MySpace
In this day and age, social networking is one of the primary ways in which an a cappella group can interact with and expand upon its fan base. In this recurring feature, we explore how a group can best use different available technologies to promote itself.
There was a time when MySpace was the most happening social network in the Internet.
Then Facebook happened.
Nowadays, most folks think of MySpace as the space where pedophiles and emo teens go on the prowl—and even then, only out of habit, when bored, or when looking to explicitly express how anti-establishment they are by shunning Facebook.
So what use can MySpace be to today’s a cappella group?
The utility of MySpace rests with taking advantage of what remains unique about it as a platform. Though Facebook has grown more flexible over the years, MySpace remains the platform that’s most designed for customization, ranging from custom color schemes, to being able to choose a song that will autoplay upon loading your page, to setting up a playlist for visitors to experience over a period of time. The key is not to be arbitrary about how you use these opportunities. Pick a color scheme that’s easy to read rather than cool; that reflects your identity rather than the whims of whoever is tinkering with the page at a given moment. If you’re going to have a song on autoplay, pick something that puts the group’s best foot forward while, again, reflecting the group’s identity.
MySpace is built for customization and the promotion of music. Channel these strengths toward marketing of your group, and you just might be pleased with the results.