The Importance of Social Media

A deeper look into the benefits of social media for independent

recording studios.Emily Young

Socialization of Media

• Rewired the process by which consumers share experiences, expertise, and opinions

• Broadened the channels available to consumers who seek information

• Changed how companies approach markets

• Altered how companies develop products

Socialization of Media

• Remodeled the process by which companies connect with and show appreciation for their customers

• Transformed the method of influence• Facilitated customers’ direct engagement in

the conversations that were previously taking place without their participation

“ Content is the new democracy, and

we, the people, are ensuring that our

voices are heard.” – Brian Solis

Influence of Social Media• It begins with respect

and an understanding of how you connect with and benefit those whom you’re hoping to help.

• Intent is defined by a genuine desire to evolve into a resource.

• Meaningful content can earn the creator trust, authority, and influence.

Influence of Social Media• Genuine participation is a form of new marketing,

but is not reminiscent of traditional marketing formats and techniques.

• Conversations can forge relationships, which are measured by social capital and trust.

• It acts as a blueprint for “unmarketing.”

Making the Case for Social Media: The Five Ws+H+E

1. WHO: Define the brand personality and what it symbolizes. Give it a persona, personality, voice, and presence.

Developing “WHO”

• As an independent recording studio, you want your “personality” to reflect those of your demographic- musicians.

• It is crucial to give your studio a voice and reputation to maintain mutually beneficial relations with your patrons.

Developing “WHO”

• Social media provides excellent outlets for developing your voice and personality:

–Blogging–Micro-blogging–Online newsletter

The Five Ws+H+E

2. WHAT: Listen to online conversations and learn from what’s said.

Because you are a small business, competition is very high. Your presence on social media sites will allow you to listen to the audience and find out what they want. This presence will give you a leg-up on the competition.

The Five Ws+H+E3. WHEN: Pinpoint when your opportunities arise.

Surface any conversations that represent opportunities for positive engagement and also negative impressions.

Developing “WHEN”

• Social media allows you to monitor anything and everything happening the music world.

• An online presence provides opportunities to put your studio’s name out there.

• It also provides a way to “clean up” any negative impressions made.

THE TIME IS NOW!

The Five Ws+H+E4. WHERE: Track down where your presence is

required.

• Social Media allows you to pinpoint your targeted demographic.

• You can find music-specific social networks to become a part of or music blogs to subscribe to.

• You can discover artists on sites such as YouTube or Good Music All Day.

• You can share projects you have worked on in order to gain to clients.

Developing “WHERE”

The Five Ws+H+E

5. HOW: Become a part of the community- the online community!

The Five Ws+H+E

6. WHY: Find the reasons that warrant your participation. Pay attention to recurring themes, topics, questions, insights, or lack thereof.

7. TO WHAT EXTENT: Identify the individuals who can help you tell your story.

• Once on you become part of social media, your artists can help spread the word.

• When your artists respect you, the music consumers will respect your products.

• Social media allows your musicians to share the music you produced with others

Social Media Users• 68% are Spectators- reads blogs, watches videos, and

participates in other social media for business purposes

• 31% are conversation lists- those who update their status on social networks

• 33% are Critics- contribute comments or react to content they see in social formats

Social Media Users• 19 % are Collectors- use social technology to

collect information and stay on top of trends• 59% are Joiners- participate in social networks• 19 % are Inactives- nonparticipants

• More than 800 million active users• More than 50% of our active users log on to

Facebook in any given day• Average user has 130 friends

Facebook Statistics

• More than 900 million objects that people interact with (pages, groups, events and community pages)

• Average user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events

• On average, more than 250 million photos are uploaded per day

• 175 million registered users

• 50 million tweets per day

• 90% of users follow specific brands

• 490 million unique users worldwide per month

• 92 billion page views each month• 2.9 billion hours spent on YouTube in a month-

over 325,000 years• These stats don’t even include embedded

videos or those viewed on mobile devices

How to Develop a Plan1. Establish goals: Determine specific goals and

objectives.2. Listen: Study your audience. Who are they? What is

their personality like? Where do they consume? How do they engage?

How to Develop a Plan3. Build: Use multiple

channels and set up a home page.

4. Engage: Ask questions and participate in conversation.

5. Analyze and evaluate: Audit your online presence.

“All that’s separating you from where you are and where you

want to be is time and experience. Your dedication, aspiration, and motivation

already serve as the foundation for success.” – Brian Solis

Feel it.Breathe it.Live it.Be it.

ENGAGE!

References• Statistics. (2011). Retrieved December 8, 2011, from Facebook website:

http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics

• McGee, M. (2010, February 23). By The Numbers: Twitter Vs. Facebook Vs. Google Buzz. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://searchengineland.com/by-the-numbers-twitter-vs-facebook- vs-google-buzz-36709

• Finn, G. (2011, September 2). Nearly 90% Of Twitter Users Follow Brands & Just 10.9% Of Users Find Promoted Tweets To Be Annoying. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from http://searchengineland.com/ nearly-90-of- twitter-users-follow-brands-just-10-9-of-users-find-promoted- tweets-to-be-annoying-91532

References• Elliot, A.-M. (2011, February 19). 10 Fascinating YouTube Facts That May

Surprise You. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from Mashable website: http://mashable.com/2011/02/19/youtube-facts/

• Solis, B. (2011). Engage! Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

• Social Network Icons courtesy of: http://www.socialnetworkingandyou.com/

• Twitter Bird Icon courtesy of: http://www.iconspedia.com/icon/twitter-bird-5-63.html