12/20/2017 UPDATE: Uh oh, Uh oh! Facebook is constantly changing, and it looks like Facebook is cracking down on engagement posts much like the ones mentioned in this article.  We’re going to have to come up with some other creative ways to promote engagement on our Facebook pages. Otherwise, Facebook will levy demotions and no one wants that. Take a look at this article for more information and ways to work around this new rule.

In this Facebook Series, I am sharing best practices to facilitating your own vibrant community with your Facebook fan page.  The Facebook tips I share during this series are specifically geared to operating a fan page for musicians and independent artists.  In this article, I will share 10 genius social media contests that will help you spark fan engagement and make coming to your page fun for your fans.

Check out these other articles I wrote as part of the Facebook Series:

1.  A YouTube Video Contest that makes you money!

Offer a selection of your original songs to your fans to use for creating their own YouTube videos.  The videos can be something simple like a slideshow of pictures with your music in the background.  The idea behind this contest is to incentivize your fans to use your songs in their YouTube videos.  If your songs are published and distributed through a service such as CD Baby, you get the royalty earnings for every song they use in their videos.  Once they upload their videos, direct your fans to post them in the comments section of a pinned post.  Be sure to offer a highly coveted prize that your fans would really want and would not mind spending time putting together a video for the chance to win.  Some prize ideas could be all your music and a boatload of merchandise, a free concert, dinner and a movie for two at a restaurant in their town, etc. Anything that would get them excited.

2.  Comment on this Post for your chance to win…

 

You can ask a question about anything and ask for your fans to comment.  Offer a simple prize and watch your comments section blow up.

3.  Post a picture and ask other people to vote on it.  

You can post different variations of album artwork, a new t-shirt design, new instrument options, or something you’re thinking of getting for your stage attire.  Ask your fans to vote on their favorite and make it a contest.  Offer a prize to one lucky person.

4.  Ask a voting scale question.

For example, you can ask your fans to vote on a song order for your next EP or even a sample CD you might use for giveaways.  You can have them order a set of songs and you can pick your favorite.  The prize can be liner notes on the album or a free album. It really doesn’t matter, the idea is getting them to comment on your page.

5.  The ‘How Much Do You Love My Music and Why’ contest.

Post a great photo of yourself and ask for some love.  For example, you can say, “I need some lovin’. I want to hear from you.  How much do you love my music and why?  Post your answer in the comment section for your chance to win ________. Tomorrow at 2pm EST I’ll pick my biggest fan and I’ll feature them in my cover photo for a week!

6.  “Like if you were there.”

Ask for likes by making it into a contest.  For example, post a photo of your last show and say something like, “Last night we played our most amazing show at _______.  Click ‘LIKE’ if you were there (or would like to be next time!) for a chance to win a free ___________.”

7.  Tag Yourself ____(Insert City) for your chance to win…

This is another variation of the previous idea, where you post about a previous show you did and ask the fans from that show to engage with you.  This time you’re asking them to tag themselves.  You post pictures from the show.  Preferably pictures of the audience, pictures of you and fans after the show, and general pictures others may have taken throughout the show.  Ask those who were there to tag themselves for a chance to win something. This does two things.  It gets them clicking on your photos, and tagging themselves.  Plus, it puts your pictures in front of their friends.  It’s a win-win situation.

8.  Caption This. Best line wins a free album download.

This one doesn’t need much explaining.  You post a funny picture of yourself and ask your fans to submit their best caption in the comments section.  Offer some sort of prize and announce your favorite.

9.  The Help Write a Song Contest.

This one could be a lot of fun if you get the right people involved especially when you encounter writers’ block.  Post a video of you performing one of the songs you are working on.  Include in the text part of the post the lyrics to the song that you have so far.  Then ask your fans to help you write the next line and see what they come up with.  You can pick your favorite line and for the prize, you can add their line into the song and give them author credits.  Make sure you have them agree to them being on the liner notes as their sole “prize,” otherwise they might try to come after you for royalties later on down the line. Always cover your basis.

10.  Let’s write a story together.  

This one is not necessarily a contest although you could make it into one with a little creativity.  Have your fans write a story together.  Start them off by posting one sentence and ask your fans to post in the comments section one after the other adding 5-6 words along the way.  By the end of the day, you will have a really funny story.  You could add the story as a new post on your blog and then post a link to your blog the next day.  This will get your fans commenting on your post and clicking your links out of curiosity to see what the story ended up being.

Follow this Template to Host Your Next Social Media Contest

  • Step by step guide
  • Checklist
  • Wording/Verbiage included
Get the Contest Template

When it comes to running a fan page for music, the name of the game is engagement.  When people click, like, share, and comment on your posts, it lets Facebook know that your content is relevant and consequently your posts will show up more in the news feeds of those fans.  More importantly, it helps you to stay in contact with your fans so that the next time you come to their town, they will be more willing to come to your show to support you and see their friend.  The next time you run a fundraiser they will be one of the first to support you.  The idea behind running a well engaged music fan page is to make friends and build community.  If you’re really good at it, sooner or later you will cultivate a large following of very loyal fans.

What are your ideas for social media contests?  What’s has worked?  What hasn’t worked?

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