1. IT'S NOT NATIVE

This is a real biggie and one that we see time and time again. You need to make sure that the content you’re posting fits seamlessly onto the platform that you’re posting on. To do this you need to not only be familiar with the platform and the types of content that perform well but also understand people’s motivations for being on that platform in the first place.

Instagram is generally the place people go to spend some time looking at aesthetically pleasing photographs. It’s not where they go to look at badly designed club night artwork shouting about 50 arenas, 300 DJs and 1000 MCs. The only exception to this rule is artwork displaying DJ set times. People generally browse Facebook on mobile, with no volume, often during the work day. That’s why posting a Soundcloud link to a two hour long mix often gets an underwhelming response.

2. YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING WITHOUT HAVING GIVEN VALUE FIRST

I always liken social media to dating. If you were to walk up to someone in a bar and ask if they’d like to go home with you the answer often isn’t favourable. Instead your opening gambit often involves buying them a drink before spending a few hours asking them questions and revealing a bit about yourself. Then, and only then, might you lean in for a kiss. You should apply this thinking to your social media efforts. Start by providing value, this could be sharing a funny video. Then ask questions of your audience and really get to know them. Then and only then can you ask them to listen to your new mix or come to your club night.

3.  YOUR CONTENT SUCKS

Sometimes it really is this simple. In a world where there is content overload and attention spans are microscopic, anything less than excellent just gets lost. So how do you cut through all this noise? Again, this comes down to basic psychology and what makes people engage with content. The rule of thumb here is that if it makes them laugh, cry, get angry or shocks them, then people will engage. That’s why funny videos of cute animals rule the internet and why Donald Trump receives so much airtime. Put simply, always think “would I share this” before posting.  

4. YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

This is why at the start of Market Your Music, Paul and I have dedicated a lesson to getting to know your audience. What accounts do they follow? What posts do they interact with the most? Do they share video or do they prefer links? Are they serious or do they like funny content? You can build up a surprising amount of insight using Facebook’s Audience Insights as a jump off point. Then it’s a case of testing different posts and seeing what works best. You even have the ability to poll your audience on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories. The best bit is that the social media algorithms love it when your fans reply and this engagement will give you greater organic reach.

5.     YOUR FANS AREN'T AWAKE

Bit of an obvious one here but something that again we see all the time. Even at Defected Records we realised that we were better off saving live videos from Saturday night events and posting them on Sunday evening, rather than going live at 4am when most people are either out or at home in bed. Facebook and Instagram (If you have a business account) give you insights into when the majority of your fans are active. You should be aiming to post in these sweet spots to give your content a fighting chance. When looking at these graphs, our top tip would be to post an hour or so before the peak for best results.