Myspace, Facebook, Bebo, private website etc. What are they doing for you these days?

frobisher

I used to love myspace, now I barely trust anything on it and the captcha coding makes sense for stopping spammers but makes it a pain in the posterior to use. Facebook I like. But for the reasons I like it, privacy/small networks/subtle ads, it doesn't lend itself to music or business promotion that great, even when you pay. So what is everyone round here getting out, and putting into, these sites?

And what about your own private website? I'm in the middle of making a new one and it got me wondering about how effective they are at turning browsers into fans who will reach into their pockets. Not very good is my guess, unless the browser has seen or heard you elsewhere or you've been recommended by a friend. And sure that method was round before in the internet. So is the digital grapevine out there and is it empowering independent artists in the way that we hoped and that 000's of articles told us it would be?

studiorat

I know what you mean. We got a website made up recently by a french company and it was absolutely crap, an obvious mass produced job and very little in the way of the ability for us to manage content without having to pay each time. I've seen better laid out blogspot pages, naturally we binned it immediately. Only after getting a phone call 2 months later giving me the exact same sales pitch that they were looking for a studio site to make up as an example for other studio business. Wannkers! Hoping to get another set up again soon.

We are mainly using the myspace site for a point of contact. I set up myspace years ago firstly just to keep in touch with friends. But it soon became just a big advertising space for all sorts. It was originally to keep in touch with some folks in the states and it was interesting to see the Dublin "scene" appear on it bit by bit. It looked like a night out with the "cool crowd" on Wexford street at one stage.

Facebook I try and keep purely for people I actually know or have met and as such am reluctant to do too much advertising on it. Though I expect that may go the way of myspace eventually.

Bebo I use purely for grooming young girls and boys.

dav nagle

studiorat wrote: »

I know what you mean. We got a website made up recently by a french company and it was absolutely crap, an obvious mass produced job and very little in the way of the ability for us to manage content without having to pay each time. I've seen better laid out blogspot pages, naturally we binned it immediately. Only after getting a phone call 2 months later giving me the exact same sales pitch that they were looking for a studio site to make up as an example for other studio business. Wannkers! Hoping to get another set up again soon.

We are mainly using the myspace site for a point of contact. I set up myspace years ago firstly just to keep in touch with friends. But it soon became just a big advertising space for all sorts. It was originally to keep in touch with some folks in the states and it was interesting to see the Dublin "scene" appear on it bit by bit. It looked like a night out with the "cool crowd" on Wexford street at one stage.

Facebook I try and keep purely for people I actually know or have met and as such am reluctant to do too much advertising on it. Though I expect that may go the way of myspace eventually.

Bebo I use purely for grooming young girls and boys.

God we have so much in common and Brewer he is a bigtime groomer!


Bebo = small conversion rate but good exposure
Myspace = useless spam site
Good Website = good conversion
Facebook = Great for networking with friends and new friends

11811

Must say, Myspace is doing a bit for the band I'm in, we have managed to get quite a few gigs out of it - including a mini-tour of scotland next month. So I guess its not too bad, there is a lot of spam and crap out there, but we're careful about who we add to our friends and what not.

Just started using facebook recently, so cant really comment,although the event invitations I like.

Don't bother with Bebo - load of crap IMO, just kids and spam.

frobisher

11811 wrote: »

Must say, Myspace is doing a bit for the band I'm in, we have managed to get quite a few gigs out of it - including a mini-tour of scotland next month.

And is that from actively seeking out people and asking them to get involved or they just come to you through myspace?

11811

Bit of both really, mainly from ourselves checking out venues and bands and just emailing them about putting on shows etc, have one or two bands approach us on Myspace as well about gigs etc, usually we kind of suss them out before committing to anything, but so far its all working out.

PaulBrewer

I think of MySpace as a Golden Pages of Music. Everyone's there.

I've used it to contact Pros I might have a professional interest in, (Greg Haver, Jagz Kooner, Cocknbullkid, LogicToolbox)

Through LogicToolbox I'm involved in a studio project in the south of Spain, directly out of an initial MySpace meeting.

Greg Haver (Manics, Super Furry Animals, Lost Prophets) is now a regular user of Joe's Studio - in fact starts his 3rd project there next week.

Cocknbullkid is one of the artists I think is going to crack it this year. We've been in contact with her management about coming over to record.

We've also gotten quite a bit of local work through MySpace too.

Artists like Mike Skinner of www.the-streets.co.uk/ obviously rate MySpace - click the link to find out why.

Esser's MySpace is also very dynamic.

http://www.myspace.com/esserhq

BBC 6 Music's Tom Robinson's 'Introducing' Show is based on finding bands on MySpace

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/tom_robinsons_introducing/manifesto.shtml


I keep in contact with music acquaintances through Facebook, especially those who don't live in Ireland. It's great for keeping in touch with what
everyone's at.


Bebo is more of a kids Facebook, but obviously has it's use - the iTunes Free Single Saturday has turned up some gems there - Ladyhawke being one. I bought the album because that.

Twitter is another interesting development - Again Mike Skinner's Tweets often lead to his skinnermike blog where there can be new Streets tracks and SkinnerMixes to download.

Jimmy Eat World are another band who utilise Twitter - on their recent tour they tweeted many live tracks from that tour (through TweetFM I think it's called) and general chit chat and photos (Twitpic).

What's of interest to me is the fact that anyone is on an virtually even playing field regarding these new media - at least from the point of view of content.

If you have imagination your MySpace can be as good as anyone's.

Turning that into sales is a different matter entirely ...

PaulBrewer

studiorat wrote: »

Bebo I use purely for grooming young girls and boys.

You've started doing girls too?

Savman

studiorat wrote: »

Bebo I use purely for grooming young girls and boys.

Gotcha. SWAT team, move in.

PMI

Im using for:

Band:

Website
Myspace
facebook
Bebo
Twitter

Studio:

Website
Myspace
Bebo
Google Ad's (great little toy and you decide pricing)

Thats all at the moment and its working pretty well, I dont claim to be a web designer but I do all my own graphics and websites so helps keep prices down....

When you think about it, its free so why not.... it cant hurt you if done correctly even if it only brang in one person its paid for itself

I would like links but dont wanna be slapped on the wrist for advertising here too

studiorat

PMI wrote: »

I would like links but dont wanna be slapped on the wrist for advertising here too

Go on, purely for an illustrative purpose you understand;)

frobisher

Put the links in the the pimp your services thread then link to them. Et voila....

seannash

put the links in your sig.i think thats what most people do

PMI

gone without a sig and just fired in the pimp post, I feel naked now haha...

seannash

dont think anyone has mentioned soundcloud.its largely dance music based but im sure bands will pick up on it soon.its getting pretty big in the dancemusic community with many labels using it for demo submissions and finding new talent.

http://soundcloud.com/

plus the interface is absolutely brilliant,lets you upload wavs for playback too so nomore myspace player problems