According to Reuters (and by Apple's own admission), only 3 percent of the music stored in the average iTunes user's digital library was purchased from the Apple music store. The rest came from ripped CDs or was downloaded from peer-to-peer services or elsewhere.
However, users of the mobile music app Music With Me, an app that facilitates music discovery through social sharing, have been shown to possess nearly five times the amount of digital download purchases.
“Social sharing leads to music discovery and music discovery leads to more digital music being purchased," says Michelle Jones, Music With Me's Community Manager.
When music is shared socially (online or offline), a common bond is formed between those that shared it, which in turn gives each person one with the artist.
This is because the music now stands for something greater than the art presented in front of them. It now represents their bond as individuals, as like-minded music lovers.
These sorts of bonds are beneficial for long-term fan retention, which generally results in long-term music sales over time—whether it be through digital downloads, concert tickets, or merchandise sales.
Musicians should encourage the social sharing of their music in every form they can think possible. Tweet-for-download campaigns, which requires fans to tweet about the content they're about to be downloading (before being granted a download code), are just one example of the ways artists should be utilizing fan-based promotion strategies.
The more you can empower your fans to be a part of you and your music, the deeper the bonds you create with them become, thus increasing their desire to share your music with their peers.
After all, sharing is caring...
This post is by regular Hypebot contributor, musician and music marketer Hisham Dahud (@hishamdahud).
However, users of the mobile music app Music With Me, an app that facilitates music discovery through social sharing, have been shown to possess nearly five times the amount of digital download purchases.
“Social sharing leads to music discovery and music discovery leads to more digital music being purchased," says Michelle Jones, Music With Me's Community Manager.
When music is shared socially (online or offline), a common bond is formed between those that shared it, which in turn gives each person one with the artist.
This is because the music now stands for something greater than the art presented in front of them. It now represents their bond as individuals, as like-minded music lovers.
These sorts of bonds are beneficial for long-term fan retention, which generally results in long-term music sales over time—whether it be through digital downloads, concert tickets, or merchandise sales.
Musicians should encourage the social sharing of their music in every form they can think possible. Tweet-for-download campaigns, which requires fans to tweet about the content they're about to be downloading (before being granted a download code), are just one example of the ways artists should be utilizing fan-based promotion strategies.
The more you can empower your fans to be a part of you and your music, the deeper the bonds you create with them become, thus increasing their desire to share your music with their peers.
After all, sharing is caring...
This post is by regular Hypebot contributor, musician and music marketer Hisham Dahud (@hishamdahud).
