What to Post to Attract Real Fans (Even If No One Knows You Yet)

If you wanna grow your fanbase, boost your streams, and make real money from your music without begging for attention or going viral, then I'm gonna show you exactly how to do that. Most artists think they need to drop more music or do crazy content to get noticed. But the truth is, music doesn't sell music. Your story does. And today, I'm going to show you what to post—even if you have zero fans—that actually gets people to care, connect, and eventually buy.

I'm guessing this isn't the first time you've been told to "just post more." But I'm going to tell you that I know you've tried that. And it's not working. That mindset was birthed out of the algorithm. It's information overload. You're being told to post for attention instead of building for connection. So if you've failed before, it's okay. But it won't be okay if you keep doing the same thing that keeps you broke.

If you're just starting out and don't have a fanbase yet, this will give you a content game plan that builds momentum from nothing. If you already post but your audience isn't growing or buying, you'll finally learn why—and what to do instead.

My goal is to help you understand that two story types and an access point—is the level 1 key to getting attention and converting it into dollars and cents. And I'm going to show you what to post at each step.

A client of mine started out posting talent-based videos of her singing. This is great because we need to know that you're talented and if your talent levels match with our expectations of how musical talent should be. This allowed her to coast for a while, even going viral, until she started to incorporate stories into the talent-based videos. I would later learn that story would be the key to all sales, so it doesn't matter the tactics you use to show or tell your story—what matters is that you do it.

Document the Process

The first story type is documenting the process, which is based on showing and not telling. Many of you think that your story content has to be perfect with wonderful edits and captions. Well, this is the ugly stuff that doesn't require anything but a phone and you pressing record.

The reason why most artists don't want to do this content is because they feel that it's not perfected. Perfection is just masked anxiety. It's because you feel that it is not good enough, but in actuality, people appreciate the raw aspect of what's currently going on.

Most artists think you need to “go viral” to grow. But the truth is, people follow process, not perfection. The fastest way to get fans is to let them watch you build.

In the past, many of you have heard "document the process" beaten into your heads by Gary Vee, but at the end of the day, when you have nothing else to start with — no editing software or anything fancy — just turn the phone on and document the process. In fact, this is how we actually know of Deion Sanders's sons, Shedeur and Shiloh, after the reality show, because their story was documented; it wasn't necessarily told, it was shown.

The easiest way to do this is to take out your phone. Take a picture of your setup that you record on, put a caption underneath that photo, and say this is what's going on and this is how it's going down. Post Clips of you working on your music. Share raw behind-the-scenes stories as well as your thoughts about your journey in real time. Eventually, you'll turn the camera on, and you'll start documenting the process and stepping in front of the camera to become comfortable with it because you're gonna eventually become a superstar and you're gonna have to get comfortable with being in front of the camera.

Now, I know that you're thinking that you're going to skip this, but if you only knew that the story is the key to your sales, then you would do it because your music doesn't sell itself — it never did and it never will. If you want to get more money in this business or in business period, you're gonna have to show or tell your story to somebody.

Speak for a Niche

The second one of you for your story is all about telling it. It’s important to be honest here because this will lead you to more growth. again it’s not about perfection. It’s about truth.

Most artists try to go broad. But when you speak to everyone, no one hears you. People follow artists who reflect their own identity and emotions.

The only reason you’re in this position is because you’re not speaking as yourself you’re speaking from the standpoint of what you believe people want to hear from you. This is always been a common problem in the music industry when artists suffer with dealing with their own identities. However, the more true you are to your personal identity and the more you express it the more we can deeply relate with you.

We wanna know why you create the kind of music you do and who it’s for and why it matters and we also wanna know your unique perspective on the world because the more you give this to us the more we tune in to you and then the more you become a fabric of our lives. You don’t know it yet, but what you’re actually doing is creating fans! You’re growing your fanbase! The more you consistently tell your story is how your fanbase grows consistently. It’s an easy exchange.

And if you think this is not true, I want you to think about the people you follow and how much information you know about them. You be surprised when you look and you realize that you know a whole lot about these people that you’re a fan of so why don’t you think the same thing wouldn’t work for you?

I want you to create a 60-second video that explains who your music is for. Be bold. The right people will show up just give it time. THis way you’ll stop chasing fans and start attracting people.

Design for Discovery

Eventually, these people that you've cultivated within your following will want something from you, and hopefully you'll learn enough about them to know what they actually want. At this point, it's always going to go back to the offer. All you need is a clear next step otherwise know as a call to action and a simple way to give access.

The only reason artists get stuck here is because they fail to say "go here," "do this," or "go there and buy that." I know this because nearly 80% of the people I talk to in my community and on my consultation calls face this issue. I always have to break through that anxiety.

Here's what to post:

• A post that says: "Comment [word] and I'll send you something exclusive."

• A pinned post that leads to a $5–$15 offer (remix kit, D2C album with Mini-Doc, or small merch item)

• A recurring post about your journey + the offer attached

Whatever you do, do not give offers behind your paywall to your audience for free because if you do, fans will feel cannibalized. You'll start to see an uptick in streams happen as well as sales starting to happen one by one. Give it time if you're just starting, and if you're already moving, don't get beside yourself because you've got a ways to go.

Here’s what you can do!

Don't sit around and hope things will change… or try this out for yourself and watch the results happen. Because how much longer can you afford NOT to? Show them your story, tell them your story, and call them to action. If you need help with understanding this method even more, join the Music Money Makers every Monday at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time as we talk about situations like this live.

Back Off The Cliff…

The truth is — your story is interesting, you have the skills to do this, and you have more than enough resources to get it done. It’s the fear that maybe it won’t work— because everybody else seems to be doing a better job at it than you. But they once started where you are.

Your story becomes interesting the moment you start telling it authentically. Every journey has value — especially the messy parts that show your humanity. That's what actually connects with people.

You just need to start with what you’ve got — and watch how far that can take you.

What’s it going to cost to keep doing it your way

The cost of not sharing your story and staying silent is far greater than any discomfort you might feel putting yourself out there. Every day you wait is another day of potential fans passing you by, another opportunity for connection lost, and another dollar left on the table.

Think about it - while you're waiting for the "perfect moment" to start documenting your journey, hundreds of other artists are already building their tribes and creating real connections with fans who could have been yours.

The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to break through the noise and make an impact in this increasingly crowded space.

At the End of the Day

Your story is your most powerful asset in music. It's not just about the songs you create - it's about the journey, the struggles, and the triumphs that brought you here. When you share authentically, you create a bridge between yourself and potential fans who see themselves in your experiences. Remember, every great artist started exactly where you are now - with a story waiting to be told.