How to use Instagram for music promotion: ultimate guide
Knowing how to use Instagram for music promotion is a huge advantage to have.
It's perhaps the best platform on social media for brand building, and needs no introduction.
With a little bit of time and energy, you'll find huge success in your musical career through Instagram!
While the organic reach is so much stifled, it is the best place for somebody to see the highlights of your brand.
Treat Instagram like your highlight reel and only post the dopest and most amazing stuff.
You'll easily get people to fall in love with you that way.
This short blog post will cover the ins and outs of Instagram self-promotion!
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Instagram and the music industry – The bigger picture
How can I get more followers on Instagram?
Having a huge audience on Instagram is not enough to promote an Instagram campaign.
Here are the four factors to cultivate fans on Instagram:
- Proximity to follower
- Duration of communication
- Frequency of communication
- Intensity of communication
Ideally, do you want at least two of these factors to be taken - but the more the merrier.
Once your page grows then you can easily promote your music videos from your YouTube channel, as well as your Spotify!
Promoting music on Instagram is a simple thing to do but just take some mindset shifts.
In the beginning, choose a sustainable cultivation model and then roll with it.
Upload music to Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok and 150+ other stores and platforms with Content ID for FREE:
Use the right Hashtags for your Instagram feed
A lot of people think hashtags are dead or dying. but that could not be further from the truth.
Here are the 75+ best hip-hop music hashtags!
Hashtags are one of Instagram's main social elements.
Promoting your music on Instagram without leveraging Instagram features makes no sense to me at all.
You need to do everything to grow your wider audience and to promote your music in a smart way.
Since users can follow hashtags it gives you the starting ground to take you from low visibility to high virality.
It's worth it to post photos with niche hashtags as well as general hashtags.
Location tags are also really good for long-term Instagram social media marketing.
The great thing about music and hashtags is that (so long as you dominate in a few hashtags)Instagram explores functions that will organically push you to new people.
Tips to use Hashtags like a boss
I recommend that you create a list of any important hashtags in your marketing materials.
Choose from the list of hashtags that are appropriate for the topic at hand (e.g. Latin music.)
There are many free hashtag tools out there to help you promote your new album!
Or, choose several relevant hashtags related to your brand materials so that people can easily find them when searching for keywords related to those topics.
Use hashtags that have meaning to your content.
For example, if you’re making an Instagram reel on homework you can use #schoolsucks.
Once again, making the right choice of hashtags is important.
Go into your phone's notes app and save the top 50 best Instagram promotion hashtags for you.
Next time you make a post on your own account, just use these hashtags to reach more potential fans.
how many hashtags should you be using?
Is there a magic number for Instagram hashtags?
Instagram allows you up to 30 hashtags, however, I recommend you use no more than five. Every time we use a hashtag you are now competing in that domain, making it hard to rank.
It's much easier to divide and conquer through a few specific domains rather than competing on 30 fronts.
Mass hashtags are just not a great strategy...
What will happen is this:
- People surfing the hashtag will see your post
- They'll notice that our post is not relevant
- Users will skip past your post
- The algorithm thinks your post is crap
- You get no more external push
- You're butthurt from your underperforming post
This gives your page a low engagement rate.
It's been proven that five hashtags are optimal and I can't do the quality that is just as much!
Top 10 music promotion pages on Instagram:
Looking for a good music promo on Instagram? Then you’ve come to the right place.
I’ve got the finest Instagram music promotion pages list.
You can submit your music to these music promotion pages for a shot at getting heard!
Some of these Instagram music promotion pages cost money, while others are free.
It’s hard to tell which is which, so reach out to all these music promotion pages on Instagram for full info.
10 best Instagram pages for music promotion:
| Instagram Page | Followers | Genre |
| @talented_musicians | 1,300,000 | All |
| @acoustic_artists | 465,000 | Pop, Folk |
| @rapmusic | 4,800,000 | Rap |
| @daily.musicians | 163,000 | All |
| @drumuniversity | 330,000 | Drums |
| @highonguitar | 185,000 | Guitar |
| @lyrical | 451,000 | Rap |
| @the.talent.box | 358,000 | All |
| @musicwonderz | 155,000 | All |
| @theviralcover | 57,000 | Covers |
Using Instagram for music promotion is a skill set, but anybody can learn.
It can take a full month or two to get good at making/editing your own content.
This is why you need to break down these steps into actionable chunks, and then go at it this way.
You’ll get way further at leveraging Instagram for music promo than you’ll think!
How to cultivate fans on your Instagram account
If you have only a little bit of time then small & frequent connections will work for you.
On the flip side, if you're able to dedicate an hour or two a day then you should go more intense with connecting.
Examples of fanbase cultivation techniques
- Writing comments
- Tagging in posts
- Direct messages
- Instagram lives
If you wish to increase your music sales, you should start thinking bigger.
(But don't forget the basics - such as having a great profile picture on your Instagram business account.)
The right mindset for Instagram success
You need to remember that just because there are millions of users on Instagram...
That doesn't mean you need to target so many people to find success.
Instagram is a very casual social media platform and doesn't require much upkeep.
So long as you're posting consistently good (but casual) content and engaging with followers then you can create a small hub for your true fans.
Having a community aspect is paramount for music success!
Other musicians think that they need to self-promote like crazy but you'll find a famous artist don't even do that.
To grow a broader audience it's all about creating a memorable account.
Make your existing followers have as much organic engagement as possible.
Promote yourself as a persona, rather than a musician
Most musicians get Instagram wrong.
Let's correct it.
Most musicians are pretty trash when it comes to their promotion because they work so hard on making these awesome designs…
Just for nobody to care.
Nobody likes being sold to, BUT they don't mind being engaged in campaigns that are interesting and important.
Rather than going haywire with your brand, it is better to promote your music casually.
Instagram users love casualness so don't jam music down their throats.
Rather, cultivate a real personality.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't self-promote...
Just choose the aspects of yourself that are more laid-back and relatable.
Flexing and trying to look like a boss is cool if you have 1 million followers...
But if you're starting it's not the most relatable vibe for cultivating your 1000 true fans!
Direct Message people from your Instagram account
The greatest aspect when building a music brand on Instagram is that it's a global platform.
You can connect with people local people as well as international.
Direct messaging (DM) is a great method to solidify a connection that you have.
I'm not saying go ahead and spam random people…
I'm saying the opposite.
When you engage and follow new people (especially mutuals) you should send a thank you DM to them.
Not only does this make them feel good but it brings them closer to you on the algorithm level.
Your posts will pop up in their feed with a higher chance!
Why DMs work so well for Instagram account growth
DMing someone on Instagram creates an ongoing connection for your brand so it makes it easier for them to take the next steps such as listening to your music.
Be careful with DMing on Instagram though because there are limits and if you go too hard Instagram will flag you for spam and this can result in your account getting penalized.
Don't violate Instagram's terms or you'll have a horrible time!
While you won't lose your account it may freeze the DM function for a few days.
(This will slow down your Instagram growth momentum.)
Space the DM's out and make sure when you DM them you have something of value to provide.
Sharing your music is one thing- but then it feels like you're spamming them if you have no context.
The best way to DM your followers and keep them in the loop is by swiping up to their stories and creating a small but genuine conversation!
The issue with posting music on your Instagram feed
Offering a music snippet is one of the hallmarks of being a musician in the social media era!
But most artists do this wrong.
They take an entire video and just post it on their socials...
And while I'm not saying this isn't a bad thing you're forgetting that people on social media have such low attention spans.
It's not gonna work out for you.
Users will only watch five seconds of the 10-second clip, and then Instagram will just hide it in obscurity.
How to share music on Instagram the correct way
The smart way to offer music samples is by adding them to the Instagram and TikTok library.
This will give music fans an outlet to listen to your music since it's going to be presented in a fun package!
Add in either a funny clip or a cute girl dancing and boom. Viral.
Make sure when you distribute music that you can immediately get it on Instagram as well.
Seek music industry influencers for Instagram content
Now the trick is to get users to create content surrounding your music and promote it that way!
Very organic and very entertaining.
You never want it to feel like you're promoting music (even though you are!)
That's the biggest mistake small-time artists make...
Just look at huge artists such as John Mayer and Justin Bieber.
They push their brand heavily and only really go ham with their album promotion when it's time to release a large project.
Other than that it's just cultivating a real brand presence that people are entertained by!
Optimize your Instagram account bio
Having a well-optimized Instagram bio is essential to freaking crush it on Instagram!
Your bio should have a mixture of a couple of emoji and it should say what you are and who are you doing.
Below is an example of a great Instagram bio link, short, sweet, and concise. 👇
Your Instagram page should be on business mode so you can track all your analytics as well and you can set your brand identity as a musician.
Don't overthink the bio because realistically it takes like five minutes to create a 10 out of 10 bio.
A good Instagram bio should be:
- Not too long
- “Bullet point” bio
- Smart link to your music
Remember to have a smart link to your music in your bio so people can check you out whenever they're discovering you.
You can ultimately build more fans that way!
Create a smart link to promote music
When you want to share your favorite song with someone, there is no easier way than a smart link.
Wait.. what is a Smartlnk?
A smart link is a hyperlink that contains links to your music across all streaming platforms - under a single URL.
With one click, they can just click on your personal link and enjoy it as soon as possible.
This is especially important with your pre-save campaign.
They can also choose whether or not they want to download it, stream it, or just listen to it online.
It's an easy way to share music with friends, network members, and fans.
The technology behind smart links is pretty straightforward. Just get Toneden and create a Smartlink for free today!
The benefits of using a Smartlink
One of the most important parts of a smart link is the bit that says "smart".
There are hella features included!
6 reasons you should promote music with a Smart link
- Connect to Spotify
- Collect fan email addresses
- Connect to Apple Music
- Sell iTunes digital downloads
- Link to your artist's website
- Sell merch directly via Smartlink
There are many benefits to using URLs for smart links because they are easier to share.
Fans can listen to your music regardless of the streaming platform they use.
Use the smart link for every social media platform, not just Instagram.
It's a great music promotion for the musicians, and is designed to get you more fans!
Similar artists are using it and they're seeing growth and a return on investment from their Instagram music promotion tactics!
Promote music on Instagram with Paid Posts
Sponsored posts are a great way to see a revenue return for your music.
Tip: read my free brand sponsorship guide to start getting paid!
To start this you need to have some sort of Fanbase already (around 3000 followers) and you'll also need to have a higher engagement rate.
Companies that you're gonna work with can include
- Clothing brands
- Digital subscription services
- Affiliate programs
- Your merch online store
You can reach out to these different companies and do your sponsored post that way.
You can also use YouTube ads as a great way to grow your fanbase!
Running Instagram ads to grow your following
On top of that, you can run a paid Instagram ad to grow your following!
Now, the best way to run paid ads is to host a giveaway, then you promote the giveaway through advertising.
People will more likely follow you from a giveaway than simply follow you just because you posted a nice pic wearing your favorite shirt (duh!)
You need to understand consumer incentives when using Instagram.
Make sure that you're engaging with all the new people that follow you as well.
You must cultivate the new growth... Or else it's going to become ghost followers.
Then you'll see your engagement drop and overall failure on Instagram.
Giveaways require much post-work to sustain but are worth it when done correctly.
Offer people your music to use in their stories for free
Having your music played in Instagram stories is a great way to push your discoverability within the Instagram app.
Depending on the distributor you use, this may or may not be an option.
The 100% Free Music Distribution offered by Boost Collective does this in days!
If it's not, make sure you can get your music within the Instagram music library.
People can use your music in their stories - there's a great discovery and naturally, can you go viral you can have thousands of people use your track!
If you have 20 songs, you can bet that at least one or two are going to start seeing some love through Instagram Music functions.
It's all about getting good publicity, and this is an effective method to do so.
Create an ongoing theme and message
When creating content that will attract the most interest the audience, will need to understand what they'll buy in.
Example: If you play multiple instrumental instruments it helps create a strong audience by creating content about the musical instrument you play.
You want a constant theme that the audience will engage with and understand.
Your Instagram profile picture should match the kind of brand you're trying to build.
Different social media channels call for different styles of profile pictures.
Indie musicians need to create a memorable name to stand out on Instagram and to develop a music career.
Even famous artists create different account names on Instagram compared to traditional music names.
Example: Rihanna goes by Badgalriri Instagram.
A memorable account name will help you gain more potential followers for a particular artist.
If you have an Instagram business account, you can just look back to your latest music video and see how the results were.
Always check your analytics to see any changes in your target audience or Instagram algorithm status.
You may find trends that help you generate new fans!
How to automate your Instagram posting
Simple tools like Hootsuite automate, track, and schedule the posting of your Instagram posts. This streamlines your social media management!
A more organic process when it comes to sharing your content on Instagram.
All this, while also providing you with an easier way to create your Instagram posts.
Keep in mind that what you say is more important than how you say it.
Choose Instagram posts that your audience will find engaging and captivating.
Make sure your posts sound genuine and aren’t over the top.
Serve your existing Instagram followers
There isn't any stronger marketing technique than word-of-mouth.
Plus: people love sharing hidden gems with their friends.
Too many artists spend their lives trying to gain followers instead of growing their already established followers.
How many times do you DM your fans?
If we make our accounts the DOPEST experience ever...
People will share it with others.
The goal is to become very easy to follow.
Link your Spotify account to Instagram
Spotify is the best music discovery website that you should drive your Instagram fans to.
If you’re looking to market your Spotify songs, you’ll want to focus on things such as smart bio links, and getting shoutouts.
Collaborating with other artists can promote your music on Instagram as well.
Social media is a catch-net to keep fans informed about new releases.
You don't need to overcomplicate this.
You can add clickable links to your Instagram stories feature.
That single link feature will make your self-promotion 1 million times easier on your Instagram profile.
Don't add links under traditional posts… It won't work to market music on Instagram.
Instagram's features don't let you add clickable links under traditional posts as of yet.
Just make sure you're getting the attention and the impressions up on Instagram. It's easy to promote your music.
The best content to post on Instagram
Content doesn't have to be so hard...
It's preferred that you use Memes or high-quality carousels to casually promote your music.
This is much better than creating dedicated posts that are overly taken seriously...
As soon as you take yourself seriously on Instagram, you lose.
That's rule number one!
Users are sick of corporate brands they just want something authentic.
That's exactly what you should do when providing your content!
Diversify your Instagram feed posts
You need to diversify your post on Instagram to create a nice ambiance, and so people can expect something new.
Diversification means using different media: make some reels, some shorts, IG TV, and a carousel.
If you're posting the same thing over and over you'll start to see your followers go stale...
A different way to diversify your post is to keep experimenting with different stuff.
Just because you find a certain post to get you the most likes doesn't mean you should stick with it.
Find brand new angles and new ways to tell your story on Instagram!
You'll eventually get better and see results when it comes to engagement as well as overall Fanbase growth.
Plus: when using stories don't just use the same story elements. Stuff like that to add some life to your page!
Craft Outstanding Visual Content
It's so obvious that Instagram prefers visual content...
Instagram is now the #1 platform that hosts photos, video clips, and animated graphics.
Your photos are an excellent way of demonstrating creative ideas to an audience.
5 tips to get amazing visual content
- Use an HD camera
- Hire a designer for covers and visuals
- Avoid using Instagram's filters
- Post in 1080 x 1080 dimensions
- Record music videos in 4k
- Post music videos as reels
Even though Instagram's algorithm favors a music video that's longer, it Is probably not in your best interest to create videos that are too long.
Make sure your photos are of the highest quality and even have a professional photographer take pics for you.
Do not upload longer video content unless you're sure that your existing followers will engage with it a lot.
Instead of having more followers focus on having engaged followers within Instagram's algorithm.
This will lead to more likes by being seen as more professional within the music industry.
If you have to put out any visuals even though need to be casual it also needs to look good…
Casual does not mean sloppy!
Easy & Impactful Instagram feed post ideas
There are so many different styles of Instagram posts that you can make but
Top 12 Instagram post ideas for musicians
- Q&A posts
- Short lyric video
- Giveaways
- Contests
- Song cover
- User-generated content
- Collaboration post
- Music remix
- Reaction video
- Short comedy skits
- Progressional photography
- Photo dump
The trick for Instagram is to make it look like you aren't trying too hard.
That way you're more relatable - you'll see people engage with less resistance.
Since you'll have an Instagram business account then promoting Music will be a breeze.
For all your Instagram marketing efforts make sure you check back on your analytics.
You can't really grow your music career unless you're testing if your Instagram ads work.
Which kind of content goes viral on Instagram?
Optimize towards Instagram reels because it has the highest organic discovery.
Instagram carousels get better discovery and engagement than just standalone photos. Make sure you're posting a carousel with 3-5 photos!
IGTV is cool and all... But let's be real here.
Very few people are gonna sit there for three minutes to watch your clip.
Use it sparingly.
Backstage photos would feel way better for other bands and your band.
If you have an upcoming gig get some professional photos and then post them on Instagram.
Since Instagram is a visual platform this will give you more of a boost in your music career than simply posting a music video.
Follow these tips and your Instagram post will be freaking amazing!
Instagram Stories and high engagement
Stories are a great way to cultivate your brand and to make people remember you!
More people use stories than scroll through the feed (so this works to your advantage!)
Instagram has a bunch of smart tools that you can use such as polls, questionnaires, and even outbound links.
You can make outbound links to all of your tracks but make it at least entertaining first!
Just because you're an independent artist it does it mean every single Instagram story feature needs to be just music.
There is so much depth behind you and to reach new fans and target audiences it's more about building your brand.
Find different ways to form connections with your Instagram users.
You don't have to spend time creating next-level Instagram stories…
Just make sure that it's entertaining.
How to make awesome Instagram stories
Do your Instagram stories suck?
Here's how to kick it up a few notches:
Instagram post stories should be casual. When you're going about your day and see something interesting, snap a pic and then share it on your page. You're guaranteed to see high engagement.
Everybody fantasizes about living a different life so stories are like a way for them to be integrated with the cool aspects of your life.
It's highly valuable content that fans consume like no tomorrow!
Stay away from being overly political and posting politically driven content 24/7.
You'll alienate your fans and start to see them drip away…
Your music career and your political career should not be mixed together.
I hope you now know how to use Instagram for music promotion!
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