Guitar.com Live shares the secrets of online marketing for guitarists

Even before the current global pandemic (you know, the current global pandemic that’s been happening) moved live music into the virtual realm, forming a strong online presence as a musician was incredibly important – and what better time to learn about the secrets of online brand-building than at the world’s leading virtual guitar show.

Now that (for the time being) musicianship is mainly being showcased online, Guitar.com Live is presenting a timely panel on building up your online brand, having recruited some of the liveliest and talented guitarists around today – all of whom have carved out an impressive fanbase from social media.

The Speakers

Horace Bray

Horace Bray has leveraged his impressive guitar skills and neo-soul chops to garner over a hundred thousand followers on Instagram, where he regularly gets thousands of engaged viewers checking out his playing. Highlights of his playing include his mastery of polyrhythms and his crystal-clear approach to tone, letting all the dynamics of his playing come through. He also teaches via Pickup Music.

Nicholas Veinoglou

A strong visual sense is, of course, a great asset if you want to get noticed online, but there’s no need to tell that to Nicholas Veinoglou, who has recently crafted his very own ultra-sparkly Fender Americal Professional Jazzmaster.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CERvP-Qph5d/

On top of this, he’s also built up a sizeable following – including paying subscribers to his series of lessons over on Patreon, thanks to his easy-going way of communicating his many skills on a six-string.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDzLH6gJswi/

Curt Henderson

Curt Henderson, as well as teaching advanced courses for Guitar Mastery Intensive, has also garnered an almost 70-thousand strong following on Instagram as he’s built up his guitar skills. These have also seen him become an incredibly prolific session player, thanks to his versatile chops.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-DapOcnTam/

On top of all this, Curt plays guitar for…

Shannon Lauren Callihan

Shannon Lauren Callihan’s approach to music blends a very new-school breed of neo-soul with an old-school breed of R&B. Similarly, her approach to building a fanbase has blended the new-school Instagram-focused approach with some slightly more traditional full-on live sessions. That’s not to say she’s not achieved a rather impressive 122,000 followers on Instagram, all while working as a session musician in Nashville.

What to expect

Getting your playing up to scratch is one thing – and a quick listen to any of the panel’s speakers will confirm that this is quite necessary – but getting it to click with an online audience can be quite daunting. There’s the ever-scary algorithm to contend with, and how do you make sure your music lands the feeds of people who’ll appreciate it?

The panel will shine a light on how to present your music in a way that gains fans, not just followers – as well as tips for keeping an audience engaged, and building a consistent brand across your pages and content.

Guitar.com Live is a first-of-its-kind virtual guitar show set to take place across 2-4 October. Alongside this panel, you can expect exciting reveals from brands such as Taylor and performances by the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and more. Register now for early access and advance updates at guitar.com/live.