Music spaces and social media

City and Moon Backline

Ever thought what Facebook posts you should make for your music rehearsal space? Bandspace followed hundreds of spaces on the web over 3 months and reports back...

Focal Point

There's simply no credit given to social entrepreneurs who have often invested small fortunes and worked hard to build a music rehearsal space.

They are part of the local music ecology, along with recording studios and venues. They should therefore be acknowledged as an integral part of the music industry, in particular their critical role in developing new talent and providing pathways in to the live and recording sectors.

The Octave Rooms

Based on research following over 500 music rehearsal spaces in the UK, this article hopes to get those who manage music spaces and social media thinking about the sort of posts they can make to develop and maintain their customer base. We were not able to visit the spaces in person so we wholly relied on how well they presented themselves on Facebook.

We can summarise our findings below.

Aardvark Music Services

Regular updates

Making a variety of posts on different social media networks attracts the interest of a range of people. Regular status updates imparts the personality of your space such as offering a discount will encourage musicians to engage with your content. Including a picture along with your text attracts more attention. A short video works very well too (see the Bandspace Youtube channel for some examples).

Facebook "page"

Most spaces run a Facebook page, rather than maintaining their business presence on their personal account or a group page. Maintaining a Facebook page gives those managing them flexibility and looks professional. By selecting Artist, Band or Public Figure, then Musician/Band, gives you more options and can be managed from your personal page. Posting twice a day and no less than twice a week should help to maintain your presence. You can also allow colleagues to become admin users of the page.

Content with media gains more notice. A well taken, bright photo accompanying an announcement will gain more views than just text.

Arctic Monkeys rehearsing

Think about your audiences

Think about separating your social media accounts for your practice rooms from your other work. For example, some music rehearsal spaces also promote gigs so differentiate the audiences for your gigs (live music fans) from the musicians using your space by establishing separate pages. This means your posts will hit the right audience at the right time and will likely be more effective.

By regularly visiting the Insights page on your Facebook page will give you an idea of which posts are more popular than others.

If you also manage a recording studio, you may want to think about setting up separate pages for these because rehearsing musicians will be using your practice room more regularly than your recording studio. They are using your space for different reasons.

Goodwill

Don't underestimate the value you bring to the music world. You can generate much goodwill by offering information about the music scene based on your experience working with many bands and musicians. Goodwill will encourage those considering using your space to view your Facebook page, and hence your service, as a source of information, advice and guidance.

Honesty in your posts about any challenges you may face will help to galvanise support and loyalty. For example, users will be more likely to accommodate increases in hire rates. Your goodwill may give you an edge over your competition.

Activities

Some spaces organise activities and events such as workshops, lessons, masterclasses, clinics and open days to attract new users. This promotes the idea you are accessible, friendly and helpful, wanting to encourage more music-making. You may want to work in partnership with others to enable you to deliver this.

Positioning

Make it easy for musicians to find where you are. Include a google map on your website and FB page so new users can easily find you. Also, list available parking and public transport links. Its not just about location either. You could write a description of your local live music scene, listing the major bands past & present, to provide a tipping point to those on the periphery or new to the local music scene to join. It will also give those located further afield a sense your scene is thriving and encourage them to visit.

Maintaining and developing your audiences

You should view your timelines as part of your service and not simply a means to promote your space. This means engaging your Facebook friends in your posts. And remember, social media is a two-way conversation. Always, always, press "Like" if you have read someone else's post even if you feel indifferent about its content. This credits the source, provides positive feedback and encourages similar posts. Even better, is to leave a comment.

Video

Photos, videos, blogs and social media are all things most media-savvy music makers are using already. Research suggests websites that contain video content are generally ranked higher in Google searches. It found 85% of customers are more likely to buy a product after seeing a demonstration video. Also, 50% of visitors to your site who watch a video remember the message, while only 10% who just hear it. Many spaces have a short and snappy video introducing their facility and offer.

band rehearsal

Online gigs

For many years now, the way musicians interact with their audiences has undergone profound change. Nowadays, people watch music as much as they listen to it. Virtual gigs make use of streaming technology to broadcast live shows online from anywhere, including your home.

Broadband internet and a webcam offers music rehearsal spaces an opportunity to provide musicians the facility to stream to their audiences all the stuff that happens during a rehearsal. It can make a record of the excitement of seeing a song being created and how the arrangements come together such as what the drummer's doing and how the guitar part works with the bass. A video recording can also act as a useful document for the band members.

Traditionally, live performances have enabled musicians to attract new audiences. However, putting on gigs and tours has become more difficult, mostly due to the cost. Audience members find the convenience of attending cyber gigs easier than a real gig, reaching a worldwide audience instantly. They are, if not more, as personal as a traditional gig. The streaming platforms also host a chat facility to build a rapport with your listeners. Your cyber gig becomes a meeting place where viewers who like your music enjoy your show.

Some artists have produced their own app. The app can give the viewer a 360-degree feed of a live rehearsal. The user rotates their viewpoint around the practice room while the band plays, taking in individual performances and equipment. It can also offer an interactive element giving access to a virtual mixer so the viewer can mix a song's stems. The app can bring together video footage of documentaries and interviews, rare photos and artwork, while charging hard cash.

Using new technologies could ensure a music rehearsal space does not miss a huge aspect of what an artist is really about. Although not every artist perhaps warrants this level of content, the idea of sitting on your sofa, phone in hand, and watching a great rehearsal is an attractive one.

In the rehearsal sphere, there's often simply no record of those who work hard for musicians to enable them to create the music.

We found music rehearsal spaces most often make the following posts:

AVC Band Rehearsal Studio

Users

1. List current users of your space, particularly those bands you feel sound awesome with a pic or two eg. The Octave Rooms (Nottingham), Blue Line Studios (Bournemouth) and Big City Jacks Studios (Manchester).

Spiral Studios (Guildford) posted an attractive picture with the caption: "Let your fans know you're here", encouraging bands to promote the rehearsal space on their own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram timelines.

The AVC Band Rehearsal Studio in the Philippines has a small room with stickers plastered all over the walls used as a photographic booth. The photos are used as a record of its users. 2. List past users of your space, especially well known bands eg. Blueprint Studios (Manchester) and Bona Fide Studio (London).

The Depot

Outcomes and benefits

3. Describe the outcomes the bands using your space hope to achieve, for example, rehearsal before making a studio recording, preparing for local gigs, pre-tour production set, or for fun, etc. eg. Quay West Studios (Gosport).

4. Briefly list your services and benefits, including instrumental lessons & tuition, parking, ground floor access, storage, successes/achievements, etc with a link to your website eg. Mill Hill Music Complex (London). 5. Use photos of your space such as an external pic of your premises, your entrance area, individual rooms and equipment.

6. Photos of building, maintenance & decorating works eg. Yellow Arch Studios (Sheffield). 7. Promote available slots coming up over the next week and room availability. Don't forget to include your phone number or online calendar so you can respond to bookings quickly eg. Silver Lining Studios (Manchester), CMP Studios (Eastbourne) and Big Noise Studio (Northampton). 8. Post last minute cancellations including a discount if you mention the post eg.  Eiger Music Studios (Leeds), Lofi Studios (Glasgow), Silent Hill Studios (Guildford) and Riverside Rehearsal & Recording Studios (Kent).

Hanking Rehearsal Studio

Offers

9. Advertise special offers, concessions, gift vouchers, competitions, loyalty card & discounts for example block and last minute bookings eg. The Rock & Roll Circus (Leeds), First Avenue Studios (Newcastle), Oxygen Rooms (Birmingham), Robannas Studios (Birmingham), The Pump House Recording & Rehearsal Studios (Lincolnshire) and Stage 2 Studios (Bath). 10. Post a big thank you to all your customers, perhaps at a time to celebrate the birthday of opening your space or a calendar event such as Halloween. eg. Studio City Rehearsal Rooms (Plymouth).

11. Advertise a special event in the space eg. Swap Shop at Plug Studios (Norwich) or an instrument / equipment showcase eg. the great North East Bass Bash at Ginger Music Company (Gateshead-on-Tyne). Some spaces post details of their masterclasses and drum clinics (Absolute Music in Bournemouth) aimed at musicians.

Two spaces hosted an intimate practice room gig (Eiger Music Studios, Leeds) and RiverCity (Hertford). Yellow Bean Studios (Leicester) held an open day to celebrate the opening of a new large live room.

12. Promote any work opportunities you may be offering eg. Studio 808 (Chelmsford). Such opportunities, even if they are voluntary are usually very popular. 13. Provide an introduction to your staff to give a personal and friendly touch to your online presence eg. Cream Room Sound Productions (Hertfordshire).

Music Lab

Extras

14. Include a ground floor plan of your music rehearsal space all in the right proportions, identifying each practice room, booths, storage, walkways, doors, WC, lounge, reception, etc e.g. Miloco Studios (London) and Lofi Studios (Glasgow). 15. Posts of gear for sale or newly purchased items eg. amps, guitars, etc. Bally Studios (London) offered to purchase equipment for its customers such as mic stands, adding items to its regular bulk order, and passing on any discounts. 16. Repairs you regularly undertake to maintain your gear eg. London Road Studios (London) replace their practice rooms drum kit heads every two months. 17. Ask your users to pass on their honest comments on Facebook following a rehearsal. Perhaps they could use a star rating. Reviews are always the best way to get a feel for a place before you visit, so they're super important for the business. eg. Sound Inc Studios (Newcastle). Other posts include one from LS-Live making a new addition for the health & safety of clients - a defibrillator case - highlighting the organisation has a special in-house team trained to use this life saving equipment.

We found posts of soundcloud/iTunes tracks and Youtube videos of bands who have used a space fairly common.

The optimum times to post is probably at 5pm & 9pm on weekdays, and at weekends, also at 11am. An attractively designed logo and brand consistent across all your web, print and display platforms will help attract customers to your service.

All these pointers were collected from music rehearsal spaces over three months in 2014.

Good luck with posting.