Can superfan and community strategies coexist?
Thanks to Gen Z, we can now forsake our cherished fan funnels.
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Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Can superfan and community strategies coexist?
Gen Z doesn’t care about traditional marketing funnels as they progress from discovering music to becoming loyal fans.
Why it matters
Most strategists use marketing funnels when crafting campaigns. We nurture fans almost linearly in music, from casual listeners to superfans.
However, Gen Z isn’t playing by our old rules. An interesting read in Vogue Business suggested that Gen Z prioritises community engagement over individual fandom, making marketing funnels obsolete when strategising campaigns.
This shift could fundamentally alter how artists connect with their audience. Understanding and adapting to this new paradigm is valuable for music artists.
How it works
Gen Z's journey from discovery to loyalty is not linear but rather an ‘infinite loop’ of inspiration, exploration, community, and loyalty.
Inspiration: Gen Z discovers music primarily through social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. These platforms offer immediate visual context and sharing functionalities.
Exploration: Gen Z conducts thorough research before buying. They use social media as search engines, looking for reviews, unboxing videos, and user-generated content.
Community: Gen Z values brands that make them feel part of a community. Their favourite brands foster a sense of belonging.
Loyalty: For Gen Z, loyalty isn't just about repeat purchases - or streams. It can mean telling friends about the artist, loving it without purchasing, or following on social media.
The focus has shifted from cultivating superfans to creating a comprehensive ‘brand universe’ with multiple touchpoints.
Yes, but..
Superfans can still play a crucial role within communities, acting as influencers and content creators who inspire others in the engagement loop.
Besides, Gen Z is an important demographic, but not the only demographic. Balancing community-building strategies with more traditional superfan cultivation may be vital.
Take action now
First, artists could read the original article. Next, artists could devise strategies to anticipate the ‘infinite loop’ of inspiration, exploration, community, and loyalty. For example, artists could:
Identify existing superfans and nurture them into community leaders and content creators.
Develop spaces for fans to connect, such as Discord servers.
Share fan-created content to provide social proof and enhance community engagement.
Develop more ways for fans to engage with the artist brand. Think out of the box.
Your thoughts
Further reading
Gen Z broke the marketing funnel (Vogue Business)
How to use pirate metrics to set up a fan journey (The Fanbase Builder)
People discover music through social media (The Fanbase Builder)
For Gen Z, music is its own social media (Fast Company)
Why video shares are crucial for creators on TikTok and Instagram (The Fanbase Builder)
Why artists should stop mentioning their genre (The Fanbase Builder)
Why artists should comment on other artists’ posts (The Fanbase Builder)
How artists can learn more about their best fans (The Fanbase Builder)