Superfans: The Key to a Sustainable Music Career

In the truest and most basic sense fan engagement is about building deep, long lasting relationships with your audience.

In our first content series we’ll explore this idea and how independent artists and their teams can:

1. Create sustainable careers based on the support of an inner-circle of superfans

2. Craft a genuine dialogue with your audience to earn the support of fans

3. Nurture fan support into a life-long relationships

The artists who are thriving in this uncertain digital music industry are the ones who have earned the continued support of an “inner-circle” of committed and passionate fans.

These fans don’t just love your music – they love your band and crave personal connections with you as individuals. Superfans have a personal investment in your career and feel they play an active role in your artistic journey.

Superfans form the core of your audience and will directly support you by purchasing content, merchandise and concert tickets.

A recent Nielsen study confirms that fans are willing to pay for content – and that is great news if you’re an independent musician. While superfans make up only 14% of the total population of music consumers, they are responsible for a mind-blowing 34% of all music purchases – the most of any supporter.

Face it: all fans are not created equal.

The majority of your support comes from a small segment of fans.

This small segment represents the highest-value to you as an artist. Recognize the importance of their loyalty and reward those fans with unexpected value.

Enhance the live music experience by offering upgraded ticket packages that could include meet-and-greets or merchandise bundles. Digital content, like unreleased tracks or behind the scenes videos also help to grow a community of superfans.

Nielsen has found that the superfan spends more than $422 each year on music, concerts and merch. Artists can earn a share of that annual spend by creating content and experiences for an inner-circle of superfans.

Create exclusive content and experiences for your passionate fans.

Name your fanbase and provide content just for those fans. The more value you offer in upgrades and incentives, the more your core fans will be willing to purchase.

Consider that the Nielsen study found that over half (53%) of (superfans) said they would be willing to pay to get exclusive content from their favorite band.

This is huge considering your fans, especially younger ones, feel they shouldn’t have to pay for your music. Interestingly, most fans understand and expect that in order to get free music, artists will have to make their money elsewhere and are willing to spend on high-value experiences and content.

There is no such thing as “selling-out” anymore.

Once you realize this, you’ll be free to apply as much creativity to your marketing efforts as your recording efforts. Start releasing content (behind the scene videos from the tour bus or the recording studio) or creating interactive experiences (private shows, backstage passes) which fit your overall brand image you’ll be fine.

In our next post we will focus on how your messaging and presentation of this content is crucial when developing the inner-circle of your audience.