Promoting a Gig Without Social Media?

The music related groups of people I'm around are mostly all on SM. They follow players and bands. That's a large part of how they decide where to go see music and hang with friends.
 
"real jobs"

what does this mean?
I *think* it means a job in which you're not responsible for the outcome of the project, but you get paid nonetheless. Or maybe it's one where you get benefits like health insurance and a 401k account. Or maybe it's one in which every work day is the same as the last.
 
I'm trying to grasp how to use other platforms besides Facebook, to our advantage. (yes, I'm old) Seems most venues (bars, clubs) that we play at can't be bothered to even make a Facebook post to promote their own venues, or at least who is playing there. I'm reasonably certain they won't be doing IG, or Twitter, or anything else...

I guess I don't get it. If I'm to create an IG account, for instance, won't I need to go attracting friends, followers, (whatever they use to describe users) in order to get my posts there seen by anyone? I'm not certain that i know many folks that will use another platfrm and not at least maintain a Facebook account. I'm not against using other platforms, so long as it reaches people we don't already reach. Again I/we are old, and our primary audiences are certainly middle aged at least, so perhaps this stuff doesn't really apply to us.
I really think it's up to the venues to do the gig-date advertising and posting on SM. The band's job imho is to provide the venue with material to work with such a photo or two, a logo, and youtube links if you have anything there. All of this could be done with your website. An FB page is expected by most visitors though, and is a very easy way to put together a band web presence.
 
I *think* it means a job in which you're not responsible for the outcome of the project, but you get paid nonetheless. Or maybe it's one where you get benefits like health insurance and a 401k account. Or maybe it's one in which every work day is the same as the last.
Which is what people usually mean, but then the poster deliberately differentiated an office job from a real job, so I was confused. Office jobs are often the first thing people think of when someone says "real job."
 
That's always been a fun song. I just hope it doesn't get misinterpreted for an agenda like Neil Young's Rockin' in the Free World did at a 2015 political rally.
 
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Honestly, I would use every way possible to promote the gig. Not only the social media but also the local newspapers and some posters throughout the city – anything you have enough time/money/energy for. Social media is not as important as it used to be a few years ago, I suppose. However, people still actively use it, and ads on platforms like Instagram or Facebook are a very potent tool for attracting attention.
You can also use some Spotify promotions from https://songlifty.com/spotify-promotion/ if your music is on this platform. It will get more people to listen to your music and probably, want to learn more about the artist.
 
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Email list. Get the email addresses at gigs. Send out one email a month. Include other interesting thoughts, quotes, links, recipes in the email. Publicize more than your one band.
 
I can't be bothered to read through the whole thread. I've been making pretty good money as a Bluesman for decades now. Tried social media, learned real quick that people who spend their time on the computer aren't the same people that head out to the local bars for drinks and dancing.
Posters at the venue and on nearby streets and playing like the Devil is right behind me, that's the winning approach for me.

I'd be dead by now if I didn't know what I was doing. ;)
 
I think of social media as the 'lottery' option of retirement programs.

If you hit then great!...but don't expect it to have the probability you might think.

A firm with a track record of exposure and traceable influence is the way to go...but few will expend the proper $.

Use all avenues possible that your ethics and pocketbook allow.
 
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