How to build true fans from your viral moments?

In the last few years, social media has completely changed the way people discover and consume music, or any type of content for that matter. TikTok has become the place where people find what’s new and what’s trending - all through short-form vertical videos that last for barely 10-12 seconds. It has, therefore, also become the ultimate platform where artists go for marketing and promoting music.

Labels are chasing TikTok artists with viral hits, and musicians are changing song structures, trying to make viral songs. Songs are getting shorter, and the focus is shifting to creating catchy hooks without much thought on the rest of the song - all because it is getting easier to find viral moments on these social platforms. 

But there’s no point in chasing virality if it’s only going to disappear the next day. Instead, the focus should be on building a community and figuring out a way to convert such viral moments into long-term growth and genuine connection with your audience.

So, let’s talk about why it even matters in the first place.

In this blog, we’re breaking it all down:

1. Why is building long-term connections important?
   
   
2. How to turn your viral moment into long-term fans?
   
   
3. Share your story and show your authentic self
   
   
4. Don’t just chase virality, build a community
   
   
5. Focus on building genuine connections with your listeners
   
   
6. Consistency is key to building long-term fans
   
   
7. Final Thoughts
   
   

Why is building long-term connections important?

Picture this ~

You have an amazing idea for a song that you think has the potential to do great. So, you work hard on it for months - you go to a studio, you record it, you spend time polishing it, and you pour your heart and soul into it. Then you finally release it. Congratulations! 

Now all you have to do is promote it. 

So, you decide to go to TikTok, make a few videos with the hook of the song, and put them up on the platform. 

A few days later, to your surprise, the song starts picking up! And before you know, it’s going viral!!

People are making videos with that particular hook of your song. People scrolling on TikTok keep hearing the hook of your song in every other post of their feed. Your phone starts blowing up, and your follower count is on the rise for the entire week.

Oh wait, it goes on for another week! … and another!

And after that? It’s all over, silence. Back to a few hundred views here and there, and a few comments on some posts. I spike in the streams, but you realise half the people don’t even know the entire song - only the hook that they kept hearing on repeat on their TikTok feed.

THAT is why it’s important to play the long-term game, because viral moments are just moments until they vanish again into thin air.

How to turn your viral moment into long-term fans?

Viral songs are great for bringing more eyes to your music and gaining a new audience. But what comes next is the ability to make them stay.

Here are some things you can keep in mind to build long-term fans instead of sudden viral moments:

Share your story and show your authentic self

You could have had a viral moment, or you could not. Either way, what you should do is get your audience interested. People want to know who you are and what your music stands for. 

So let them in. Tell them who you are and what your story is. Tell them why you make music, what drives you and what you want to say through your music. 

Try creating content around these aspects too!

• Tell them about your music-making process
• Take them behind the scenes
• Share some personal stories about the efforts and the struggles that went into creating a song
• Give them a sneak peek into what inspired the song and the story behind it.
  
  

Don’t just chase virality, build a community

Viral songs and viral hits are something all artists dream of. Virality is a great opportunity for discovery. But that’s just what it is, an “opportunity” to lean in and pull them in. But it is never the end goal. The end goal is to build a strong community of people who truly care about your music and relate to it. That’s how you make a career out of it. 

Focus on building genuine connections with your listeners

Build genuine connections with people because, as human beings, that's what matters to us the most. Try different ways of engaging and interacting with your audience. That’s how people connect with you and your music.

• Interact and reply to comments on your social media.
• Engage in conversations with them on these social platforms.
• Organise little in-person community events. 
• Perform your songs live for your audience whenever there’s a chance.
• Do meet & greets, Q&A sessions to harbour conversations.

Consistency is key to building long-term fans

Whatever you choose to do has to be sustainable and realistic. Whether it’s making music, posting content on social media or performing live gigs, figure out a schedule and a timeline that is realistically feasible for you and then stick to it!

You can’t post amazing content for a month and disappear for a month. I mean, you totally could. But that comes with losing your audience, too. So if you want to build a long-term music career, it’s important that you be consistent with it.

Final Thoughts

Look at the big picture! Think long-term about how you can sustain your music career and build a truly close-knit community with your audience. At the end of the day, virality is temporary. TikTok music and TikTok artists come as fast as they go. But the people - they are real. So focus on building genuine connections and engaging with them, because that is what lasts long.

I know it is very overwhelming to get trapped in everything happening with social media and constantly feeling the rush to jump on fast-changing trends, ride the wave and produce viral hits. But all of that is irrelevant if it doesn’t help you build a truly well-connected audience.

We at GreaseRelease, have a bunch of curators on our network who are looking for new & exciting music to push on their massive playlists. If you make music and want to reach a wider audience, check out our submission platform and get a chance to reach millions of listeners! Submit your tracks now!