As a singer-songwriter, how do you balance the need to market yourself on social networks with the fact that social networks have really annoying Terms of Service policies?
that's something I've been wrestling with. I think for me what it comes down to is that I consider facebook something I use to keep track of my friends and not potential fans, though it's hard to keep it that way. I figure I will probably lose an album sale or two for not being on facebook, but that things will work out anyway. I admit it's a little scary though when my network is almost entirely people I know in real life.
I'm hoping not being on facebook will bring my life down to earth a little bit though, and force me to network a little bit more in this new city I'm living in, and to make real connections with people face to face more often.
I basically think this. Facebook, or its replacement, seems pretty inevitable. The sheer usefulness of social networks outweighs most people’s privacy concerns.
That being said, it’s perfectly reasonable to use Facebook to organize events and network and sell CDs!
In fact, one of the first things that happens to me, when I get to a city, is that I organize some kind of get-together with the people I know there. And they bring friends who are also on Facebook. So you can add a lot of people to your “address book” pretty quickly this way. I’m sure that anyone you meet in Toronto is bound to have some kind of Facebook presence, like how LiveJournal used to be.
yes, the inevitability of such a thing does seem apparent. I think I've found a balance for it now... I think of it more like a contact page where people can find my blog and twitter and all that other stuff... you're right, it is very useful.
You can set up a separate musician/band page on Facebook. I'm not very clear on what you are worried about. We can have a conversation about the ToS if you like, but you should be using social networking sites for your career, not hiding from them. Most musicians and bands do.
I don't think many musicians actually acquire new fans through facebook anyway. I understand what you're saying, but I like to keep a decent split between personal and professional and facebook has always been personal for me. I'm pretty sure my career will be okay without facebook, especially since there is a myriad of other ways to network online.
yay, dim sum! I'll let you know the details once I figa it out. but probably 11am Sunday at the usual place. I'll get on the organizing thing tomorrow!
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I'm hoping not being on facebook will bring my life down to earth a little bit though, and force me to network a little bit more in this new city I'm living in, and to make real connections with people face to face more often.
what are your thoughts?
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That being said, it’s perfectly reasonable to use Facebook to organize events and network and sell CDs!
In fact, one of the first things that happens to me, when I get to a city, is that I organize some kind of get-together with the people I know there. And they bring friends who are also on Facebook. So you can add a lot of people to your “address book” pretty quickly this way. I’m sure that anyone you meet in Toronto is bound to have some kind of Facebook presence, like how LiveJournal used to be.
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-Dim sum is always too early for me. I'm a grad student.
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if not, let's do tea!
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You can set up a separate musician/band page on Facebook. I'm not very clear on what you are worried about. We can have a conversation about the ToS if you like, but you should be using social networking sites for your career, not hiding from them. Most musicians and bands do.
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