This document provides a social media marketing plan for the bluegrass band Blue Mafia. It outlines objectives to increase followers and engagement on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For Facebook, it recommends focusing on generating airplay, engaging fans, and promoting tours. Suggestions include customizing the profile, tagging radio stations that play their music, and asking fans to request songs. For Twitter, it recommends sharing pre/post-show content. Instagram should showcase the band's personal side with photos from travel. Overall branding should be consistent across platforms.

1. Victoria Shaw
INTERN AND MARKETING CONSULTANT | JUNE 2015
Social Media
Marketing Plan
CREATED FOR BLUE MAFIA BLUEGRASS BAND

2. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Use of Marketing Plan ...................................................................................................................................................2
Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................................2
Social Media Objectives.................................................................................................................................................3
Facebook...................................................................................................................................................3
Other Social Media....................................................................................................................................3
Other Key Marketing Opportunities .........................................................................................................3
Application Overview ....................................................................................................................................................4
Facebook Application................................................................................................................................4
Generating Airplay................................................................................................................................5
Engaging Fans........................................................................................................................................5
Promoting Concerts, Tours, Festivals, and Albums...............................................................................6
Twitter Application ...................................................................................................................................8
Best Tweeting Practices ........................................................................................................................8
Specific Applications .............................................................................................................................8
Instagram Application...............................................................................................................................9
Tools for Visual Appeal .........................................................................................................................9
Caption and HashTags.........................................................................................................................11
Analytics..............................................................................................................................................11
Concluding Remarks From Victoria Shaw....................................................................................................................12
Works Cited .................................................................................................................................................................12

3. 2
OVERVIEW
USE OF MARKETING PLAN
The following marketing plan was created for the exclusive use by the Blue Mafia bluegrass
band and its management under Eric Lindley. The report is based off of industry interviews,
research, and guided recommendations. There is no requirement to enact any or all parts of the
plan, and the plan does not guarantee a specific result. This marketing plan is not to be shared
with any record labels, bands, outside management, or other entities without permission from
the creator, Victoria Shaw, as it is considered her intellectual property. Acceptance and
enactment of any or all parts of this plan is considered consent and agreement to the
aforementioned guidelines.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This social media plan details suggestions to increase social media engagement across the
platforms of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Recommendations are tailored to the
overarching goals set forth by Blue Mafia: an increase in radio play, albums sold, and bookings.
In the Facebook platform, suggestions are made for ways to generate airplay, promote live
events, and increase fan engagement. In addition, the goals set forth for Twitter and Instagram
are backed by practical advice for increasing post visibility, based on industry research,
interviews, and personal experience. All research is credited at the end of this report.

4. 3
OBJECTIVES
SOCIAL MEDIA OBJECTIVES
The following objectives were outlined by manager, Eric Lindley, and based up the current
social media statistics in April 2015. The key goals of the objectives are to:
 Increase the number of Radio Plays
 Increase the number of Albums Sold
 Increase number of Bookings
FACEBOOK
Increase Facebook followers from 2,907 to 6,000 by 5/30/16
Increase Facebook followers from 6,000 to 10,000 by 5/30/17
OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA
Provide recommended objective for increasing the number of Twitter followers by benchmarks
of 5/30/16 and 5/30/17
Provide recommended objective for increasing the number of Instagram followers by the
benchmarks of 5/30/16 and 5/30/17
OTHER KEY MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES
Use of social media to drive airplay on satellite and FM radio stations
Use of social media during summer festival season
Use of social media during the IMBAs
Use of social media to promote publicity from outside sources (such as reviews and articles)

5. 4
RECCOMENDATIONS
APPLICATION OVERVIEW
In order to best increase social media engagement with fans, it is important to make sure each
social media is unique, as to not create repetitive accounts.
Blue Mafia’s Facebook account should be primarily used to generate airplay, engage fans, and
promote tours. Since the majority of the band’s social media followers use Facebook, the
majority of effort should be placed on this account.
The brevity of tweets make Twitter the ideal tool for posting pre, during, and immediate post-
show content. Fans are able to easily interact with these updates as well.
Finally, Instagram should be used to capitalize on the personal side of the band by posting
pictures during travel, rehearsals, events, etc.
Even though each account should have unique features, the overall visual branding of the
accounts needs to be the same in order for fans to recognize they have found the right account
(this is important since your Twitter “handle,” or username, is different from Facebook and
Twitter). Finding one general color scheme, and logo would be advised. The current Instagram
logo really embodies the feel of the band and could be used for Twitter and Facebook. Or a
iconic, cohesive logo could be developed for all media accounts (including YouTube), press
releases, the website, and eventually album artwork.
FACEBOOK APPLICATION
As mentioned previously, the focus of Facebook should be generating airplay, engaging fans,
and promoting tours/concerts. While there have been some great strides made after the initial
audit, some more suggestions are provided below to aid in reaching the outlined goals of 6,000
fans by one year post-application, and 10,000 fans after year two.
Overall, the band Facebook looks very professional, while the content and qualities are
characteristic to the band. However, changing the cover picture to a live captivating photo of
the band during a performance can add some action to the profile.
Custom landing page: If you want to make your Facebook stand out from other bands trying
using the Static HTML: iFrames tab app to create a welcome page. This can be used to have a
welcome video, email collection widget, in exchange for a free MP3, a “Like” button, or
whatever you desire. This could be helpful if you want to direct people you haven’t liked to a
specific page, vs. fans who have liked it to your wall.

6. 5
Static HTML App: https://apps.facebook.com/static_html_plus/
GENERATING AIRPLAY
 First, find out where Blue Mafia’s music IS being played. Tag radio stations, hosts, and
programs that mention or play your band’s material.
 Then, find out where your fans go to music. An example of this would be posting
“Where do you want to hear Blue Mafia? Comment with your favorite bluegrass radio
station!”
 Calling on your fans to request songs is also a great idea, if the process is simple. Figure
out where fans can submit a song and provide the link with a simple description (it
should only be a couple steps). “Blue Mafia fans, we need your help! Click the link below
to request (name of song) and we will keep spreading the love of bluegrass!”
 Remember to play off of the Indiana audience as well. Some news and radio stations
love local stories with national implications and success, so a live performance in a
studio would be a great idea if the right host is found. This would be a great way to kick
off a tour, especially if there are a few stops in the Indy area.
 In addition to the outlined social media methods, the band management should also be
submitting CDs to local radio stations, satellite radio programs, as well as bluegrass
podcasts or FM radio shows to help round out the airplay efforts. Below is a link to a
sample list of bluegrass-related FM Stations:
http://streema.com/radios/genre/Bluegrass3
 Also, make sure fans know how to book your band! I like the “Book Now” button but I
would also add that info on the About page where it refers to booking as well.
ENGAGING FANS
Fans love feeling as though they are part of a community, and are contributing to the band’s
success. A “shout-out” program, that would welcome fans and contribute to a communal
atmosphere, would look something like this:
 Invite fans to like the Facebook page at concerts and festivals
 Tell fans to post their favorite song, why they enjoy the band, or just say hi!
 Every once in a while (maybe weekly) give a shout-out to the new fans saying welcome
to the Blue Mafia family and tag them in the post.
 This same approach can be taken for fans who may just randomly post praise on your
page. Share their post and say thank-you! Reward them for taking the effort to invest in
your band.

7. 6
 Ask questions or conduct a poll so they feel as though they are playing a part (this could
even be used if you want the best venue in a new town, or suggestions for your new
album name).
Another way to engage fans is by giving away tickets or merchandise. According to an interview
with Marketing professor Anna Stumpf, this can be done through third-party software such as
Rafflecopter (https://www.rafflecopter.com/) or running your own giveaway. Promote the give-
away up to a week in advance before even starting. Then at a specific time, give the fans the
“challenge” or task to complete. Examples of this are:
 Captioning a photo with the band involved (most creative wins)
 Simply liking or commenting on a photo
 Sharing a post
 Tagging Blue Mafia on their posts during the concert and using the hashtag
Whatever contest is created, make sure there is a deadline as well (the deadline can range from
a few hours, to days).
PROMOTING CONCERTS, TOURS, FESTIVALS, AND ALBUMS
This portion of Facebook will most likely be the most time intensive for the social media
administrator, because it requires advanced planning. Effective publicity for larger events such
as tours and album releases should start months in advance.
CONCERTS AND TOURS
Make sure for each live event you host that you have a Facebook event created from your band
page. This allows fans to RSVP, have all the information, and track a tour more easily. Here are
some basic guidelines for creating a Facebook Event according to CD Baby are:
 Have all the info (including new songs or merchandise) and keep it updated.
 Tag any other artists or the venue.
 If the venue or another band has created a Facebook Event, use that - no need to
reinvent the wheel or confuse fans. Make it a join effort.
 Create the event about three weeks out so fans have enough time to plan, but not
completely forget.
 If you send out a manual invitation by selecting people: don’t invite everyone; if your
show is in Virginia, make sure to invite only those from that target audience.
 Make sure your event page is public, and anyone can join it.

8. 7
Going on tour: let fans know you will be posting frequently, and make sure you are posting
content in somewhat chronological order. And make your postings fun: videos/pictures from
concerts, set-list changes, wardrobe, etc.
Make sure when you do go on tour, make it simple for fans to track where you are performing
by using a Facebook Calendar or Event Pages.
FESTIVALS
The social media protocols listed for concerts and touring should also be applied to the IBMA
festival. The only additional suggestions are as follows:
 Interact with the IBMA social media as much as possible. “Tag”, share their posts, and
refer to the venues or local highlights as well.
 Interact with other bands. Gaining visibility from their fans can help you as well.
 Make sure to take advantage of any additional events, or technology available (does the
festival have an app for mobile phones? If so, try to see how your band can get
involved).
 Don’t forget to check back for any YouTube content from the festival later to share with
fans who wanted to be there.
 IBMA seems to be closely associated with BluegrassNation.org. I did not see that Blue
Mafia had a profile; you may want to consider adding this so potential fans can at least
be directed to your website and social media.
ALBUM RELEASE
For album releases, try to start publicity as soon as possible, with up to a year in advance
according to an album promotions guide written by CD Baby. Here is a draft timeline for what
promotion should look like on social media, prior to the release date:
 12-4 months prior: Share photos and videos, demos, rough mix clips and get your loyal
fans buzzing so they are equipped to be your “street team” marketing crew.
 4-3 months prior: Set the official release date, and decide on your release event and
consider streaming the event for those who can’t make it. Also be ready to update
branding for your band’s social media in light of this new album.
 3-2 months prior: Announce the release party and start sharing rehearsal
videos/pictures for the party.
 1 month prior: Create a Facebook event for your party, and conduct contests to give
away albums to those fans who share the event (or other promotional actions).
 The release day: Communicate thoroughly with your fans. Don’t let the build-up for
social media be for nothing.

9. 8
 After: Echo your good reviews, and promote when the music will be appearing at your
live events.
TWITTER APPLICATION
The goals for Blue-Mafia’s Twitter followers are:
 300 by May 2016
 500 by May 2017
 Currently there are 129 followers
BEST TWEETING PRACTICES
Before delving into the specific uses for Blue Mafia, here are some of the best practices for
composing “tweets”:
 Interact with fans, other bands, and whoever inspires YOU
 Be consistent in your tweeting – whether it’s once a day, or a couple times a week, try
to be consistent and build up to when you will be on Twitter for concerts or festivals.
 Share other peoples’ content; then they will more likely be able to share with you
 Find what other “conversations” are going on during festivals or tours that could be
relevant to you.
 Use strong verbs and call your fans to action!
 Longer tweets aren’t always a bad thing. Just use your characters wisely.
 Post in the afternoons or evenings, and closer to weekends (fans are more likely to be
on social media during these times).
 Consider using third party software such as HootSuite or TweetDeck to see who is
talking about your band, and music.
SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS
Since Twitter is a social media with more immediacy try using it before, during, and after
concerts.
 Before, build the excitement (even as something as simple as a picture of sound check
can help build anticipation).
 During the concert, promote your website, album, merchandise, and social media.
 Invite fans to follow your profile at Twitter during the concert and tweet with the
hashtag (maybe most creative post gets a free CD?)

10. 9
 Take a “selfie” with the audience so they can re-tweet it
 Pictures from the stage
 Take a moment for fans to take a picture of themselves at your concert
 After the concert, thank your fans, follow-up on any tweets they may have posted, and
join the conversation!
Any of these suggestions can add to the fan experience during a concert, and increase their
likely hood of following your profile. Once they have followed you, make sure you give them a
reason to keep interacting.
INSTAGRAM APPLICATION
The goals for Blue Mafia’s Instagram followers are:
 200 followers by May 2016
 400-500 followers by May 2017
When using Instagram as an artist, CD Baby recommends posting around 50% music-related
photos, 40% personal, and the remaining 10% for however you see fit (perhaps fan shout-outs,
inspirational quotes, or whatever else the band would want to contribute).
According to the article “How to Promote Your Music with Instagram,” posts typically only have
a lifespan of 3-4 hours before they become too lost in someone’s feed; thus, posting at the right
time is crucial.
The ideal time for posting to Instagram is between 5-6pm, and Wednesday is the day where
Instagram had the most traffic. Of course, the band posts will vary depending on date and time
of concerts.
When posting, focus on these two elements:
1) The visual aesthetic appeal (whether picture or text)
2) The content supporting the post (the caption and hashtags)
TOOLS FOR VISUAL APPEAL
Instagram was designed as a way for users to be empowered with free tools to edit their
photos, and share in a social platform. However, Instagram can also be a great way to add
visual content to any sort of marketing campaign.
When posting a photo, make sure to take advantage the available filters, to accent your image
content. Instagram also has tools that allow you to adjust the brightness, contrast, and position
of your photo.

11. 10
One way to maximize your use of Instagram is to create
unique graphics that can advertise concert or tour
dates, while catching the eye. Below are some examples
with the website or app name.
Canva.com – This website is a great tool to design
Facebook banners, Instagram posts, Twitter pictures
and more! The account is free, however some of the
designs will cost (look for the word FREE in the right
hand corner when designing), and others will be free
until you try to export as a PDF. However, this is a
great site to create basic graphics (downloaded as
images or a cropped screenshot).
Word Swag is a $3.99 app in the iTunes store that you
can use to add text over images. Whether you are at a
venue, or have simply taken a bluegrass themed
image from Google, this app can turn it into a
promotional post.
Rhonna Designs is also an app available in many
format that can edit images or create fun graphics.
Costing only $1.99, some simple experimentation can
create show advertisements, merchandise
promotions, and more!
Before diving into multiple apps, start with the free websites and Apple/Android apps and
create some basic graphics as tests to see how the followers respond. If it is well received,
continue until the right content is continually formulated.

12. 11
CAPTION AND HASHTAGS
In applications such as Instagram (or Twitter), using the limited characters allowed in your
caption is crucial. Hashtagging your post is one way to expand your visibility, based on your
content. A hashtag groups your photo into a broader scope of users and content that also have
the same hashtag. If someone searches a hashtag #banjo, then all photos with #banjo will
appear (maybe even one from Blue Mafia).
Some hashtags relevant for Blue Mafia include:
#bluemafiamusic #bluemafialive #bluegrass #bluegrassmusic #concert #livemusic
#prayforrain
Location Specific:
#(concert venue name) #(festival name) #(city name) #(street name) #(state name –
great if you’re on tour)
Other:
#tbt (Throwback Thursday, one of the more popular hashtags on Instagram, photos
typically are flashbacks also called “throwbacks”).
#follow #banjo #music #goodtimes #radio #SiriusXM #album #tourlife #show #blessed
Once you have your proper caption and hashtags, you may be interested in adding a link for
certain posts. Some URLs can be long and cumbersome. Shorten them, with https://bitly.com/.
Just copy and paste your link to have it shortened for your posts.
ANALYTICS
If you wish to gain more information about your Instagram, such as where your followers are
from, as well as which content has generated the most buzz, services such as
http://iconosquare.com/ are available for free to create a more user and business friendly
Instagram experience.

13. 12
CONCLUSION
CONCLUDING REMARKS FROM VICTORIA SHAW
I hope you find these suggestions helpful in expanding your social media reach. Many of these
methods may work, and others will not. It will take some time to find the right system that
appeals to your fans. I encourage you to keep in touch with your fans and competition to
continually seek out other methods for improvement. Blue Mafia has already made some
incredible strides in their website, and social media and I have no doubt they will continue to
do so.
Wishing you all the best,
WORKS CITED
Discussion with Professor Anna Stumpf. Personal Interview. May 1, 2014.
"How to Promote Your Music with Instagram." DIY Musician Blog. CD Baby, 3 Apr. 2015. Web.
20 June 2015.
CD Baby Marketing Guides (can be found at www.members.cdbaby.com/musician-guides):
- Music Marketing 101
- Twitter for Musicians
- Effective Facebook Events
- Countdown to Maximum Exposure