How To: Build Your Community Using TikTok Comments
When you think of building a community as a musician, you might picture yourself hanging out at the merch table after your set or taking photos with fans behind the decks. Although it’s not quite as glamorous as all that, social media is a great place to engage with your fan base.
Socials are more than just somewhere to post your music; they’re a two way street, and offer a space to build meaningful connections with your listeners. But there’s a big difference between posting bland one word replies and really building a community using social media comments.
Below, we’ll cover a few tips for converting fans into superfans, engaging on social media in a way that’s safe for everyone, and using comments to gauge how people respond to your music.
Why Does Responding to Comments Matter?
There are all sorts of things you can do to nurture your community on social media, but responding to comments is one of the quickest and easiest ways to do so. Here’s why:
It Shows Appreciation
When fans take the time to comment on your posts, they’re showing they care about your music. Responding to them shows that you care about them too. It’s a simple act of recognition, but one that can turn casual listeners into lifelong supporters.
It Humanises You
Engaging with comments reminds your audience that there’s a real person behind the music. Although that might not stop the trolls (ugh), it breaks down barriers and means you seem more approachable. That makes you relatable and encourages fans to share their honest opinions.
It Boosts Visibility
A cynical point to jump to right after talking about being human(!), but worth mentioning from a business point of view: social media algorithms favour posts with high engagement. The more you interact in the comments, the more likely your posts will be pushed out to a wider audience.
It Creates Community
When people see you engaging with others who have commented, it makes them more likely to join the conversation. Over time, you’ll build a vibrant, interactive community that you can nurture using reposts, shoutouts, polls, and all sorts of other conversational techniques.
How to Engage with Fans Effectively
There’s no silver bullet for replying to comments on social media, but there are a few best practices that are worth bearing in mind when engaging with fans. Let’s check them out:
Respond Quickly When You Can
Timing matters. It’s worth setting aside 15 or 20 minutes after you post to interact with comments because that’s when engagement is at its highest. Replying quickly shows you’re actively engaged, rather than just broadcasting something then bailing immediately.
Personalise Your Responses
Generic replies like “thanks!”, “#blessed”, or even the dread thumbs up emoji 👍 aren’t going to inspire much excitement from commenters. Tailor your response to what people write, but make sure you keep it professional and don’t encourage any behaviour you find inappropriate.
Example:
Fan: “This song got me through a tough time.”
You: “That means the world to me. So glad it resonated, keep your head up! 🙏”
Highlight Fan Contributions
When a listener shares something special with you, be it a piece of fan art or a video set to your music, consider sharing it (when appropriate) on your social media and credit them. There’s a Nothing,Nowhere lyric that goes “I got fans getting tats of my logo” and, ever since that release, frontman Joseph Mulherin posts every inspired tattoo fans send him on his Insta story.
Encourage More Interaction
When you can, keep the conversation going rather than closing people down or leaving them on read. Those algorithms love to see engagement, and comment threads are an easy way to encourage that. You might even get some great gems from one of those follow-up questions.
Example:
Fan: “Love this track! Are you coming to NYC?”
You: “Soon, I hope! Any venue recommendations? 👀”
Engage Beyond your Own Comments
While you can’t be everywhere at once, dropping in on fans’ posts when they tag you or share content about you is a great way to make somebody’s day. Artists like Taylor Swift and Ethel Cain (presumably the only time you’ll see them grouped together…) both used Tumblr to great effect, dropping unexpected comments or messages and re-blogging posts by listeners.
What to Avoid When Engaging with Fans
As great as social media can be for finding your people, there are a few things to watch out for when you’re using TikTok, X, or YouTube to keep in touch with your community:
Dwelling on Negative Comments
Engaging with trolls who have nothing nice to say isn’t worth your time; just block and move on. Constructive criticism or thoughtful feedback, on the other hand, deserves a response. Be as graceful and professional as possible, try to see where they’re coming from, then move on.
Ignoring Common Questions
It can be irritating to get the same questions over and over again: “Are you touring soon?” “When’s the next release?” “Do you have merch?” But just blanking people isn’t a good look. Address common queries in a post, FAQs, or pinned comment, and direct folks there.
Stay out of the DMs
Here we’re really advising caution around a very specific type of fan interaction. Don’t say anything to your listeners in a DM that you wouldn’t be comfortable sharing with the world. Because, as we’ve all seen in recent years, that’s definitely one way people get put on blast.
Don’t Get Burnt Out!
No-one is saying that you have to reply to every single comment that comes your way. In fact, it’s healthy to set boundaries around when and how often you reply to avoid burnout. Interaction is important, but it should never feel forced or come at the expense of your own mental health.
Benefits of Engaging with Your Fanbase
While the rise of "stan" culture, fan accounts, and subtweeting hasn’t always been a good thing for artists, it does demonstrate one thing: if fans feel valued, they get personally invested in your musical journey. They’ll share your music, buy your merch, and show up to your shows.
And, when people on social media share their positive interactions with you, it encourages others to engage. That ripple effect can help to expand your fanbase organically – it’s much better to be known as a down-to-earth artist than one who’s aloof, a diva, or a prima donna.
Last but not least, comments on social media are a source of feedback that remains untapped way too often. They reveal what fans love about you and your music, what they’re hoping to see from you next, and can even tell you whether your merch is high quality or your tour tickets are fairly priced. You can use all of that feedback to shape your future content and strategy.
Making music isn’t all about the money (for most artists, at least!); it’s about putting out material you can be proud of. Seeing positive reactions on social media in real time can be massively rewarding, and even a short reply can turn a casual listener into a lifelong supporter who champions your music. So, the next time your fans leave comments, don’t just scroll past them.
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Head back to the un:hurd app for more tools and resources to help you engage with your audience, measure the success of your newest track(s), and much more.
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