Using Facebook for band purposes.

[PopaWoody]

I wanted to share some of our experiences with using facebook for promoting our band. So this is not your typical like our band thread. By no means is this an attempt at the complete facebook marketing guide. Just some ideas to toss around.

• Likes are important for small clubs that do not draw a crowd. If you have a lot of 'likes' you stand a better chance at getting in the door. Bring people in or be prepared to not be invited back.
• Event invitations for the most part are ignored. Too many event invitations are sent out by so many people. We use them but get hohum results. You will get a better response if you contact each guest you would like to see at your show by posting on their wall or tagging them in a comment on your event page. Then you have what we call the %10 factor. Ten percent of the people that say they are coming actually show up.
• You need only 25 page likes to score a custom URL versus the 1000 friend mark on personal accounts.
• Plug in your ReverbNation, band camp (or similar) account to your fan page. It is super easy and free, which also allows you to showcase your talents and skills with audio and video.
• Use facebook to see WHERE other bands are playing, this has helped us more than anything. Discovery of venues that pay for live music is so much easier this way. We have hundreds of small clubs in the $300 - $400 gig range and a couple dozen that pay better.
• Start or find a group that is strictly for bands to list/promote their gigs. We have one of these in our area with 100+ bands listing their gigs. Again this helps us discover new places to play, and opportunities for networking.
• Use facebook as an extension of your face to face networking, take this as an example; We were invited to another band's gig by a club owner that has us in his rotation. We meet one of his friends that owns another club we are trying to get into. An introduction is made, he tells his friend "their good", we use one of our smart phones to connect with him on FB. Gig booked within 24 hours.

I'm sure there are other ways to promote and would love to hear what is working for my bass playing brethren.

Good luck out there. I'll update the list as the good ideas come in.

If you found some of this info useful and are feeling generous. You can visit The Red Sunday on Facebook and click that almighty like button.

[MNAirHead]

Creating a 100% silent/quiet group is excellent to stop the exponential email chatter

I include wives etc as the can see blocked times etc

[Daveydude]

We are just breaking out as a band, and I find it useful. We manage to draw more people out when we plug our gig on FB.

[PopaWoody]

Originally Posted by Daveydude

We are just breaking out as a band, and I find it useful. We manage to draw more people out when we plug our gig on FB.

How is your responses to invites? Do your people actually show what respond with a yes?

[bassic.science]

This thread is a gem amongst the wasteland of people soliciting Facebook likes. Thanks for posting it.

[LanOsb133]

Originally Posted by PopaWoody

How is your responses to invites? Do your people actually show what respond with a yes?

First gig sent over 1,500 invites. 20 replied yes, 40 replied maybe and 60 replied no. v.v I was like ***. 1,380 people couldnt take the time to say yes/no? Also i think Bandcamp is the way to go as far as music. Im pretty sure you get to upload it for free. You can set how much it cost (for instance we have a 200 free albums then it becomes a minimum of $1 an album. But people can pay however much they want. You get 80% profit and if you sell a certain amount (or do something) they raise your profit to 90% Pretty win win if you ask me! Chaplin Thats what it looks like plus you can add an app onto facebook so peopel can click on it and listen to all your songs.

[jmattbassplaya]

You have to learn how to be selective with who you invite. I can't speak for your band's popularity, but 1,500 invites sounds like overkill - as in you killed the thing, ran it over a couple times, defecated on it, set it on fire, had sex with the things mother, and then never called its mother back for a second date.

My band only invites people we know:
1. have the ability to come out (they are in our area and are free that date)
2. are likely to come out (they like us enough to show up)
3. will respond yes if they can come
4. won't respond no if they can't come (because 'not attendings' look bad)

[brndn123]

Facebook likes, Youtube hits, etc. = things that are important in the eyes of a label, booking agent, and/or promoter. Well structured songs, professional recordings, tight sounding band, merch, consistancy, and passion = things that will take your band a lot further in life when Facebook turns into Myspace

[brndn123]

OH almost forgot...Alighieri | Facebook. Get those likes up...

[PopaWoody]

Originally Posted by bassic.science

This thread is a gem amongst the wasteland of people soliciting Facebook likes. Thanks for posting it.

Gotta give back and pay it forward.

[Turock]

I block invites from people who only communicate with me to spam their gig.