Facebook. Pretty much every panel at SXSW will be talking about it to some degree, and you know how valuable and vital it can be to a musical career and a musician's connection to fans. But just having an account isn't enough, and today there are unspoken rules and powerful tools that you can harness with Facebook. How do you get noticed? How do they differ? What are the best ways to connect without annoying fans? This presentation explores social marketing best practices, tailored to Facebook, in particular addressing the changes to Timeline.

1. How to Win & Engage
Fans on Facebook
Realworld Strategies for Musicians on Facebook
@carljacobson
VP of Marketing, Nimbit, Inc.

2. WHY FACEBOOK?

3. What we’re covering
 Making a Good First Impression
– The Timeline
 Speak in 3 Voices, but Keep it Real
 Realworld strategies to capture Fans
Q & A

4. EVERYTHING IS CHANGING
MARCH 31st, 2012

5. Before
• Small image • Wall feed not very
• Tiny links to apps = engaging
hard to find store • Prominent ads

6. After

7. TIMELINE - Challenges & Advantages
Challenges Advantages
 Can’t define  Timeline is a great
Default Landing landing page
page anymore
 More Prominent Apps
 Can’t gate content
AKA force Like for  Pin & Star Posts
access to page  Why force someone
to Like, before they
experience you?

8. TIMELINE - HEADER
 Choose an Engaging Photo
 Use it to bring focus to One Thing
 Help Fans Navigate to What they Want

9. TIMELINE HEADER – Focus on 1 thing
 Add a single message to the  Spotlight new
image with one thing you want release, upcoming gig, etc.
fans to know.
 Change it periodically and
 “Advertising” in header is keep it up to date
technically against FB TOS, but
hard to police, so keep it
tasteful and not too blatant

10. TIMELINE HEADER – Help Navigate

11. TIMELINE – APPS
 Limited Viewable Slots
 Prioritize By Importance
(Store, Events, etc.)
 Don’t Settle for Default Images

12. TIMELINE APPS - PRIORITIZE

13. TIMELINE APPS - PRIORITIZE

14. TIMELINE APPS - PRIORITIZE

15. TIMELINE APPS – Customize Image
Company logos or icons, which tend to be default app
images, don’t make sense to fans, so change them

16. TIMELINE APPS – Customize Image

17. TIMELINE APPS – Customize Image

18. TIMELINE APPS – Customize Image
Pick something compelling that makes
immediate sense to fans
Other ideas:
• Free Download
• Listen Here
• Tickets!
Free Custom Images at Nimbit.com/free-images

19. TIMELINE – APPS SUGGESTIONS
Storefronts:
 Nimbit Other
 Topspin  Fanbridge Fan Page
 CD-Baby  PledgeMusic
 Bandcamp  Bands in Town

20. TIMELINE APPS – Nimbit Spotlight
• Only Store App Optimized for Full
Width Timeline
• Sell Music, Merch, Tickets
• Play music video or personal video
message to fans
• Feature product on Spotlight, full
catalog & shows in tabs
• Sharable music player
• Capture fans w Free track for email
• Fans can leave comments and share
product previews with friends on
Facebook/Twitter
• Full product catalog & schedule
available on other tabs

21. Nimbit – Facebook Promo Tool
Easily create sharable promotions that drive fans into
your store with personal messages, a video or audio
player, and an offer for a free track

22. Nimbit – Facebook Promo Tool
Fans see the promotion in the Ticker, their wall, and on your
Timeline. They can click to get a free song and easily share it with
their friends.

23. Nimbit – Facebook Promo Tool
Promo deep links directly to your store to redeem free
track. Fans have option to leave a tip or shop more

24. Nimbit – Tip In Cart
• Fans Want To Support You
it just has to be easy
• At purchase or free
downloads, fans can
leave tips
• Tips received average
$7.80 on purchases &
$3.50 on free downloads
• 1-in-20 transactions get
Tips
Suggestions:
Try giving away tracks and ask
fans to pay what you want
Or ask fans if they like it
please support with a tip

25. TIMELINE - PINS
 Pin Most Important
Updates to Top
 Select What
Everyone Should See
 Free Download
 Upcoming Gig
 New Release
 Latest Video
 Current review
 Etc.
 Change it Regularly

26. TIMELINE – Starred Updates

27. Speak in Three Voices
But Still Keep it Real
We
20%
You
50%
I
30%
Your Three Voices on Facebook

28. Your Three Voices on Facebook
(Twitter too)
WE UPDATES – Broadcast
• About you the brand
• Band News
• New Releases We
20%
• Video You
50%
• On Sale I
30%
• Free Download
• Reviews
• Airplay
• Upcoming Gigs

29. Your Three
Voices on Facebook
I UPDATES – Behind the Music & Artist
• Access to You
We
• Personal 20%
Opinions You
50%
I
• Activities 30%
• Interests
• Likes
Advice from a music attorney:
“Keep it positive”

30. Your Three Voices on Facebook
YOU UPDATES – The Virtual High Five!
• Most Important
• 2-way conversation We
• Recognize & 20%
You
reward fans 50%
I
• Thank You! 30%
• Poll – What Do
You Think?
• Can You Please? Can be combined with “I” &
“We” updates
• Happy Birthday!

31. Converting Real World Fans
Gigs – Part 1
 Take Pictures from
the stage
 Ask People to Model
@ Merch Table
 Post albums for
each gig
 Tag those you know
 Tell Fans about it
& ask them to tag
I heard this awesome idea from Derek Sivers, read his blog at
http://sivers.org/

32. Converting Real World Fans
Gigs – Part 2
 Offer a Free Download for
Mailing List Signup
 Hand The Mailing List Down
from The Stage – don’t
send them to the Merch table
 Tell fans, if they sign up you’ll
Email a free track, have link
redeem @ facebook
Ask fans to sign up when
 Use Promo-codes in Merch to they’re most engaged
give free track Redeemed @ Facebook

33. Converting Real World Fans
Gigs – More
 Incentivize Facebook Invite
Bring A Friend
 Shout-out to Online
Fan Who’s in the
Audience
 Ask People to
Check In At The
Venue
 Ask People to Tag the
Band in their Pictures

34. Free Music
The Gateway Drug
 The best tool you have to introduce people to you
 FREE isn’t “Free” when you capture fan’s info
 They’re Opting in To YOU
 You can then build the relationship, and also stay in touch
if they move away from Facebook
 Key thing is to always follow up

35. Case Study:
Thisbe Vos
 Shared Track in one post
 Asked Fans to listen
 Like it? click for
free download
 Really Like It? –
Please Share
 RESULTS:
28 Shares
300+ downloads
including many
new fans

36. Capturing New Fans
With Facebook Advertising
 Target Carefully
 Test Drive Before You Buy
 Never Pay Full Price
start much lower than
Facebook suggests and
pick up ads when other
placements end
 Pay Attention & Change

37. Facebook Advertising –
Who To Target?
• Your Fans
• Current Band & Past Acts
• Who You Sound Like
• Your Influences
• Your Friends
• Bands you play/tour with
• Cameos
• Remixes

38. CASE STUDY: SUZANNE VEGA
 Targeted Her
Fans & Influences
w Facebook Ad
 Called out Promo
Code in Radio
Appearances
 Offered Free
Download –
redeemed on
FB Store
RESULTS:
 Facebook Fans Grew from 7,000 to 70,000
 61% of Downloaders Later Purchased

39. Remember Your ABCs
ALWAYS BE CONVERTING

40. Remember Your ABCs – More A’s
A
ALWAYS ASK
ALWAYS ANSWER

41. Remember Your ABCs – More B’s
B
BE REAL
BE POLITE
BE RESPECTFUL

42. Remember Your ABCs More C’s
C
CREATE MAGIC
CONNECT
CONSISTENCY

43. And a Few D’s
DON’T SEND TO iTunes
DO SELL DIRECT
DON’T BE AFRAID

44. Additional Resources
Here’s some recommendations that provide a wealth of
inspiration on these topics
 Hypebot.com, DigitalMusicNews.com, musicthinktank.com
 Ariel Hyatt’s “Musician’s Roadmap to Facebook & Twitter”
 Electronic Musician Magazine Career Articles
 Follow on Twitter: @DerekSivers @BenjiKRogers
@brandvold @cyberpr @glowmarketing
 Facebook.com/Nimbit
 Nimbit.com/blog

45. Thank You
@carljacobson
@nimbit
Install the Nimbit Spotlight for
Facebook at:
apps.facebook.com/nimbitstore