As an independent musician, you work as both the advertiser and marketer for your career. But instead of enhancing the look of a burger on TV with special effects, you’re faced with the task of crafting a meaningful and authentic presence online. The great thing about user-generated content is it’s not coming from you, per-say. These are genuine interactions from your fans, authentically created on their own by their own merit. Even better, you can incorporate this fan-driven content into your own marketing strategy, helping your music reach new listeners while deepening your connection with existing fans. Interested? Here’s how it works…

How To Use User-Generated Content To Market Your Music

The Benefits of UGC

User-generated content (UGC) is a game-changer for independent musicians looking to connect with their fans and grow their reach. The biggest perk? Its authentic fan-shared content, like concert videos, reactions, and covers, comes across as more genuine rather than a polished ad ever would. UGC creates a real sense of community around your music. When fans share their experiences, and you highlight their posts in return, it makes them feel part of the journey, which inspires loyalty (and excitement).

When people see others enjoying your music in real life, it builds trust in a way that paid promo just can’t. Plus, it offers other benefits like:

• It’s FREE! Every time fans post about you, your music reaches new people without costing you a thing.
• Variety. With fans creating content, you get a steady stream of new material, which helps keep things fresh and takes some pressure off you.
• Improves your bond with your fans. Sharing fan content shows your fans you appreciate their support, which keeps them invested and engaged.

At the end of the day, there’s no doubt that UGC is an effective way for independent musicians to reach new listeners, build community, and keep fans actively involved. That said, here are some best practices to help you make the most of your efforts.

First things first… Make Sure Your Content is Monetized

To say the least, you work hard on your music. You know it, I know it, and we both know how many hours have been spent perfecting your craft and creating killer content that deserves to be recognized. You also deserve to get paid for every iteration of your work, wherever it may end up. Whether your work is reposted on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or wherever else, make sure to monetize this content to ensure you’re getting paid for all this hard work.

To learn how to monetize this content through Symphonic, check out “How To Monetize Your User-Generated Content“.

Encourage Fans To Create Content

The key to getting your fans to create content is to make it both a rewarding and interactive experience. Consider launching a hashtag challenge tied to your latest release to get the momentum going, run a contest where fans can win merch or free concert tickets, or you could even implore your fans to remix or cover your songs and tag you. You don’t have to do anything crazy here; even simple prompts like “Share your favorite concert memory” can inspire posts, and your doing shoutouts for standout content keeps fans engaged. Sharing behind-the-scenes clips also helps fans feel involved in your journey, making them more likely to post their own experiences.

TikTok is one of the ultimate sources of UGC these days. If your music is on TikTok, you can tell your fans to use it to create their own content. Whether they blind react to it or use it as background music, it’s awesome to be featured this way. (Especially with TikTok’s track record for blowing up small artists overnight.)

In addition, you can utilize TikTok by taking those videos and compiling them into a big promo video to use on other socials. This extended exposure is another great way to encourage people to take part. (If you don’t have your music available on TikTok, check out “How To Get Your Music On TikTok” to learn how.)

Repost Fan Photos From Your Shows

Whenever you play a show, there are always going to be people with their phones out recording the moment. Those people are also going to post those moments online to document the experience. While onstage, remind everyone to tag you in their posts! Consider taking a moment to tell them you’ll be reposting some of your favorite fan videos from the show.

This type of content is perfect for highlighting just how much fun people can expect to have at your shows while also increasing engagement on your socials and shouting out the dedicated fans who took part in the process. Whether you repost to your grid or post on your Stories, this content is great for a quick share. On Instagram stories, there’s also a built-in sharing feature that lets you share stories you were tagged in directly to your own stories.

Easy as that.

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Got Merch? Create a Hashtag!

Did you just release some new merch and want to improve sales? No problem. UGC can help with that. Try creating a hashtag for the line and encouraging fans to post themselves wearing the items with said tag. This creates a stronger sense of community and FOMO for anyone who didn’t get the merchandise. It also doesn’t hurt to also offer an additional incentive, like a discount on their next merch or ticket purchase from you.

Run a Contest

One of the best things about UGC is how natural and down-to-earth it feels. It’s a great way to connect with your fans and show your commitment to your audience as authentically as possible. By hosting a contest, you can thank your fans for their support through well-earned prizes and get tons of content to share on your end at the same time. If you need some inspiration, some of my favorite kinds of contests I’ve personally seen artists run include:

• Cover Contests: Invite fans to upload and tag you in videos of themselves doing covers of your songs.
• Dance Challenges: Encourage fans to choreograph their own dance routines to your music and share videos using a specific hashtag.
• Fan Story Submissions: Ask fans to share stories about how your music has impacted their lives. (This could be about a memorable concert, a personal connection to a song, or how your music helped them through tough times.)
• Lyric Art Contest: Invite fans to create artwork inspired by your lyrics or themes in your music. They can submit digital art, paintings, or drawings.
• Fan Playlists: Get your fans to create playlists that include your music along with their favorite tracks. They can explain their choices in a short video or post and tag you. Then, you can select the best playlists for a special feature on your socials.

No matter what kind of contest you run, you can reward the winners with free merch, personal shoutouts, handwritten thank you’s, or whatever else you have to offer. If you give away merch as the prize, kill two birds with one stone by making sure they post themselves wearing the amazing merch they just won afterward. 😉

Share Spotify Wrapped

Ah, the long-awaited Spotify Wrapped posts — a musical delicacy many of us look forward to once December rolls around. But did you know this exciting round-up also offers a great form of UGC? When the time comes, make sure you tell your fans to share their Wrapped posts where you’re featured and tag you on socials! Not only does this bring your fans together through a shared love for your music (and Spotify), but it’s also the perfect way to wrap the year with a surge of engagement (and love).

If you want to make the most of this year’s Spotify Wrapped, there’s a lot artists can do to prepare their profiles to make the best impression. From uploading new merch to recording your official Wrapped video message, this post tells you everything you need to know.

Ask Permission & Give Credit!

Last but not least… No matter where you share anyone else’s content, always ask permission to do so and give credit where credit is due. Don’t just assume everyone is down to be shared without asking; you never know if it’ll cause any issues down the road.

In Conclusion…

There’s nothing better than seeing your fans engage with you and your work, especially in a positive light. By using this content on your own page, you can show your thanks for all the support your fans give while helping attract more fans in the process.

Good luck!