[requested] Don’t build your brand on MySpace (or FaceBook)
A few weeks ago, I asked you guys to send in questions about whatever you wanted to hear more about.
Here is a good question from Tim:
[I] would love to know your thoughts on how to better use my MySpace page to share my music. I don’t have an official website yet, so I would like to use my MySpace page to the fullest until then.
MySpace, FaceBook, and a few other social media platforms have revolutionized marketing as we know it. Seemingly overnight, you were able to put your songs, your videos, and your pictures for thousands, if not millions to see.
The upside is that there are millions of people out there ready to hear your music or watch your video.. The downside–its pretty saturated. MySpace and FaceBook are both very busy– and LOUD..
I equivocate having a conversation with a fan on Facebook or MySpace to trying to have a conversation during a rock concert. It’s frustrating and distracting. There’s always someone poking, super-poking, pinging, or giving out drinks or good wishes to who ever you are trying to talk to.
Why not invite them back to your website for some one on one time? Introduce them to your friends, your family.. let them get to know you.. offer them some coffee, cake., mp3, an audio book, some free songs, whatever.. make them feel at home. Make them come back to your website for the good conversation.
If you don’t have a place of your own, you should get one. Some are nearly, if not completely free…I highly recommend getting your own website (100 bucks per year or so MAX). [Crossroads will be offering some solutions for you soon]
Careful not to “cheap out” here..
If you won’t invest that into your own ministry, then, as a consumer, why should I want to invest anything into you?
I think its okay to “push” information out there to those sites… they are huge, but make sure that there is an invitation back to YOUR house for conversation.
I hope this helps you, Tim.
[if you must tidy up the MySpace page, the guys over at BandPlanning.com have a MySpace Mod tutorial that might help you out too.]
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I’m finding that when I use the groups Facebook page to put a link to an updated post on our website alot of the people will just comment under the Facebook post. So I”m not sure exactly what to do to get the people on our site?
I know. Notice Facebook’s strategy. They want us to stay on their site! hmmm. We should probably do the same. I’m still trying to figure out how though. I’m open to suggestions.
thanks for chiming in Staclynn
Thanks for the info
just seeing if my gravatar is working
Looks Good!
I agree with this whole post but I think one of the most important tidbits is in the last section. “If you won’t invest that into your own ministry, then, as a consumer, why should I want to invest anything into you?” This is key and it just doesn’t go for a website. If your marketing, CDs, website, stage presentation, interaction with fans, or music quality are poor, that is a turn off. It doesn’t have to take a lot of money to be presentable. It takes time and forethought. Looking back to one of the previous posts about running dry for Jesus, (Jeremy paraphrase) instead of running dry, try taking time to invest in your ministry and some of these basic concepts that are discussed on this blog. I believe you, your ministry, and your testimony to a lost and dying world will be better for it.
All the social media sites arent a bad thing, but like Kevin said you want to get them off that site and all the discractions and somewhere you can keep them. THe longer they are on a social media site the greater the chance thier attention will be pulled away. With our site http://www.vasoutherngospel.com, we have a facebook page but still keep content different enough people have to keep coming back to the site to get it.
I think that there are a lot of ministries that are “under-invested” in. Now, I don’t think that it has to be perfect to be valid, but I know that I wouldn’t want to trust a health care person who said they’ve been “called into healthcare” and then they never invested in educating themselves.
I will write a blog post soon on that very subject.
Thanks for contributing Jeremy
That’s exactly it… great point about the over saturation… even advertisements interfere.
I know Kimberly… do you know who searched for me today on facebook?….lol (have you seen that ad?)
I agree with not being perfect. If you hold things to a higher standard you get a lot of grief about missing the point and you not being about the “ministry.” I have seen too many of the “We cant sing but pray for us” groups. (which makes me cringe) I have a friend that uses the phrase, “I don’t want to give Jesus a black eye.” Whatever we do we do to the glory of God and that should be to the best of our ability with high quality. If our talent is in singing then by all means go for it. If it is in health care then go that way.
Agreed Jeremy. it’s ALL ministry if you ask me. We should do everything we can to make sure that we do it to the best of our ability.