Are You Sticky?
Are you sticky?
Question: In which 3 cities around the world are people most likely to listen to new music?
Answer: At the end of this article.
Nowadays it’s easier than ever to be seen and heard, but harder to get noticed. The plethora of video sharing and audio streaming channels have made artists more accessible, but it’s still difficult to build a following.
The key is to be ‘sticky’. In marketing terms sticky is defined as: The frequency with which customers return to your product.
In simple terms, the stickier you are the more people will play your music, attend your gigs and buy your merch. If you want to be successful – you gotta be sticky.
But it’s not easy. First, attention span is short and people are easily distracted. Second, there’s so much new music out there to listen to. Let’s look at both these points in more detail.
Attention span is short
In April 2019 the Technical University of Denmark released a comprehensive study that showed our attention span is narrowing. The report identified the rapid increase in items competing for our attention, with digital communication being the main source. Another study by Microsoft Canada concluded: “It’s no surprise that increased media consumption and digital lifestyles reduce the ability for consumers to focus for extended periods of time.”
So much new music
Will Page, former Chief Economist at Spotify and author of Tarzan Economics, makes an interesting point: “In 1984 a mere 6,000 music albums were released in the UK. Today, streaming services make available a similar volume every single day.”
Empty venue at show time? – you just aren’t sticky enough
There are companies like Fangate who do a great job of creating and maintaining fan engagement. Bands such as ‘All Time Low’ and ‘Angels and Airwaves’ use these services, but they are out of reach for most start-up acts.
So how do you become sticky? We spoke with strategic marketing and PR consultant Emma Louise Gibson of ELG Consulting, who helps bands and businesses build their online presence. Emma gave the following advice:
“The first place to start before you begin to actively market yourselves is it define your band, brand. Why are you unique? Who does your music resonate with? What sets you apart? Why will people want to listen/watch you play on stage? Once these have been defined and reflected in any marketing collateral you create, your communications and building your fan base will flow naturally.”
Sound advice from Emma. An often overlooked way to grow your fan base is to write songs that translate well live. Dave Grohl admits that he wrote the song ‘Enough Space’ (on the Foo Fighters 2nd album ‘The Colour and the Shape’, 1997) with the specific intention of getting fans to bounce up and down. Dave wanted a song that would create a bond between the audience and the band when it was played live. 20 years earlier Queen did the same thing with ‘We Will Rock You’.
People like the feeling of being associated with something that’s about to become big. So take a look at our 14-point check list below, and see how sticky you are:
| Regular posts on your social media channels |
| Include links to other digital sites/channels |
| Solicit back links to your social media channels |
| Optimise your landing page for SEO purposes |
| Produce videos that grab attention in the opening frames |
| Embed your YouTube videos, making them easier to share |
| Make use of metadata |
| Use Twitter cards |
| Read Spotify’s Fan Study |
| Offer free merch in exchange for signing up to your mailing list |
| Frequently perform live |
| Have a network of Influencers |
| Create a distinctive image/logo |
| Submit news to magazines/blogs that align with your fanbase |
The American entrepreneur Jim Rohn once said: “Success is something you attract by the person you become”. So, make the most of whatever resources you have, and you might just become stickier than Velcro dipped in honey.
Answer: São Paulo, Santiago, and Mexico City
(February 2022)
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