The importance of a strong social media biography
When it comes to forging a successful career in 2018 and beyond, so much of a DJ or producer’s career now takes place outside of the studio, and away from the music that defines their career. The first place to begin is always the social media biography. Whether visitors are inquisitive fans looking to find more info on the artist they’ve recently taken a shining to, the casual browser whose many clicks have led them to this page, or even the most ardent of long-term fanatics, the social media bio is the start-line for the building blocks that follow when it comes to creating a loyal, and ever-expanding fanbase. So just how can a strong social media biography influence a career so much? And how can a strong bio be easily created? Furthermore, what constitutes a ‘strong’ or ‘weak’ bio? Let’s take a look at some examples.
Keep it trimmed
When it comes to a social media bio, things differ from a regular bio, mainly on account of two factors, and both are related to size. Firstly, we now live in an age where people want their information fast, and they want it now. The impatience of the millennial culture is characterized by how often visitors to a webpage actually stay on that page, without clicking away. When it comes to a social media bio, this can sometimes fall beneath the 5-second mark. So grabbing the reader’s attention is key, and avoiding waffle is vital. There’s something far more attractive about one crisp, clear, paragraph, than a thumb-straining endless page scroll of 1000 words.
Secondly, though small, the bio must contain key information. Biggest achievements for example, or the main reason why the artist is different to the thousands of others out there. Locate the Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and you’re already halfway to success. A Grammy winner? The first DJ to perform in Space? The last DJ to perform in the other kind of Space, Ibiza’s now-defunct superclub? Let them know. And let them know instantly. This is the art of self-promotion, and nobody is expecting modesty. But when you’ve only got 160 characters to deal with, you need to make those few sentences really sparkle.
Originality
For many, the constraints of a short character limit can feel like a blessing. Not only does it limit the chances of potential unnecessary content, but also means that your bio now has a chance to show something original, something different, from all the others. Try to avoid buzzwords, and be sure to know the real meaning of a phrase (Not every DJ can be labelled as a ‘pioneer’ so keep it simple, but effective). And though humour can be encouraged in the right scenario, the tone must fit with the artists’ overall character. As an example, nobody blinked when the highly colourful Seth Troxler opened his bio with the immortal, “Through a leaking bodily cavity resembling the pork found in Chinese restaurants, Satan sh*t out a crystal beaming with glowing red embers. This crystal matured into the fetus of Seth Troxler. Seth was placed on earth as a weeping fetus, the sound of inevitability.” Why? Because Seth is known as a highly quirky, colourful presence. If the same line was used for a fairly highbrow minimalist techno artist who wants to be taken seriously for their music and music only, the whole idea would capitulate.
Be proud
Your achievements are exactly that – things you’ve achieved. The chances are, a great deal of hard work went into making them happen. So prove our value by listing various contributions. But remember, every platform is different, and varied styles will work better on some sites, that won’t work on others. The importance of the hyperlink is also essential as gives your fans more evidence of the listed honours you lay claim to.
Stay social savvy
Connecting your profile to others by using hashtags, tags, and links can prove a great marketing tool, and really help advertise your content. So on Twitter, tag your company, your label, the e-store of your merchandise range. Because if you’re not going to promote these, nobody else will do so for you. Use searchable hashtags, or perhaps even utilize the hashtag to come up with your own catchy slogan which can be used over and over again by fans (e.g. Don Diablo – #HexagoniansForLife, Third Party – #ProgIsAlive, and so on….)
When it comes to creating a great social bio, much of your work hinges on the ability to provide snappy, catchy content, within the first few lines. Try to include at least one detail that sparks a bit of intrigue and will make you memorable, and the use of ellipsis is encouraged – but only when used on the final word – to create that vague sense of intrigue. A great social bio can prove vital in social growth across all platforms. Get it wrong, and you may find that potential fans are changing tab before they’ve even had a chance to give your latest single a listen.
