The importance of connecting with festival vloggers
Influencer marketing is now one of the most beneficial methods brands can use in order to further their message. By tapping into positive word of mouth, paying influential individuals to openly recommend a brand online is one of the most effective methods out there. In the music industry, many of the influencers that are the most sought-after for marketing are those who run their own YouTube channels. Vloggers are taking the electronic music industry by storm, providing exposure for the world’s leading festivals and artists through YouTube videos giving viewers an insight into their experiences.
While festival livestreams and aftermovies are also proven to encourage an increase in brand exposure and are ideal for connecting with potential attendees, often viewers can be put off by the flawless nature of the videos. As with television advertising, often fans can be left feeling that the manicured version of the festival shown in an aftermovie doesn’t give real enough insight into what they may experience when attending. Vloggers offer a unique perspective, giving viewers a brutally honest and real perspective on what the festival really has to offer its attendees. The truth is, if viewers see a vlogger having a good time at a festival, they are far more likely to believe they will have a good time too than if they enjoy a festival aftermovie.
With potential festival attendees paying such close attention to the content of vloggers, the vloggers themselves become more powerful with each passing year. American vlogger Sophia Chang regularly shares her experiences at some of the world’s leading festivals. Earlier this year she shared a video documenting her time at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, showcasing the festival’s magic in a four-minute video. While the focus of the video is on her, viewers are given a unique insight into the festival, including many details that may not be visible in the festivals own promotional material.
Although it may seem that vloggers are only beneficial for festivals, they can provide a whole number of opportunities for artists too. This is particularly true if you perform a solo show and a vlogger films their experience. Having the show documented online can allow you to reach an increased number of viewers, including viewers that may not have previously come into contact with your brand. Equally, if your performance is featured on a vlogger’s festival footage, this is great exposure. Some vloggers have millions of subscribers, creating huge reach potential. Even being featured for 10 seconds in a video that achieves millions of views is a staggering triumph for your career as an artist. It is immeasurable exactly how many people will follow through and search out your music online, but even gaining 10 new dedicated followers will have an unlimited positive effect on your career.
Too many artists simply sit back and wait for opportunities to come to them. This is particularly true when it comes to working with vloggers and influencers. It is a common misconception that influencers and vloggers will actively hunt you down and provide content for free while expecting nothing in return. As an artist, an aspect of your marketing strategy should always be focused on influencers and working with them. Approach influencers that have showed an interest in your music or similar artists and propose working with them. Many artists offer vloggers the opportunity to use their music in videos, a beneficial deal for both the vlogger and the artist. This way, the vlogger can use music of a much higher quality than the generic tracks available and the artist increases their reach by getting their music heard by a huge volume of people. When approaching vloggers and influencers, it is always imperative to focus on how the deal can help them, simply asking someone to use your music in their videos is a request that is likely to be ignored if the other party feels that nothing is in it for them.
A worthwhile activity for artists to conduct is reaching out to influencers and inviting them to attend one of your shows. By offering them the chance to attend for free and making a personal connection, the influencer is much more likely to want to promote you on their social media or talk about the event itself. The key is finding an influencer at the right level. The type of influencer you should approach differs hugely from artist to artist. Musicians at the top of their game like Armin van Buuren or Hardwell will only need to approach the very top vloggers that have millions of subscribers. If you are just getting started, it is important to reach out to influencers who are also trying to increase their reach, this way they will be much more willing to work with you.
Overall, working with festival vloggers and social media influencers is a great method for expanding your reach and connecting with potential fans. In order to find the right people to work with, it is important for you to reach out yourself. Sitting around and waiting for influencers to connect with you is not an effective method and will likely leave you without connections. Select the vloggers you’d like to contact and get in touch with them, make sure they know that you are looking for a mutually beneficial partnership and build a relationship over time. Never underestimate the power of having influencers and vloggers on your side.
