Many labels and artists are not fully leveraging social media, which is undermining their marketing efforts. One critical mistake is uploading an original sound instead of using their official sound from the audio library. This practice can significantly hinder the potential for virality. To maximise your reach and impact, it’s essential to use ‘official sounds’. Here’s why and how to do it:
You NEED To Use ‘Sounds’
Official social media sounds refer to snippets of tracks provided to platforms by distributors. On platforms such as Meta and TikTok, these snippets generate clickable links, enabling users to explore content and utilise the sound.
SOCIAL MEDIA EARLY RELEASE: To access this, when you create your new release, you’ll find a date picker available for TikTok, Instagram and Facebook’s ‘audio-clip library’. If you’d like the clips to come out on TikTok, Instagram & Facebook early you can choose up to 10 days pre-release.
We’ve crafted a comprehensive guide to maximise the impact of your music on social media platforms, along with valuable tips to amplify its reach even further.
How To Access Official Sounds
Here’s how to use sounds on TikTok, right inside the app
- Open the TikTok app.
- Click on the + sign at the bottom of the screen as you would when posting a new video.
- Tap on the “Add sound” option at the top of the screen.
- Select the sound.
Here’s how to use sounds on Instagram, right inside the app
- Open the Instagram app.
- Tap on the plus icon.
- Capture or select the content you want to share (video, photo, GIF, etc.).
- Once your content is ready, tap on the Music icon to access Instagram’s music library.
- Search for the track you want to add to your post/story.
- Once you find the desired track, tap on it to select it.
Here’s how to use sounds on Facebook, right inside the app
- Open the Facebook app for iOS or Android.
- Tap Create story at the top of your Feed.
- At the top of the screen, swipe to the right and tap Music.
- Tap to select a song.
- Drag the slider left or right to select a clip from the song, then tap Done.
Finding Influencers
Social Media Agencies
Reach out to social media agencies or marketing firms that specialise in influencer campaigns. These agencies often have established connections with a wide range of influencers across various niches and can help facilitate collaborations on your behalf. While working with these agencies, it’s essential to discuss your budget, goals, and target audience to ensure they can find the right influencers for your campaign.
Leverage Data Analytics
Utilise data analytics tools to identify influencers who have a genuine and engaged audience that aligns with your target demographic. Look for metrics such as follower demographics, engagement rates, and audience interests to gauge the relevance and effectiveness of potential collaborations. By analysing this data, you can make informed decisions about which influencers are best suited to promote your music and reach your desired audience effectively.
Explore Verticals
This involves looking beyond traditional influencer categories and exploring verticals where your music could find a natural alignment with a different audience. For example, if you’re a Drum & Bass producer, think about areas like gaming, sports, fitness, or lifestyle where your music could resonate with the audience. By studying case studies of successful collaborations within these verticals, you can gather ideas and inspiration for potential content routes (we’ve put together some examples here).
Utilise Official Sounds
Dive into the official sounds associated with your tracks or those of similar artists in your genre. By examining which influencers have previously used these sounds in their content, you can identify individuals who might be interested in collaborating with you. This approach not only helps you find influencers who align with your musical style but also provides insight into their engagement and reach.
Examples of Music Influencer Companies
Socially Powerful
PlaylistPush
Fanbytes
Blackstar Agency
“Add to Music App”
TikTok has introduced “Add to Music App,” allowing users in the US and UK to save discovered songs to preferred music streaming platforms like Amazon Music and Spotify. Renowned for music discovery, TikTok’s new feature captures the essence of found tunes, enabling instant saving to chosen streaming services. The “Add Song” button, situated below each video in the For You Feed, initiates the process.
Here’s how to use Official Sounds to further push your music
Create Engaging Content
Produce creative and engaging content that showcases your music in unique and compelling ways. Experiment with different formats to see what works best with your audience.
Utilise Trending Hashtags
Keep an eye on trending challenges and hashtags within the dance music community, and incorporate them into your content whenever relevant. Participating in popular trends can help amplify your reach and exposure to a wider audience.
Engage with Your Audience
Actively engage with your audience by responding to comments, duetting or stitching other users’ videos, and incorporating user-generated content into your own content strategy. Building a rapport with your audience can foster a sense of community and loyalty around your music.
Behind-the-Scenes Content
Offer your followers a glimpse behind the scenes of your music-making process, including studio sessions, songwriting sessions, or rehearsals. Sharing authentic and relatable content can deepen the connection between you and your audience.
Promote Your TikTok Content Across Platforms
Cross-promote your TikTok content across other social media platforms, such as Instagram, X and Facebook. Share snippets or highlights of your TikTok videos to attract followers from other platforms and drive traffic to your TikTok profile.
Offer Exclusive Content or Sneak Peeks
Provide your social media followers with exclusive content or sneak peeks of upcoming music releases, behind-the-scenes footage, or unreleased tracks. Offering exclusive content can incentivise users to follow your profile and keep them eagerly anticipating your next musical offerings.