Social media has become a vital part of the music industry’s marketing and promotion strategy. With the rise of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, artists and record labels have been able to connect with their audience in new and exciting ways.
However, in recent years, a new player has entered the game and is changing the way the music industry thinks about social media – TikTok.
TikTok is a short-form video-sharing app that has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion active users worldwide.
The app allows users to create and share short videos set to music, and it has become a hotbed for music discovery and promotion.
In this article, we’ll explore how TikTok is shaping the music industry’s social media strategy and what this means for artists, record labels, and music fans in Singapore and Asia.
One of the key ways that TikTok is shaping the music industry’s social media strategy is through the creation of viral challenges and trends.
These challenges often involve users creating videos set to a specific song or sound and then sharing them with their followers. When a challenge or trend goes viral, it can lead to a significant increase in streams and downloads of the featured song.
This was exemplified by the viral “Renegade” dance challenge, which was set to the song “Lottery (Renegade)” by K Camp. The challenge went viral on TikTok in early 2020, and the song went on to reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The success of “Renegade” on TikTok showed the power of viral challenges in promoting music and led to more record labels and artists creating specific challenges and trends for their songs.
In Singapore and Asia, local artists and record labels have also jumped on the TikTok bandwagon. For example, Singaporean singer-songwriter, Benjamin Kheng, used TikTok to promote his latest single, “Wicked,” by creating a dance challenge that went viral on the platform.
The challenge helped to boost the song’s popularity and led to increased streams on music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
Music Discovery
Another key way that TikTok is shaping the music industry’s social media strategy is through music discovery. The app’s algorithm is designed to show users content that is tailored to their interests and preferences, including music.
This means that users are often exposed to new songs and artists that they may not have discovered otherwise.
This has been particularly beneficial for independent artists who may not have the resources to promote their music through traditional marketing channels. TikTok has helped to level the playing field and given independent artists a platform to showcase their music and connect with fans.
In Asia, TikTok has been instrumental in promoting local music scenes. For example, in Indonesia, the app has helped to promote dangdut, a genre of Indonesian folk music, to a younger generation of music fans.
The app has also helped to promote K-pop and J-pop to a global audience, with many K-pop and J-pop songs going viral on the platform.
Fan Engagement
TikTok is also changing the way that artists and record labels engage with their fans on social media. The app’s short-form video format lends itself well to creating engaging and entertaining content that fans can relate to.
This has led to more artists and record labels using TikTok to connect with their audience and build a community around their music.
One way that artists and record labels are using TikTok to engage with fans is through live streams. The app’s live streaming feature allows artists to connect with their fans in real-time and interact with them through comments and likes.
This has become an important tool for artists to promote new music, share behind-the-scenes content, and connect with their fans on a more personal level.
In Singapore and Asia, many artists and record labels have used TikTok to connect with their fans during the COVID-19 pandemic, where live concerts and events were canceled or postponed.
For example, local music label, Universal Music Singapore, used TikTok to host a virtual music festival featuring local artists like Benjamin Kheng and Jasmine Sokko.
Influence on chart success TikTok’s influence on the music industry extends beyond viral challenges and music discovery. The app has also had a significant impact on chart success. In 2020, Billboard introduced a new chart called the “Global Excl. U.S.” chart, which tracks songs that are popular on TikTok in countries outside of the U.S.
This new chart highlights the growing influence that TikTok is having on the music industry and has led to more artists and record labels actively promoting their music on the platform. For example, in 2021, Korean boy band, BTS, released a remix of their song “Butter” specifically for TikTok, which helped to boost the song’s popularity on the app and led to increased chart success.
Revenue
Finally, TikTok is changing the way that artists and record labels generate revenue from their music. In addition to traditional revenue streams like streaming and downloads, TikTok has introduced a new way for artists to monetize their music through the use of sponsored content.
TikTok’s Creator Fund allows users with a certain number of followers to earn money through sponsored content and partnerships with brands. This has created a new revenue stream for artists and record labels, who can now earn money through sponsored content on the app.
For example, local Singaporean artist, Nathan Hartono, partnered with Pepsi to create a sponsored TikTok campaign to promote his latest single, “Dig Deep.”
Conclusion TikTok is revolutionizing the way that the music industry thinks about social media marketing and promotion. The app’s emphasis on short-form video content, viral challenges and trends, music discovery, fan engagement, and revenue generation is changing the way that artists and record labels connect with their audience and promote their music.
In Singapore and Asia, TikTok has become an important platform for promoting local music scenes and connecting with fans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the app continues to grow in popularity, we can expect to see more artists and record labels embracing TikTok as a key part of their social media strategy.
