Upgrade Your Social Media Presence

Releasing an album, an EP, or a single
brings along with it so many feelings and emotions — I’ve recently gone through
it myself, with my new album, Invisible. There’s the excitement of
getting your music out into the world for people to enjoy. There’s relief that
you crossed the finish line, completed your music, and got it to a place where
you want people to hear it. There’s also the stress from all the hard work
involved in getting your music into more people’s ears than just your close
friends. A big component of people hearing (and hopefully buying) your music is
social media. With so many social media outlets, websites, podcasts, blogs, and
more, it’s imperative that you stay on top of all of them — and that can be
overwhelming.

These days, social media involves more than
just posting a photo and a caption — though that’s still part of the equation.
You’ll also want video and audio. It can be a challenge to know what gear you
need to get the job done. The good news is that you can start small and work
your way up to an elaborate gear setup.

Almost everyone has a mobile phone, a
tablet, or a computer. You can use the built-in microphone for your videos, but
a simple way to upgrade the quality of your social posts is to get an external
microphone. They come in a wide range of sizes and prices and can make a big
difference.

The Shure MV88, the RØDE VideoMic, and the Zoom iQ6 are just three great, simple choices for phone mics that can really help you get clearer sound. Beyond this, the next step up may be a desktop USB microphone that can also act as your recording interface, such as the Apogee MiC Plus, the Samson Go Mic, the Shure MV5, and the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+. Pair one of these microphones with recording software, and you are on your way to getting better sound for your video posts. A USB mic is probably the simplest audio recording setup there is, but it works! Performing your songs live is one of the best (and for the artist, probably the most fulfilling) ways to promote your recorded music, so give yourself the best opportunity to sound as good as you can — even if you’re on a tight budget.

Apogee MiC PLUS for iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Windows

Samson Go Mic Portable USB Condenser Microphone

Shure MV5c Digital Condenser Microphone – All Black

If you’re ready to take the next leap, then you can get into the world of livestreaming. Livestreaming is a very popular format for reaching your fans with a “live” performance or chat — basically broadcasting to your fans. Of course, there are many options for gear. But a simple way to jump onboard is with the Roland GO:LIVECAST for smartphones. It’s got everything built into one simple unit with an input for an external microphone. It’s very cool and streamlines the livestreaming process.

If video is part of your social media strategy, then you want things to look as great as they sound. The cameras in smartphones are astounding, but any camera can benefit from better lighting. Even simply brightening up your space can really help the look of your videos. But having dedicated lighting will give you a much more “pro” look. An LED panel like the Nanlite LumiPad 25 is a huge help and quite affordable. Nanlite also makes the Halo 16 ring light, which has a built-in bracket to hold your smartphone. The IK Multimedia iRig Video Creator HD Bundle includes not only a 10″ ring light but also a condenser microphone and a 4-in-1 stand. For washes of color, consider the ADJ Mega Bar RGBA or the Chauvet SlimPAR T12.

Nanlite LumiPad 25 Soft LED Light Panel

IK Multimedia iRig Video Creator Kit

Ultimately, it comes down to having what we
need so that we can concentrate on the creative side and not always the tech
side of this endeavor. With a little bit of research and planning, you can
build a setup that you can just turn on and go when the inspiration hits and is
powerful enough to be ready for more elaborate performances as well.

Yes, you can most definitely just turn on your phone, hit record, and go. It will work. But there’s a lot of competition out there. Music is everywhere, and we’re all trying to reach our fans any way we can. Since you spent all that time and effort writing and recording your music, invest a little more time in crafting a pro-looking and -sounding social media presence. It can really pay off.

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