Misuse of the argument “It’s what your fans want.”
Occasionally a “marketing expert” suggests I do some social media gimmick with my clients. “Tell people to post in the comments which type of kitchen tile best fits the band. You will see a spike in the social media stats.”
My response is usually, “Thank you for the suggestion (translation = Are you insane?), but I don’t think we want do that.”
And here is where they really go off the rails. They say, “It’s not about what you want. It’s about what your fans want.”
Why they are wrong…
First, I am one of those fans. I am a music fan and a fan of the band in question. And speaking from the perspective of a fan, I find that kind of content boring and amazingly dumb. This might seem like a radical perspective, but I would rather read about a band’s music, their recording process, etc.
Second, a spike in social media stats does not mean it is what the fans want. It means it is what the algorithm wants. And the algorithm is not a fan. The algorithm will never buy concert tickets, merchandise, or an album. The algorithm will never listen to their music. The algorithm will never develop an emotional connection to a song. The algorithm will never feel compelled to play air guitar when the solo kicks in.
Create content for people – actual fans – not algorithms.
Hire me to work with your band