In the age of social media fame, with everyone from your 12-year-old cousin to the latest pop star striving for internet celebrity, building a fan base is everybody’s top concern. The pressure to stay relevant, to keep people tuning in is everywhere and often so strong that people will “buy” followers to increase their Instagram reputation. So, if you’re looking to build a devoted fan base of your very own, number one pro tip: buying followers is not the answer. Connecting with real people is way better, not to mention being more genuine and fun. And for pro tips that work in real life, you have only to turn to the ultimate pro: Beyoncé.
Now, you don’t have to be as awesome as Beyoncé to convince people to follow you, but you can apply some of her success strategies to your own practices. Because people don’t just like Beyonce for her music—they like her for who she is as a person. So, maybe your first step is… be an awesome person! Fortunately, that’s not hard to do and it’s not based solely on your talents. It’s about your character and how you treat people, and it’s super simple to cultivate!
Here’s to make it happen:
- Be genuine
No one wants to be associated with a pretender or an imposter. Be yourself, don’t try to be someone else. Be unique in your own way. We have seen some artists who try to impersonate other artists in the way they sing. They want to sound exactly the same as some other artist. This never works in the long-run. You will get caught anyway! - Be consistent
For upcoming artists, consistency is key to establishing a brand. For the already established artists, consistency is key to maintaining their brand. A lot of fans, including those already established, will attend your shows with some measure of expectation, and offering an underwhelming performance can often leave fans feeling disappointed or even betrayed. - Be nice to people.
This may seem so obvious but life can prove otherwise. Consistent kindness and personal attention to fans will get you everywhere. Fans want a friendly artist and not someone who downgrades other people. Fans do not like the idea of being associated with people just because of their success. - Be unpredictable.
Avoid informing your fans about every plan you intend to articulate. This helps keep fans guessing and curious. Avoid telling the same jokes or even performing the same old songs in each and every concert. This may make you come off as dull. Be creative and come up with several songs. - Be humble
We have seen scenarios where artists begin to gain success in the music industry as humble. As their confidence continues to grow they begin to develop pride. Pride, particularly when on display to the public eye, can be a painful thorn for fans and even potential fans. Avoid being boastful and arrogant to fans and also other artists
Real life scenarios and tips for having a strong fan base.
You need to have clarity: This means being clear and accurate about your product (you and your music). Your fans need to get a clue about what exactly they are expecting when buying your album. The idea portrayed by each artist should be crystal clear. This makes it easy for fans to connect with you. For example, Beyonce’s music videos are entertaining and fun to watch. This can be attributed to her energy and creative awareness. Knowing yourself and your audience, on the other hand, is an important part of your music ventures. You should know your story as an artist.
Authenticity should fuel your creativity: For example, Beyonce’s lemonade wouldn’t have been groundbreaking if we didn’t believe in it? If the hot sauce in the purse and braid wearing came off as fake or forced, the album wouldn’t be the same. This separates her music and brand from artists whose brands aren’t as strong.
Involve yourself in activities that engage your fan base: Some of these activities include engaging in charity work. This helps to show your fans the type of person you are. Giving back to society is an important way of maintaining your fan base. You will also get the chance to interact with them.
Be comfortable when opening up about your life experiences to fans and media: I’m sure by now you have realized most fans are interested in knowing more about the life of their favourite celebrities. Updating your fans about your day to day activities helps to keep them devoted since you are engaging with them in your day to day life.
Involve yourself in activities that keep thrilling your fans: For new artists, follow up on any upcoming events and make an effort of being present in the list of the performing artists. This exposes you to the fans who may not be knowing you. This is an opportunity for them to know you better.
A common searched thing by fans is their celebrities love life. Take a good example of Beyonce’s love life with Jay Z. Its a wildly sweet affair known by most people around the world. We see them updating their children on social media. We already know about Blue Ivy and her twin siblings even if the couple doesn’t open up about them that much. This is a very open way that ensures celebrities connect with their fans altogether.
Fans will follow their celebrities every move, listen to their music, wait for them to release new songs and so on. This not only applies to the music industry but other fields as well. Be it football, journalism, politics, basketball, rugby or acting devoted fans are essential for a successful career.
Consider choosing concerts where the stages are set up in a way that the fans can approach and interact with you on a personal level. Most fans may want to take pictures with you. This creates a humble image in the minds of fans. You don’t want your fans to term you as an arrogant celebrity. Fans dislike artists who are boastful and arrogant. A piece of free advice to any artist.
Turn your songs into sources of inspiration and have a positive message. By doing this you collectively entertain and inspire them. Most importantly be an inspiration to your fans. Make them feel that you are part of their life’s through music. Make songs that most people will relate to. For example, most people relate to the love songs, inspirational songs, gospel songs, and entertaining songs
