3 Tips for Growing Your Social Media Following and Avoiding Burnout

By Devin Renspie

Whether you’ve just started trying to establish your brand on social media or you’ve recently come down with a case of social media burnout, keep reading for three tips on how to sustainably grow your online presence in a way that’s enjoyable for you.

Focus Your Efforts on What Inspires You

First and foremost, you need to make sure that your social media strategy is centered around the platforms and forms of content that feel most authentic to you and your brand. Growing your following will be much easier if you genuinely enjoy the process. Are you the type of person who expresses themselves primarily through images and aesthetics? If so, Instagram and Pinterest could be where you thrive. Are you good at creating intriguing short videos? TikTok, Instagram Reels, and even YouTube Shorts might be your zone. Whatever your strengths are when it comes to content creation, if you put some thought into it, you’ll find a gap in the market that only you can fill.

As such, the majority of your social media activity should occur on whatever platforms inspire you. If you haven’t already, experiment with posting content that covers 3-5 different topics that interest you, and assess what kind of engagement each topic gets. Adjust the scope of your content as necessary. If you have an idea of which platforms and kinds of content you enjoy partaking in and your audience responds well to, then the next step will be fairly straight-forward, and you might have even already subconsciously implemented some of it into your strategy. If you don’t, it will hopefully help you find your content’s focus! You can also check out my last blog post where I discuss a few other things you should consider when deciding on what kind of content to post.

Seek Out Inspiration

The world of social media moves too fast for you to try to conjure up completely original ideas every time you post. Thus, it’s important for you to look to other content creators to help get your creative juices flowing. Start by looking at what other creators are doing that’s getting a lot of engagement. Specifically, pay attention to a variety of other creators whose brands are similar to yours, general trendsetters of the platform, and content curators. Save or take note of any content they post that you enjoy or that speaks to you.

With the content you’ve saved, try to identify which elements of it make it work. Which aspects can you replicate and include in your own content, and which aspects do you need to change to make it fit your brand? These could be anything from the format, the topic, the tone, or the trend that the content embodies. Searching for inspiration is an ongoing process, so if you find yourself bored of browsing content on a specific platform, that may be a sign that you should shift your focus to a different one.

Make Content Specifically for Each Platform

While you should continue to be primarily concerned with posting on the couple platforms that you identified in the steps above, it is also a good idea to have at least somewhat of a presence on every current platform, as well. That way, you will be able to reach the widest possible audience. If this sounds too daunting right now, that’s okay! Many times, however, content you post on one platform can be repurposed in a way that works for other platforms, so you really don’t have to invest much more energy in this process. For instance, if you make YouTube videos, you can take snippets and post them on places like Instagram or Facebook.

However, take heed, since platforms will punish you for posting content that is not native to them and/or directs users off their sites. For example, Instagram’s algorithm will suppress TikToks that are reuploaded to Reels (side tip: editing your TikToks/Reels in a third-party app and then uploading them to each respective platform can remedy this), and Facebook’s algorithm will suppress your post if it includes a link to a YouTube video instead of a video that is uploaded natively to Facebook. Therefore, make sure to upload content natively to each platform!

Moreover, it’s important that you use each platform as intended. While it would be extremely time-consuming to be totally invested in the cultures of every current platform, you should at least know the basics of each platform you intend on using, such as the optimal aspect ratio of pictures and lengths of different types of videos on Instagram. Check out these Sprout Social guides on social media image and video specs, respectively. If you don’t take the time to learn these things, your content will likely look out of place.

Overall, if you’ve grown weary of trying to foster your social media presence, you might just need to rethink the way you go about it! Start by focusing on specific platforms and forms of content that inspire you most, and stay up-to-date with what other creators are posting to add fuel and ideas to your creative fire. Once you’ve got those steps down, start to build up your presence on other platforms while keeping your efforts centered on those platforms and forms of content that inspire you. Best of luck!

The Making of a Great EPK

by Erin Anderson

In the arsenal of tools that artists have at their disposal, EPKs are pretty important. EPK stands for electronic press kit. Years ago, artists would mail physical press kits including paper print outs of bios, full copies of CDs, and full color photos or headshots. Thank goodness it’s no longer that time consuming or expensive to put your music and face in front of managers, agents, promoters, label execs and more. These days, an EPK is a one-page website link that incorporates content and information to help business people get a full picture of the artist, their music, their accomplishments, and their branding very quickly. You can check out an example below.

Here are my top 6 tips for making a great EPK:

1. Consider your audience.

   Your EPK shouldn’t be fan facing—it’s for business people. It’s a place for bragging on yourself, sharing stats that fans don’t care about, and sharing information that is important to the agents, managers, labels and promoters. The goal of your EPK should be to use this one page to give someone, in 30 seconds, an overview of who you are and what you have done. 

2. Bullet points are neat.

   We are all overwhelmed and inundated with information. If someone opens your EPK and sees lots of paragraphs, they will immediately close it. Don’t make them work to find information. Create sections on your EPK so folks can quickly sort through your career and understand what you have accomplished. Suggested sections for bullet points: press, career highlights, touring highlights, streaming/sales highlights, and sync licensing.

3. Get the good stuff above the fold.

   I would recommend using the entire width of the website so you can pack in a lot of things before anyone has to scroll. The name of the game here is: don’t make them work for it. Have a stunning image at the top, have your music embedded to stream right there. Put the most impressive press quotes or sales highlights high up on the page. Hit them with the good stuff! You should ultimately include your bio, but put those paragraphs of information towards the bottom of the page so that people intrigued by your images, branding, audio, and career highlights can read on if interested. 

4. Put your EPK unlinked on your website.

   Let your EPK live on your website, but don’t have it linked. This means, the general population cannot navigate to your EPK from your website, BUT business people that have been sent your EPK link can choose to peruse the rest of your website if they wish.  

5. Update your EPK often.

   Much like a resume, it is helpful to always have an updated EPK ready to go in case the need arises. Every time you get a new great review, release a new song or video, or hit a career milestone, make sure to update your EPK to reflect that!  

6. Do not lie or exaggerate.

   More often than you would believe, I am sent an EPK that has a gross exaggeration or straight up lie on it. If you played at 11am at a festival where Radiohead headlined at 11pm, you did not open for Radiohead. If your track has 22K streams on it, it does not have 30K. Do not round up, do not exaggerate. That just makes business people question what else that you have told them is smoke and mirrors! 

Okay. Now that you’ve got the lay of the land, here is what I suggest you include in your EPK! This is not an exhaustive list, so get creative with what you include. Just remember: the goal is to put your best foot forward and display who you are to business people quickly. 

What should be included in your EPK? 

• Photos — this is where your branding can shine. Use professional, on-brand photos. Use more than one.

• Embedded streaming music — use Soundcloud or Youtube, NOT Spotify because people without a Spotify subscription cannot listen to an embedded Spotify playlist. Make it easy for someone to listen to your music right there on the page and listen while they read more about you. 

• Embedded music videos — include both live performance videos and regular music videos if you have them. 

• Bullet point list of career highlights (can including touring, press, streams/sales, sync, awards, etc) 

  • However, if you have enough in one category, you could break this out into further more specific sections.

• Artist Bio

5 Work-Life Balance Tips For Working From Home

By Devin Renspie

In times where much of our work and life is forced to occur in the same place, a.k.a, at home, it’s extra important to make sure your work/life balance is maintainable for you. While ultimately everyone's healthy balance will look different, here are a few tips to get you thinking about how you can make this new norm work for you.

Create a separate working space

If you’re working from home, you need a dedicated space to work from. If you have a spare room, say hello to your new office! If not, no worries! Designating a spot with a comfortable chair and enough counterspace that you can center your workspace around works, too. Having a separate space for work is critical in creating a productive work environment at home. Moreover, this separate space makes it easier to switch between work and personal time.

Make transitions to and from work

When working away from home, your commute acts as a buffer between your work time and your personal time, but when you’re working from home, you have to develop this buffer on your own. To do this, think about what your usual commute entails. Maybe that means listening to music or a podcast to mimic what you do on your drive to work, or maybe that involves walking around the block to mimic your walk to work. Whatever you choose to incorporate, make sure that you’re consistent in the amount of time you spend doing your new routine. It’s best if your evening routine is your morning routine in reverse, but ultimately, stick with what works best for you.

Find time to socialize and take breaks

Working from home can be isolating and draining, especially if you’re used to breaking up your workday with the casual interactions that working at an office can bring. To combat the loneliness that working from home can bring, make an effort to reach out to your colleagues a few times a day. At Olivia Management, we have a #random Slack channel where we can talk about anything non-work related, which helps to encourage these casual chats that would usually occur in the office.

Taking regular breaks can also help if working remotely has been leaving you drained. The Pomodoro Technique recommends taking short, 3-5 minute breaks between 25 minute work sessions. After four pomodoros, take a longer, 15-30 minute break before beginning the cycle again. Even if you just use this time to get up and stretch, taking breaks can help your motivation last throughout the day and boost your time management and organization skills.

Disconnect outside of work hours

In the spirit of keeping routines around your work, make sure you stick to your set work hours. You might be tempted to work later into the night than you normally do since you no longer have a commute to worry about, but doing this is a slippery slope to having work take over your entire day. To further separate your work from your personal life, consider disconnecting from the channels you use to communicate for work in the evenings and on the weekends. For me, this means putting my Slack on do not disturb outside of my work hours.

Plan out your down time

Even with the above tips, you might still struggle with separating your work life from your personal life when working from home. That’s why it helps to plan out your downtime so that you’re more motivated to get off of work on time. Maybe that looks like going for an after-work walk, catching an episode of a show you like, going to the grocery store, cooking dinner, or FaceTiming with friends or family. Plan to do something that takes your mind off of work for a while. Bonus points if that something involves a change of scenery, since it’s easy to forget that there’s a whole world out there!

Healthy Ways to Spend Our Time

By Jackie Minton

 With COVID—19 on the move, suddenly we are not. Each day more schools, offices, workplaces, and venues are calling off their plans or trading face to face contact for the internet. Hand washing and social distancing are on the forefront of our community’s conscience. In this time of being tempted to despair, let’s not let loneliness be the undisputed answer. Here are a few healthy and safe ways to spend the precious day we’ve been given! Let’s not take it for granted. For official information regarding the virus, follow this link.

Call Mom

As Ben Rector wisely put it, “she’s the only mother that you have.” If calling mom isn’t an option—or you just got off the phone. Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while! Catch up and listen. How often we wish we had more time for these simple things.

Get Some Exercise 

Now is the time! If going outside is a safe option, take a walk. If not, move the couch over and find a simple work out video on YouTube. Pilates and yoga are great options that do not require a lot of space. Follow along and go easy on yourself! If you’re quarantined with a roommate or family member, make this a group activity (6 feet apart :D)! 

Read That Book

Yes, that one. The one that has been sitting on your shelf, that you’ve been meaning to get around to. Balance your screen time by rewarding time spent reading with an episode of your favorite TV show. You won’t regret this one.

Listen to Something New

Ask your friends what’s tunes have lifted their spirit and what podcasts have challenged their mindset. Never taken a deep dive into jazz? Checkout the discography of Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. Ever wondered why your friend was so fired up about an artist? Ask for their top 3 tracks and give them an attentive ear.

Get Creative

Do you have an instrument in your house you’ve always wanted to play? Look up instructional videos and set aside half an hour each day to picking it up. Not the musical type? Make a work of art! Follow a long a sketch video, learn how to imitate calligraphy, write a poem. Now is not the time for perfection, but for fun!

Share Your Discoveries

Authenticity can be the hardest thing to find on social media these days. Share your thoughts, your readings, and maybe even your new artistic work! Your loved ones will be glad to hear from you and to see something breaking up their feed of unproductive worry. 

“If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

— C.S. Lewis, "On Living in an Atomic Age" (1948)

Photo by Da Kraplak from Unsplash

From all of us at Olivia, cheers to the day at hand!

C.S. Lewis quote is from his essay, “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)