Instagram – Social Media or Scouting Tool?

Instagram isn’t just a platform for sharing pictures and videos; it has become a hotbed for discovering new music and talent. With millions of users sharing content every day, it’s a fantastic way for musicians to showcase their music, connect with fans, and even monetise their content. When there’s a platform that artists are thriving on, your independent label should never be too far away… Instagram can paint a really in depth picture of what the artists you are scouting are about, just be sure to make sure your label’s profile paints you in a way that you want to come across!

Strategy –

It’s all about strategy, you can start by using hashtags related to the music industry to find posts related to music or search for accounts of emerging artists and musicians and engage with their content to build a relationship. You can even utilise Instagrams targeted ads to push your label to all the right demographics, with the right strategy the artists you want may have heard of you before you even reach out!

By paying attention to the comments, likes, shares, and reposts, labels can gain insight into what songs and artists are gaining traction and popularity. This information can be valuable when scouting for potential signings and promoting new talent. The introduction of Instagram Reels has given independent labels even faster access to rising talent on the platform. Use Instagram Reels to discover new artists, promote your existing artists, and connect with fans.

Pros –

Instagram is a user-friendly platform that doesn’t require a lot of technical know-how to use. Even if you’re new to social media or scouting talent online, you can still use the platform effectively. It’s also free to set up multiple accounts, so you can use the platform to promote your artists and their music at a relatively low cost, making it an attractive option for independent labels with limited budgets.

The site has over one billion monthly active users, and many of them are young people and passionate about music. This means that there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find talented artists who might not even be on other more traditional scouting channels. When you find an artist on Instagram who you think would be a good fit for your label, you can reach out to them directly through the platform’s messaging system. This can be an effective way to start building a relationship with a potential signing without having to go through intermediaries.

They can also get a good sense of what your label is about immediately through your profile. Putting some time into growing your page is a great way to build a positive reputation that precedes you within the industry, making instagram scouting that much easier for you! Having a plan to create entertaining content will serve your scouting strategy in the long term as it will give your label far more visibility.

Cons –

Difficult to filter noise – 

Because Instagram is such a popular platform, there’s a lot of competition for attention. This means that it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd and get noticed by potential signings or fans. With so many users posting content, it can be challenging to sift through everything to find the most talented musicians and artists. This means that you’ll need to spend a lot of time searching and filtering content to find the right fit for your label. Utilising other data analytics tools such as Chartmetric to more clearly show you an artist’s performance on the site will make your process far more streamlined.

So, is Instagram scouting the answer for you? As a free platform, and with so many artists out there to find keeping it as a tool in your belt is a no brainer. Just be sure to personalise your approach so that your scouting processes are as streamlined as possible!

If you’ve found this relevant and helpful, visit Instrumental to see how we can help you further grow your label!