicians who want to build an audience for their music. Educational and/or gear porn audiences absolutely can be built through social media.
In other words, create an audience outside of social media then engage them within it. There are exceptions, of course, but there's a strong trend there.
To be clear, that observation applies to musicians who want to build an audience for their music. Educational and/or gear porn audiences absolutely can be built through social media.
gsilbers
Part of Pulsesetter-Sounds.com
lol I was going to ask this same question.
I just see some of these IG accounts doing some amazing stuff with very expensive equipment and studios and well produced videos but always wondered if theres actually any rewards to it. Call me a cynical Gen X but it just seems we are all bending backwards to satisfy the algorithms so these tech bros (meta/google etc) get more money. At least with YouTube there is shared revenue but it's hard getting to a decent place and sometimes it relies on affiliate links, paid promotions, or selling something else like a course or book. Covid for sure took this to the next level.
When I have to deal with pulsesetter marketing stuff I've learned that you gotta pay to be seen which make sense as a product. But to do content just to be cool and be active online really hasn't worked as well, by far it's better to pay for ads or to push existing content. IT used to be a middle ground before but now it's mostly paid boosts and people in the marketing forums seems to mention the same.
But doing the same as a music producer/composer just doesn't seem to me to lead to rewards that match the effort and money placed into doing these reels, short videos, social media stuff. And frankly, most of it just has so much cringe. Captions like "Rejection is just redirection" , "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars", "Only god can judge me", What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and so on. Random inspirational - no one asked you- types of quotes.
And suddenly friends I had now made me a follower, and everyone just seems to be a dancing monkey to an invisible potential audience who just scrolls through countless reels and posts and everyone trying to one up each other for no apparent reason other than bragging rights. Or just to show their real self or whatever. Some go above and beyond to become influencers but I still ask myself if they are really making that much money that warrants what it seems like an almost full time job. In between these influencers I see the odd composer trying to do the social media thing and not looking so good in comparison.
I took a break from social media and recently check out a few things and still the "feel" is the same. It's almost as like there is no end reward... doing the little dumb videos IS the reward. Basically you are not an artists selling your music and having to rely on social media to get noticed and drive sales... you are just working DOING content and thats it, the music being sold is this extra thing but it could very well be some T shirt or any droppshipping product. The vehicle thats taking you to stardom suddenly became the dystopian snowpierce train where it just never stops and a few select people are on the front controlling everything.
It does make feel old and dumb. I do understand the whole thing, the way the back end works for marketing, google analytics, using zappier to connect different social media apps and feed each other leads, build a community and all that, also what when and where to post and how often and what about but yet, I have no idea why is there is sort of invisible world wide cultural phenomenon of people just creating (amazing) non stop content for maybe one or two gigs and "getting found" , or hoping for an affiliate link buy, and spending so much time, effort and money. Which makes me feel like im missing out somehow.
So thats why I wanted to ask the same question. Is the effort in social media content production get equivalent reward. Maybe the answer is different than during covid, but still would like to know how much people have actually made from content production. From being found to reminding people, to affiliate link hits, to getting more Spotify views or YT income. As oppose to putting out an album, paying for marketing, doing concerts and/or networking in person. HAs the effort paid off if you counted working hours/equipemnt etc. Im still unsure so I want to be open minded and my thoughts are on the ether but sometimes it feels we all got bamboozled into doing this and even music teachers teach that social media is a big part of if all and "you have to play the game"... and never questioning it. Like we are in some sort of crypto bubble that hast burst yet.. or is this just the start of a new way of life and music just won't matter, only the cool produced short video matters.
I just see some of these IG accounts doing some amazing stuff with very expensive equipment and studios and well produced videos but always wondered if theres actually any rewards to it. Call me a cynical Gen X but it just seems we are all bending backwards to satisfy the algorithms so these tech bros (meta/google etc) get more money. At least with YouTube there is shared revenue but it's hard getting to a decent place and sometimes it relies on affiliate links, paid promotions, or selling something else like a course or book. Covid for sure took this to the next level.
When I have to deal with pulsesetter marketing stuff I've learned that you gotta pay to be seen which make sense as a product. But to do content just to be cool and be active online really hasn't worked as well, by far it's better to pay for ads or to push existing content. IT used to be a middle ground before but now it's mostly paid boosts and people in the marketing forums seems to mention the same.
But doing the same as a music producer/composer just doesn't seem to me to lead to rewards that match the effort and money placed into doing these reels, short videos, social media stuff. And frankly, most of it just has so much cringe. Captions like "Rejection is just redirection" , "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars", "Only god can judge me", What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and so on. Random inspirational - no one asked you- types of quotes.
And suddenly friends I had now made me a follower, and everyone just seems to be a dancing monkey to an invisible potential audience who just scrolls through countless reels and posts and everyone trying to one up each other for no apparent reason other than bragging rights. Or just to show their real self or whatever. Some go above and beyond to become influencers but I still ask myself if they are really making that much money that warrants what it seems like an almost full time job. In between these influencers I see the odd composer trying to do the social media thing and not looking so good in comparison.
I took a break from social media and recently check out a few things and still the "feel" is the same. It's almost as like there is no end reward... doing the little dumb videos IS the reward. Basically you are not an artists selling your music and having to rely on social media to get noticed and drive sales... you are just working DOING content and thats it, the music being sold is this extra thing but it could very well be some T shirt or any droppshipping product. The vehicle thats taking you to stardom suddenly became the dystopian snowpierce train where it just never stops and a few select people are on the front controlling everything.
It does make feel old and dumb. I do understand the whole thing, the way the back end works for marketing, google analytics, using zappier to connect different social media apps and feed each other leads, build a community and all that, also what when and where to post and how often and what about but yet, I have no idea why is there is sort of invisible world wide cultural phenomenon of people just creating (amazing) non stop content for maybe one or two gigs and "getting found" , or hoping for an affiliate link buy, and spending so much time, effort and money. Which makes me feel like im missing out somehow.
So thats why I wanted to ask the same question. Is the effort in social media content production get equivalent reward. Maybe the answer is different than during covid, but still would like to know how much people have actually made from content production. From being found to reminding people, to affiliate link hits, to getting more Spotify views or YT income. As oppose to putting out an album, paying for marketing, doing concerts and/or networking in person. HAs the effort paid off if you counted working hours/equipemnt etc. Im still unsure so I want to be open minded and my thoughts are on the ether but sometimes it feels we all got bamboozled into doing this and even music teachers teach that social media is a big part of if all and "you have to play the game"... and never questioning it. Like we are in some sort of crypto bubble that hast burst yet.. or is this just the start of a new way of life and music just won't matter, only the cool produced short video matters.
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Symphonichrome
Senior Member
For those of you who put original compositions on social media...before posting, do you first register your work with:
- the US Copyright office?
- a PRO?
- a publishing royalty collection agency?
- Soundexchange?
- Etc.?
