Kat Parsons (with guitar) and blogger Stu Robinson following a recent lunch in Phoenix.

In April, I blogged about attending a concert online via a website called Stageit. I recently caught up with singer/songwriter Kat Parsons, the artist who performed that concert, to discuss what social media can do for an independent artist looking to expand his or her audience.

Which specific social-media platforms did you use for your new release, Talk to Me; what was your target audience; and how do you feel each worked in helping you reach those audiences?

“When I am reaching out to new audiences, I look for people who like similar music to mine and people who are interested in discovering new independent music. I reach out to those new audiences through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and also through press – digital media, related blogs.

“All of it is about spreading the word. When someone writes about me in a blog, I am hoping that their friends will be interested in joining the community. I invite my Facebook friends, and Twitter and YouTube followers, to introduce and invite their friends. And I try to do this in a way that makes it fun for everyone … through giving away music that connects us all.

“My email list is my primary form of communication – where I tell my best stories from the ‘front lines,’ give away more free music and keep everyone in the loop on shows, etc. My objective is to invite people to connect with me this way. And then Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are for deepening the relationship and developing even more of a community through daily connection.”

How does this compare with what you did for your previous album, No Will Power? How many social media that you used for Talk to Me hadn’t been invented when you recorded No Will Power?

“Ha! I don’t remember what was here when I released No Will Power. Eek! For No Will Power, I was focused on print media, PR, radio and live performances/tours as tools for promotion. For Talk to Me, I have definitely been more interested in spreading the word via social and digital media.”

You financed No Will Power in 2004 partly by asking fans on your email list to pre-order the album. Last year, you raised almost $18,000 on Kickstarter.com to produce Talk to Me. How much has the emergence of Kickstarter changed the process of “crowd funding”?

“It was cool to be able to do that type of project with No Will Power and have it work out so well. Kickstarter makes the process clearer because there’s a tally, because there’s a countdown and because the rewards are so clear. It makes it easy for participants, and me, to see how things are going. I also could use video to speak with participants. For me. it was very user-friendly.”

[Editor’s Note: Kat elaborates on her experience with Kickstarter in this interview with Scott James of the Redhat Project.]

Do you generate your own social-media content? If so, how much time do you allot and how do you work it into your schedule?

“I really enjoy connecting on social media. I’m not all that regimented about it. I try to get on every day to see what’s going on and share stories. Just kind of connect once a day. If for some reason I won’t be available to log on, I use bufferapp.com to schedule posts ahead of time.

“I think my fans are hilarious, and I love reading their posts and their comments in response to something I share!  I particularly enjoy Facebook because Twitter is always asking me to shorten my longwinded posts!

“One of the neat things that is happening around my Facebook page and Twitter account is that people start getting to know one another through their comments and their mutual interest – they begin to recognize each other and it creates a cool community. People really enjoy one another.”

When touring abroad, you often post blogs and videos that have nothing to do with your music but rather focus on the local culture. Do you see a correlation with your music, or is it more about connecting with fans?

“I do this because I feel so lucky to get to see other parts of the world. It’s my fans that allow me to have those adventures. The videos are to share those experiences. One of the coolest things about my ‘job’ is that I get to peek into so many different worlds – into so many different lives – through music.

“I enjoy the videos; they are fun for me to make. It’s more about connecting with the whole experience. Music fans are demanding that more – asking to have an experience that’s more than just the music.”

Based upon your experiences, what would you say social media can and can’t do for an independent artist looking to expand his or her audience?

“Social media is a really fun way to share things with fans who want to connect daily. It is a cool opportunity to create a really fun experience and a community that people want to share with their friends. The hope is that what you create is so rewarding to those who are involved that they want to share it with their friends.

“For me, social media is most reliably used to deepen the relationship with fans – bonding together. [In terms of capturing new fans,] I find it most valuable for someone to join the email list community and then, after that, a ‘like’ on Facebook.

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Stuart J. Robinson does writing, editing, media relations and social media through his freelance practice, Lightbulb Communications. He also blogs about Hawaii Five-0 and other shows for the TV Tyrant website.

Tags: "Talk to Me", Facebook, Kat Parsons, No Will Power, Stageit, Twitter, YouTube