97 Instagram Content Ideas For Music Artists

I don’t know about you, but I’m always running out of ideas for what to post on Instagram and social media as a musician.

So I decided to do some research and brainstorming and create the ULTIMATE LIST of what musicians should post in Instagram and social media so that I (and you) never have to wonder ever again what to post.

So, what should a musician post on Instagram?

In short, everything you should post should fit into one of the three “P”s…

What should a musician post on instagram?

Musicians should share content that inspires engagement. Therefore, music artists should post content on Instagram and social media that falls into one of three categories: Personal, Professional, and Promotional.

You can try posting one of each of these over and over again, or split it up into a few posts in each category at a time. Try different things!

But what exactly gets people to “engage”? How do you get people to share and comment on your content on social media?

Well, in a nutshell…

”

People like to share content on social media that makes them look good. This may be a subconscious motive, but a motive nonetheless.

So share content that you believe will make your fans look good if they share it.

People share quotes because they are associating themselves with the quote. People will share art or images to display their sense of taste. And people will share funny memes because it demonstrates their sense of humor.

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People also love sharing their opinions, so any piece of content you post that asks them to share their opinion or preference is a winner.

With that in mind, you’re probably looking for some very SPECIFIC content ideas.

Well, I’ve got specifics for you. A whopping 97 different ideas for what musicians can post on Instagram and social media.

I’ve organized them into each of the three categories, and I’ve also put together a sample monthly IG posting schedule for you that you can download.

Enjoy!

Personal Content Ideas

Personal content is anything that has to do with YOU as a person.

What are your interests and values? What is your every day life like?

Fans like to feel like they know the artists they follow, and sharing more personal content can help you establish that connection with your fans.

Here are some ideas for personal posts…

Ideas for personal

„

What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out.

Alfred Hitchcock ‧ Film director and producer

Selfies

I don’t know about you, but I hate taking selfies. It feels so narcissistic, but the fact is selfies do really well on social media so (mostly talking to myself here) post more selfies!

Pets

If you have pets, post pictures of them. Pets can be very popular.

Thought of the day

Have any deep, humorous, or inspirational musings? Share them!

Travel photos & Videos

Any time you’re traveling, this is a golden opportunity to create some Instagram content. People like to see the interesting things you’re doing.

Your Morning Routine

What’s your morning routine? What do you do to start your day off right?

your Self-care routine

What do you do to take care of yourself and ensure you’re ready to tackle the day?

A Day In the life

Give your fans a glimpse into a day in the life of you as an artist, as part of a band etc. Let them see your life (with all of the boring parts taken out). Showing behind-the-scenes content helps build that with the fans because they will start feel like they know you as a friend.

Random Tip

If you have a random tip that you think your fans will benefit from share it… How to write songs, how to learn another language, how to start learning an instrument. This can be almost anything!

Throwback Thursday

Show your fans images from years before. They will love to walk down memory lane with you. It is also a great way of rehashing old content. Don’t forget to use the #ThrowbackThursday hashtag so that people who are searching for Throwback Thursday will come across you, and potentially follow.

Ask Me Anything

Let your fans ask you a question about literally anything…if you dare!

Current diet you’re on and why

What are you regularly eating (or not) eating, and why? How is this improving your life?

How you organize your office/studio/desk/fridge

It’s always cool for fans to see behind the curtain where the sausage is made…or stored for that matter. Heh.

Favorite beverage

What’s your favorite thing to drink, and why? This could even be an affiliate link so that you can earn some extra income if your fans decide to buy the drink themselves.

Favorite recipe

What’s your favorite thing to make? And why?

Favorite products

Share some of your favorite products, tools, or gear. Again, these can also be affiliate links.

Favorite Games

What are some games you like to play?

Live Q&A

Do a live video where you let your fans ask you questions.

Story Time: share about overcoming an obstacle (fear, anxiety, health, etc.)

People love stories, so tell one that is inspiring, captivating, or humorous. Bonus points if you can tell one like Olan Rogers.

Caption Contest

Post a photo and ask your fans to come up with creative or funny captions.

post a ‘truth or fiction’ question

Let your fans guess whether it’s the truth or a myth.

Share what you’re doing

This is especially good content for IG stories. Tell your fans about something fun you’re doing for your weekend or holiday…

Post candid shots

Share pictures of you doing daily tasks or the more mundane activities…

Share a childhood picture or moment

Bonus points if you can somehow connect it your music career .

Post about a recent let-down

This could be an illness or failure you’ve experienced. Be transparent. Your fans will love you even more by showing you are a real person. Bonus points if you can find the lesson or silver-lining in this moment in order to give hope or inspiration to your fans. After all, as aspiring-influencers, we have a duty to build others up as musicians, and not bring them down. Plus, there’s already so much negativity online. You’ll stand out and attract followers if you are positive.

Start a series

Post on a certain topic consistently for a period of time

Post about observance days

This is a great one to use in a pinch. There is something important connected to almost everyday of the year, for instance January 20th is Penguin Awareness Day and August 6th is National Root Beer Float Day . Use the National Day Calendar to find out what’s being celebrated that day and say something about it.

Share an event coming up that you’re Excited about

You can even write up a whole blog about it. Also, it doesn’t have to be one of your shows, it can be someone else’s.

Write About a Cause

Pick a cause you really believe in and write a post about it.

Host a fundraiser or charity event

Sell your music and donate a portion of the proceeds to your favorite cause.

Your view on an important issue revolving around your genre of music

It’s okay to be polarizing. You may lose some fans, but those who agree with you will be even more committed.

Share clips from your podcast

If you have a podcast, share clips from it! You can make a podcast center around talking about your music, or you could make a podcast on a completely separate subject that you are interested in. Podcasting doesn’t have to be complicated, and you don’t have to be an expert. With the Anchor app, all you need is a format for your storytelling and a mic (most smartphones come equipped with podcast-ready microphones).

Professional

Enter your text here…

„

What is drama but life with the dull bits cut out.

Alfred Hitchcock ‧ Film director and producer

Ideas for Professional

Song Lyrics

A simple thank you can go a long way to building connections.

Share backstories to your songs

A simple thank you can go a long way to building connections.

Latest news

A simple thank you can go a long way to building connections.

Share a lyric Video or other “official” videos

A simple thank you can go a long way to building connections.

Video diary/Vlog

Share how you are progressing on your next single or album.

Best fan photo competition

Where fans pose with or as something related to you.

Best fan musician competion

Where the winner gets to do a track with you.

Link to Spotify

Or other streaming platform where fans can stream your music.

Song clips

Share a clip from a forthcoming song on your album.

Share soloed tracks

Share just the drum and bass section, or maybe just the soloed vocals, or a melody from one of your songs by itself.

Share about what your favorite songs are right now

This could be your own music or music of other artists.

That’s new in the studio or updates from your latest project

A simple thank you can go a long way to building connections.

Creative or unexpected use for your music

For instance, “my music can help you unwind after a long day and goes great with a glass of red wine.” You can also ask your fans for their ideas. Also feel free to get a little weird, and make up ridiculous new abilities one can gain as a result of listening to your music. See “Reductio ad absurdum“.

Thank Your fans

A simple thank you can go a long way to building connections.

On-brand quotes

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Behind the scenes

Studio footage

Live performance streaming

Re-posts

The story behind your music/brand

How you created your first album

What to expect in terms of customer service/shipping times, etc.

Feature band members and their bios

Behind the scenes of a photoshoot/music video

How you came up with your band/brand name

Share your mission statement

Why music?

Create a post talking about why you started doing music

Artwork

Share artwork related to your music or your brand

Share a series

Do several posts where you talk about things you love about being an artist that go beyond the music itself.

How you stay inspired

Ask for help

One of the great things about fans is that they’re often more than happy to help. Whether it’s sharing ideas on a song, album cover, or poster design, or recommendations on venues, lodging, session musicians, etc., your fans will jump at the opportunity to help you out with ideas or even connections they might have.

Take a vote

Ask your followers to vote on picture or album cover or t-shirt options. Be willing to execute their pick so that they feel like they made an impact on your decision.

Host an opinion poll

Ask your follower a question and track what kind of answers you get. Could be a feedback question related to your music or something else all together. Make sure you chime in so that it’s interactive, and announce the results at the end so that there’s a conclusion to it.

Ask for their thoughts on your work

Post a song demo or video and ask your followers for their thoughts on it. You do have to be open minded and thick skinned, because you will get some honest feedback.

Share (and ask for) predictions

For instance, “I predict that Weird Al will win the Grammy for Album of the Year. Who do you think will win?”.

Answer FAQ

As an artist it’s a given that you will get a lot of questions from people about your music and your choice to pursue it. This can be used as content! Write down every frequently asked question and post them one at a time on social media as a series.

Write a song together

This is a fun thing to do with your fans. Post the first couple of lines from a new song you’re working on and then invite your followers to add on to it.

Memes, memes, MEMES!

This is a fun thing to do with your fans. Post the first couple of lines from a new song you’re working on and then invite your followers to add on to it.

Conduct an interview

Interview an interesting person and post the video or blog entry.

Highlight another artist

Write about a fellow artist you know. Maybe you can make a deal with them and make it a swap. It can be good exposure to each other’s fans.

Recommend an album to listen to

Encourage your fans to listen to other music. It shows that you are willing to share and it promotes goodwill to your fellow musicians. Don’t forget to tag whoever you promote so they’ll know you referred them.

This day in music history

Similar to #20. Something music related has happened on every calendar day of the year. Use Today in Music History to get ideas.

Music industry hot topics

here’s always something going on in the music industry. Share your thoughts on the latest hot topics. Digital Music News is a great resource for the latest industry topics.

Share music industry secrets

Write something you’ve learned about the music industry that your fans might not know.

Infographics

Infographics are a cool way of showing numbers and facts. Find some infographics that may be relevant to you and your fans and share away!

Weekly Round Up

Infographics are a cool way of showing numbers and facts. Find some infographics that may be relevant to you and your fans and share away!

Guess The Song

Post a snippet from one of your songs or a song from an act you love and get the fans to guess the song. It allows them the opportunity to engage with you on your page or Twitter, and who doesn’t like a game.

Journey of a song

Voice memo of your initial idea

Video of you writing further sections

Photo of three different versions of the lyrics for the chorus, asking your audience which one they like the best

Video of the band rehearsing and arranging the song

Photo gallery of your day at the studio recording the song

Spotify link to the finished product

COVERS GALORE

Even if you’re an all-original band, covers serve as an immensely powerful marketing tool. Covers have two distinct advantages:

Your target audience has a pre-established connection with the material: When a music consumer comes across a new band, they’re much more-likely to engage with something they have a pre-established connection with (such as a cover of their favorite song) rather than something they’ve never heard before. Furthermore, they’ll be more-inclined to give their full attention to the cover by listening/watching all the way through. This increases the chances of them connecting to your sound and checking your original material out.
They’re searchable: I’d strongly recommend uploading your covers to searchable platforms. A searchable platform is a platform that requires users to use some form of search engine in order to find content (as opposed to scrolling through a feed). In the music industry, the go-to searchable platforms are Spotify and YouTube; if users are searching for their favorite tracks on either of these platforms, there’s a good chance your cover version will pop up.

Create and share spotify playlists

Simply *Your Project*: A playlist consisting solely of your own music that can be promoted to your existing audience.

Influences: A playlist featuring your biggest musical influences, with some of your own tracks thrown in for comparison.

Unsigned *Your Genre*: A playlist featuring independent bands and artists who play a similar style of music to you. When featuring other independent artists, it’s likely they’ll share the playlist across their social media; this allows everyone featured on the playlist to take advantage of each other’s audiences. Additionally, it builds and strengthens your relationships with the artists you’ve featured.

Unsigned Scene *Your City*: A playlist comprised of bands and artists from your local unsigned scene. Once again, this strengthens your reputation amongst other independent musicians and allows everyone to take advantage of each other’s audiences.

Pre-Show: Have you got a playlist you listen to whilst commuting to a venue or waiting backstage? If so, make it available to your audience! You can also encourage engagement by asking fans to suggest songs for the playlist.

Post-Show: A playlist curated after a show consisting of music from everyone on the lineup. This serves as a great follow-up for those who attended the show and once again strengthens your relationships with other independent musicians.

Promotional

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Ideas for Promotional

Current sale or discount

Giveaways or contests

Shopable posts

Crowdfunding

Encourage email opt-in in bio

Why you created a specific product/merch item

Your favorite product/merch item

Features & benefits of Your best seller

Perfect gift for X holiday

Share customer testimonials/re-post fans with your merch

Flash sale

Birthday sale

Milestone giveaway

Monthly giveaway

Unboxing videos

Run a sharing or promotion contest

Offer a prize or discount for sharing. If giving a prize, you can draw names from all the participants and have one winner.

Free Sample IG Content Calendar Download

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