How To: Build a Superfan Strategy 

Many of today’s biggest artists, and plenty of up and comers too, are where they are today thanks to their superfans. The ones who stream their songs on repeat, buy tickets to every show, wear their merch with pride, and engage with every social post they make.

For us mere mortals, that might sound like a pipe dream. But, with the right strategy in place, we think it’s possible to identify listeners who have superfan potential and nurture them to the next level. In other words, to turn people from fans into stans. (We’re choosing to go with a positive reading here and ignore the red flags from the original Eminem vid!)

In this post, we’ll guide you through practical strategies to identify listeners with the potential to amplify your brand, celebrate their appreciation, and turn their loyalty into a mutually rewarding relationship. You’ll have your own fandom name before you know it…

Benefits of a Super Fan Plan

Let’s start by talking about the advantages of being a musician, band, or DJ who has legitimate superfans, because some of them are obvious but some of them are less so:

• Stronger Loyalty – Your fans will stick with you through thick and thin, and tend to be more patient than a typical listener while they’re waiting for your next release.
• Word-of-mouth Growth – Super fans love to talk about their favourite artists, and will naturally spread the word about your music to anyone who will listen to them!
• Increased Revenue – Bit of a cynical take, perhaps, but it’s true. Super fans are more likely to buy tickets, merch, and other premium content you put out.
• Source of Feedback – They’re great to turn to for early reactions. As much as they love you, they’re actually more likely to be honest with you than casual listeners.
• Deeper Connections – From an artistic standpoint, there’s nothing quite like your message resonating with dedicated listeners. That can be really rewarding!

When you engage with your fans in a way that’s consistent and authentic, even as your music career takes off, they feel appreciated. And, when that happens, they become your biggest advocates and will support you in ways that elevate your career to new heights.

Creating a Strategy to Build your Fan Base

Now it’s time to talk about turning your listeners from fans to fam, because there’s a little more to it than just being nice and down to earth (although that’s a great start). Let’s get into it:

Step 1: Identify your super fans

Before you can truly embrace fandom among your listeners, you need to know who you’re looking for. Watch out for these key indicators of potential super fans:

• Whenever you post, they quickly comment on and/or share your content
• They’re first in the queue for merch drops and preorder releases
• They attend multiple shows (look out for banners!) or travel to see you live
• You see them actively engaging in conversations about your music on social media

Some social platforms even highlight top commenters and super fan status for you.

Step 2: Create exclusive content and perks

For super fans and stans, it’s all about connection. Explore different ways to offer people something exclusive that will help them feel seen and encourage them to keep engaging.

Ideas for exclusive content:

• Give them a peek behind the scenes with raw, unpolished moments from tour life
• Offer an early look at new music from the studio or advance notice of releases
• Host Q&A sessions, acoustic sets, or exclusive live streams for ardent fans

Step 3: Reward loyalty

It’s never too early to show your appreciation to the folks who are supporting your music, and there are easy ways to reward them for that support with personalized experiences: 

• Offer early-bird discount codes for tickets or merch to newsletter subscribers
• Highlight super fans in reposts and Stories, or thank them during live streams
• Make them feel like a VIP with tiered packages that include meet and greets before or after the show, soundcheck access, or pieces of signed merch

Example: You see a fan with a banner that says they travelled 200 miles to be there. Find an opportunity to sign it for them or shout them out on your socials after the show is over.

Step 4: Build a community around your fans

As much as your fans love your music, they also love connecting with others who share their passion for it. By fostering a sense of community – just look at Swifties and their friendship bracelets – you create stronger bonds between them and your music.

Ways to build community:

• Create a dedicated space on Facebook, Reddit, or Discord where fans can interact
• Encourage the use of hashtags for listeners to share their fan art or experiences
• Run contests or interactive challenges that encourage collaboration and teamwork 

Step 5: Stay in touch 

Your biggest fans want to feel like they’re on your musical journey with you, and regular communication with them is one of the best ways to build that sense of connection.

Ideas for communicating with fans:

• Use email newsletters to share updates and personal stories with subscribers
• Respond to comments and DMs (but keep it professional), even if only briefly
• Post anecdotes or candid shots from your adventures on Instagram Stories
• Include handwritten notes in some merch orders for an extra-special touch

Step 6: Leverage their support

Fans make fans make fans. What we mean by that is that your super fans are natural advocates for your music, so it makes sense to give them tools to help spread the word.

How to empower super fans:

• Create content – graphics, clips, wallpapers, etc. – that’s inherently shareable
• Use street teams or ambassador programs to enlist their help promoting your music
• Distribute posters or stickers that fans can use to identify each other in the wild

Step 7: Celebrate your fans publicly

Acknowledge your super fans, giving them centre stage from time to time, to strengthen how they feel about you; it’ll encourage others to engage in the hopes of being noticed too.

Hype up your listeners:

• Dedicate a post or Story to highlight pieces of fan art or stories they’ve sent you
• Call out super fans or Patreon supporters in album liner notes or during live shows
• Streaming on Twitch or YouTube? Shout out your most loyal fans and thank them

There’s no hard and fast recipe for creating superfans; you can never predict which artists people will latch on to, but the above is a good place to start. Above all, stay humble and never take your fans for granted. You wouldn’t be where you are today without them.

Want to build stronger relationships with your fans?

Head back to the un:hurd app to explore tools and resources for connecting with your biggest fans, analysing what’s helping you grow, and much more.

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