Controlling the Social Media Narrative for Music Festivals.

Every music festival entity of every size will utilise a variety of social media channels to maximise audience engagement and leverage ticket sales. Most social media channels are interactive platforms with comments and posts possible from followers. What steps can festival organisers take to control the narrative on their social media channels to boost positive engagement.

A negative comment on a festival’s social media channel can cause reputational and brand damage, impacting adversely on potential ticket sales. It is essential that organisers take control of their social media channels and manage them effectively with the right resources. Organisers can maintain their credibility with effective crisis responses and fostering positive engagement to ensure a favourable public perception. 

Social Media Channels Usage. 
The most common social media channels used by festival entities are Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok however, each channel is best for different content types. Facebook and X allow text content with accompanying images and videos whereas TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat are more geared towards images and video content. This array of channels needs to be sensibly managed with breaking news and announcements more appropriate on Facebook and X with the other channels used for distributing artist performances and vlogs for example. Other channels can also be utilised for a different purpose and something like LinkedIn can help a festival entity communicate and engage with the business community which may include sponsors and investors. Platforms like Reddit and Quora are also worth a mention as festival-goers often create groups to discuss specific festivals. 

Content Strategy. 
Depending on the type of channel organisers should plan their content posting in advance with a detailed calendar in order to maintain momentum. A line-up announcement can be posted across all channels simultaneously but the style of post will vary depending on the format. A Facebook post may include a text announcement with imbedded links and images but an Instagram post may just be an image of the Line-up poster for example. The content plan may include some testing to judge audience reaction and some platforms allow posts to be targeted to small sample audiences so organisers can post details about potential artists and then judge audience feedback. 

Resource Management. 
A festival entity should employ a team with specialist experience of content creation and social media management. In addition to creation the team should also have someone responsible for monitoring every channel to analyse comments and quickly identify anything that is negative. There are a number of social listening tools available that can be used to automatically track mentions which will save time and money. In addition, an experienced team may have the ability to prepare pre-approved responses to common negative comments, questions or concerns for example. 

Engagement Management. 
In cases where a negative comment about the event is picked up it may be necessary for the organisers to implement some damage control depending on the seriousness of the comment. Taking action quickly ensures that the online conversation can be more easily controlled and prevents false rumors from spreading. This may include posting explanations of why something happened along with remedial action taken by the organisers. This type of clarification can help prevent any misinformation and helps organisers control the narrative more effectively. Where fans and followers make comments that are positive or neutral the content team should engage with them and re-share if appropriate. 

For festival organisers planning their next events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

Image by BiljaST via Pixabay

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