It’s amazing the impact that Eleven (well, 011) from the Netflix show ’Stranger Things’ had made with so few lines. Played by Millie Bobby Brown, she said so much without using many words at all.
In a sea of online marketing tips and tactics, there is too much focus on frequent updates.
You should always be posting a photo, a link to a pre-order, and announcing upcoming shows. Post photos of new lyrics, and clips from the studio! Cross post to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and your Tumblr. Don’t forget Snapchat and your thrown together email list!
But what if your silence spoke volumes? In our current world of supply vs. demand, there is no shortage of “content” from countless bands and labels. Is your message like that of a someone on a street corner, shouting into a megaphone at people who are doing their best to ignore the noise?
When Eleven saved Mike from falling into the quarry, she had ONE word to say; “Go.” Yes, she broke the bullies arm with her mind which speaks many volumes, but there was no need for extra words. No speech. No long-winded talk. Just, “go.“
Is your music powerful enough to "break arms” without the need to constantly let everyone know, “hey, I can break arms!“
What about when Lucas Sinclair wanted he wanted to tell Mike’s mom? Forcefully closing a door with her mind was impressive. And again, another simple line. “No” was enough to get the rest of Eleven’s point across.
How impactful can your tour date announcements be if they’re cluttered with hashtags? That Instagram update auto-posted to Twitter saves you time, sure, but you know it looks like crap, right?
Again – it’s all about impact. A Nike commercial can show runners in various states of their workout, with no words, no narration, and then a simple tag-line at the end. “Just Do It” is iconic, of course, but that didn’t happen overnight. Heck, it took a minute for word to get out that Dillinger Escape Plan had a great live show (and they never had to Tweet about their “sick live show”).
If your updates look like, smell like, and are written like every other musical act out there, don’t be shocked when no one pays attention.
Seth Werkheiser is the quiz master of metal trivia at Skulltoaster. He’s also the founder of some music sites you may have heard of, including Noise Creep (2009) + Buzzgrinder (2001). He’s anti-Facebook, anti-clickbait, and anti-growth hacking. You should most definitely follow him on Twitter. Yes, right now.
