Take Your Instagram Presence Up an Octave
Platform-Elevating Tips for Classical Musicians on Instagram
By Patricia Price, Matthew Herman, and Cristina Schreil
Instagram is a powerful tool for classical musicians. With more than 500 million active daily users — 64% aged 18 to 29 — a growth rate faster than Facebook, and a robust global classical community, the photo-and video-based platform should be part of your social media presence. There are more classical musicians on Instagram than ever using it to promote music and concerts, educate, and find fans.
Amid all of those accounts, how can yours stand out? This lies in harnessing Instagram’s many features for maximum impact. Instagram has come a long way since its inception; users can now do much more than doll up photos with fancy filters. You can upload long-form videos, link to websites and products, and create interactive “stories.” It’s also easy to cross-pollinate your content with other social media profiles.
For classical musicians, there are also a few tactics for making your Instagram presence as dynamic as possible.
3 strategies for classical musicians on Instagram:
1. Remember to engage.
If you post a gorgeous photograph or an exclusive glimpse of your new music video, it doesn’t help if nobody sees it.
Jumpstart your presence by following and interacting with others. Investigate who follows other musicians similar to you, music programs and conservatories, and music publications and follow them with hopes they’ll follow back. But don’t stop there. Like and, more importantly, comment on their posts so that these accounts see you.
Post often — this site advises posting one to three times a day, though we generally feel that once-per-day is adequate. And, another found data showing that Wednesdays through Fridays are the strongest times that posts see engagement, though we find that posts on the weekends often do much better than during the work week - precisely because far fewer brands and businesses post on those days. You're up against less competition for eyeballs and engagement. Experiment! Also keep in mind that videos receive 38% more engagement than image posts and twice the amount of comments.
There’s also hashtags. Think of them as markers that connect your content to the wider network. Some hashtags classical musicians on Instagram can use include #nowplaying, #classicalmusic, #classicalmusician, #instaclassical, and instrument-specific hashtags (e.g., #harpsichord). Don’t bludgeon your caption with an onslaught of hashtags, however. Curate a few of the most relevant.
You can follow specific hashtags as well as accounts. Regularly like and comment on posts with certain hashtags.
Lastly, “stories” are more casual posts with fun features like polls, questions, gifs and stickers. Stories offer potential for interacting more personably with followers. They disappear after 24 hours, but you can save stories to your profile. For classical musicians, consider creative ways of doing this, such as grouping all your highlights on practicing Bach, or chronicles of your tour.
2. Post according to the ‘3-legged stool’ strategy.
Follow this strategy in balancing your types of content. Divide all posts — photos, videos, stories, etc. — into thirds. Check out the examples below:
1/3 self-promotional: Announcements of new albums, concerts, and tours, music videos, products you endorse, reviews
1/3 music related: Photos of sheet music or concert halls, your instruments, collaborating with or teaching other musicians, conductors, or composers who inspire you, or videos of your rehearsals, or practices
1/3 non-music related: Content capturing other things you’re passionate about: travels, hobbies, and your loved ones (and pets!). Flaunt your personality.
The 3-legged stool method leads to well-rounded, interesting content. Too much of one leg can turn off followers.
3. Aim to stun.
More than 40 billion photos and videos are on Instagram — how can you make yours effective? Even with the bells and whistles of enticing filters, making an eye-catching post with a true impression requires using as much care as you would in your craft.
Tips for crafting stunning content:
Embrace natural light for bright, clear, crisp captures. Shoot outside or near a window when possible. If you’re showcasing promotional items, such as a new album cover, concert poster, or sheet music, ensure no shadows or glares obscure relevant information.
Use appealing framing: Experiment shooting according to the rule of thirds, where the subject is not placed directly in the center of the frame. Observe Haochen Zhang’s recent beauty from Shanghai, below, as an example. Get even more creative — incorporate unique shapes.
Get up high: Finding unusual angles can take a photo or video from interesting to astounding. Take Anne Akiko Meyers’ bird’s-eye view video of a rehearsal — the angle illuminates player interactions and a grand sense of space. This tactic also led to a fascinating POV shot from Anderson & Roe, and a delicious presentation by Mahan Esfahani.
Seize movement and color: Flaunt the most exciting moments of your artistic life. Opt to include dynamic shots mid-upbow alongside posed photos. Capture colorful hues when possible.
In the end, Instagram is a vibrant, engaging way to bring your music to wider audiences. We hope this tutorial helps take your IG 8va! Follow 8VA’s Instagram.
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