Three Posts Every Band Needs To Be Making

I see a lot of bands who have gotten very, very quiet on social media during COVID. This is a mistake. If anything, you want to be louder on social during COVID so that people are ready for when you return. But whatever. Not the point. What I wanted to do was break down three types of social media posts you should be making that you probably aren’t.

These are: the merch sale post (which makes you money), the general questions for the fans post (which gets you engagement), and then the shoutout to a friends band post (which helps to strengthen relationships). Let’s break these down one by one.

The Merch Sale Post

This is the one that will make you money and which I see people not doing. Really it’s just about letting people know that you have merch up for sale and that they should be buying it. It doesn’t need to be fancier than that.

This can be as simple as a post that says:

“Hey, did you know we still have some shirts up for sale on our bandcamp? We especially love the [insert] design! But watch out – supplies are limited so you’re going to need to act fast before we run out!”

The General Questions For Fans

I love these sorts of posts because they get people involved and give them a chance to really become a part of the overarching thing. People love being able to share their opinion and giving them some sort of platform (even if it’s just in your comment section) is always going to foster discussion which is, of course, supremely valuable!

Some questions that are easy and work are:

• “Where do you want to see us play when live music returns?”
• “Who are some of your favorite bands right now?”
• “Where are you from?”
• “Whats the first band you want to see after COVID?”

There are a ton more like this but this will get your mind going.

The Shoutout Post

This one is incredibly valuable because it helps to document, and ideally cement a relationship. When you show people you have a real relationship and build that up then you are infinitely more likely to get somewhere meaningful with them. It’s also good because it shows to other people how you are interconnected within the scene.

These posts also can be simple. Usually the formula I follow for a good shoutout post is something like this:

Check out this awesome track from our good friends in BAND. We really like this track because REASON. I remember when we first met them at EVENT and we knew we would be friends because [reason].

When you add the specifics it really makes it real.

Anyways, if you’re running low on content, here are three ideas that will propel you forward. You will always win by pushing your merch, asking your fans general questions to get them engaging and shouting out your peers. Simple as that.

Matt Bacon (IG: mattbacon666) with Dropout Media is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. You can read other articles in the series by clicking the “Bacon’s Blog” hashtag below. Matt can also be heard on the Dumb & Dumbest podcast, which he co-hosts with Curtis Dewar of Dewar PR.