As an artist, you may not realize it, but you and your name are nothing short of being a brand. Just like a business, you can't succeed without spreading awareness.
Living in the technology age, the amount of oppurtunities for expanding your brand are plentiful. With the amount of streaming platforms to host your music, social media to spread it, and fan engagement platforms like Twitch & YouTube, it's no longer a question of "can you expand?", but more so, "how will you expand?".
You can now link your Twitch account to Amazon music, increasing the oppurtunities for showcase your work. Now, not only do your twitch followers get notified of your live streams, but fans with the Amazon Music app will as well. This simplifies the process for your fans who don't have a Twitch account, as it can all take place through Amazon.
So, how do our live streams increase our branding? In modern society, there's a controversial concept around encouraging user engagement through the form of Push Notifications, which are the messages you get on your mobile screen. It may seem crazy, but the simple act of reminding people that you still exist has been found to increase user engagement with your brand significantly. As humans, our attention is easily grabbed in the beginning, but we move on and forget in the blink of an eye.
On top of that, we've found that any sort of live engagement with fans can give a boost to your personability. It shows fans that you're more than just an artist behind the screen making music, but that you're a human being who loves their work, and loves to show it off. Can you imagine if we didn't have things like concerts or tours? It's important to show your fans that you absolutely love what you do, and that you love sharing the experience with them.
In the music streaming world, I've found that talking isn't for everyone. In fact, one space I follow pretty closely is with concept music, and I'm noticing an increasing trend of "silence". Artists are using Twitch to showcase their work, and still finding ways to engage with fans without speaking to them.
For others, however, you may find it beneficial to your brand to speak directly to the fans. This can offer a level of personability, which I know I've personally followed artists progress soley based on who they are as a person. And the best part is, setting this up has never been easier. With the growing popularity of USB Microphones (Checkout: Microphones: What Is A USB Microphone?), you can now snatch one off the shelf for a decent price, boasting high-quality audio, that's as simple as plug-and-play.
Overall, the age of technology offers a ton of different avenues to engage with your audience and expand your own brand. It's now up to you, the mastermind behind your operation, to find the best appraoches to leveraging this engagment, and create a brand that your fans will know and love.
This article was delivered by Adrian Higgins -- Founder, Creator @ Musician Nerd.