The evolution of social media has introduced new opportunities to use their capabilities
for marketing a product or service. One industry that has adopted these social media marketing
techniques is the music industry. The focus of this study was to identify the social media
marketing techniques that are most effective in motivating a consumer to support an independent
artist or band.
Participants were contacted via Facebook and were asked to complete a survey written by
the researcher. The survey assessed the participants’ Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and UStream
habits. Specifically, the questions gauged what types of media have they shared via their social
network, what types of media have they accessed via their social network, and how the media
affected their motivation to support an artist.
Participants in the study demonstrated both Maven and Early Adopter characteristics. The
most frequently used platforms used by the population were Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Research showed that using these platforms to share music videos, concert footage, interview
materials, and free MP3 downloads were effective social media marketing tactics on the
population.