grow until her next record comes out. Then, when it does come out, she’ll have more people to plug into.” So, with a CV brimming with industry experience, what was the appeal of a move outside to a social media platform?
“Instagram is the platform that artists are most personal with,” she explains. “More often that not, artists don’t allow their wider teams to login to their Instagram and post content. They want a pure connection with their fans and they want to communicate content that is truly authentic. Seeing the way many of these artists use Instagram in such a personal way has been absolutely fascinating to me. I want to maintain and grow that, because it is one of the most meaningful ways to engage with fans, and that will ultimately lead to career growth for so many of these people.”
With artists of all shapes and sizes now snapping selfies and posting videos round the clock, dividing her time among those vying for her expertise is one of the biggest challenges Wirtzer-Seawood faces. The platform currently picks up some 700 million users and sees over 95m photos and video posted every day. “I speak to managers and labels on a regular basis and I try to allocate a good amount of time on a weekly basis to meet with new artists,” she comments. “Often, managers or labels will sign an artist and want them to come in and hear my thoughts about how they should use Instagram. Those are some of the most special opportunities I have. I definitely feel most rewarded working with that emerging talent.” How then does a fledgling artist join the presumably endless queue of acts banging on the door for a pearl of Wirtzer-Seawood wisdom?
“A lot of the time those connections are made by managers who have signed new artists and are looking to help them grow,” she says. ”I try to meet as many people as possible because I believe there are some general tips that we can share that can really impact the way new artists use the platform. I often talk about best practices, such as authenticity, and why it’s so important to post content that is actually coming from you. Music fans and social media users these days are very smart and they can tell when content is being posted by somebody else.
“I’ll talk about how to best promote a show on Instagram. Traditional promo flyers don’t necessarily work – engagement on those types of posts tend to be really low. A post of the artist just taking a selfie or a video telling fans where they are going to be, or how excited they are about the show will generally lead to a lot more interest.”
While Instagram is no doubt an effective way of providing fans with a constant flow of content, many will be wondering what the real, tangible benefits of using the platform are from a business
MUSIC Week
perspective. For Wirtzer-Seawood, a well-maintained account is one of the most valuable assets in an artist’s arsenal nowadays.
“Instagram is one of the most valuable tools to connect with those who will ultimately spend money on the artist,” she insists. “A lot of third-party vehicles that previously used to connect with audiences are not going to get you the same amount of interest as an Instagram post. And when you build a fanbase and have a significant amount of people engaged with your content, you are able to tell them instantaneously what your new single is, when your new album is out, where you are performing, what merch you want them to buy. It’s the most meaningful way to connect directly with people and galvanise them when you have something you want them to participate in.”
case of The Weeknd, he has a recent deal with H&M so he’s included some external links to drive people to his H&M collection.”
Due to the more personal nature of Instagram, Wirtzer-Seawood says labels and companies are being predominantly educated on how best to interact with the platform simply by observing the way their artists are using it. It appears, according to her, that the best way of getting to grips with, and indeed getting the best out of the platform, is to make the most of each of its growing number of features.
“Instagram is one of the most valuable tools to connect with fans, who will ultimately spend money on the artist” LAUREN WIRTZER-SEAWOOD
In several instances, high-profile stars have demonstrably transformed their Instagram posts into cold, hard cash by using their account to subtly push merchandise and market additional revenue streams. “There has been a huge number of artists using external links in Stories, so in Stories posts our verified accounts are able to include a link that will take the user to another site where they can purchase something,” she says. “I’ve heard a huge amount of positive reaction from partners that have used those links. They are seeing amazing returns on the ability to sell merch through those links, whether it’s to drive fans to Spotify or Apple Music or to buy merch. In the
“Artists have been leading the way,” she notes. “Often labels are using that as inspiration for how to better use Instagram and build their strategy. A lot of times artists are using Instagram themselves, and in doing so they’ve been able to lay the groundwork, and the industry has quickly followed. Particularly now that Instagram has so many features and there are so many ways to share content. It’s become easier for the industry to wrap its head around the different ways of using it.”
It’s not just artists and labels that Wirtzer-Seawood has been working with. Increasingly, the platform is being utilised as a key tool in the live events space, from gigs and festivals to major awards shows. “We work with bigger events and festivals to help them think about how best to use Instagram,” says Wirtzer-Seawood. “Particularly for a festival where a large part of your Instagram audience might not be there. We’re spending a lot of time thinking through the impact of those events and how to help reach as big an audience as possible.”
With our time almost up, Wirtzer-Seawood discusses the various challenges and opportunities facing Instagram in a market that continues to evolve at an ever-increasing rate.
“There are huge opportunities around Instagram Live,” she states. “It’s interesting to see how artists have used Live to interact with fans, both on a whim and in a planned moment. Being able to talk to fans in real-time on Live has been something many have found to be beneficial. Take someone like Calvin Harris, who doesn’t do a lot of press. He’s taken to Live to answer fans’ questions. I think you’ll see a lot more artists using Live in interesting ways as they think about how they want to roll out their album from a creative standpoint.
Selfie portrait: (Clockwise from top left): Beyoncé, Taylor Swift with Selena Gomez, Stormzy, Coldplay
“The biggest challenge is that I ‘d like to help as many artists as possible, but we’re a small team and this is a global product, and I can’t help everyone I’d like to.” Though there may be challenges ahead, Wirtzer-Seawood says there are no limits to how big Instagram can grow. While the big social media players continue to add new features, it’s hard to see many offering a more immediate, personal way of connecting, and indeed, selling to fans. In a market where the lines between the industry and the digital world are increasingly blurred, the future of Instagram and its place within the biz is being pulled ever more into focus.
MAY 01 15
CREDIT: Instagram
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