Our email list is what informs fans about our shows and gets them coming back. I do post our flyers on Facebook, but I rarely think people come out because of seeing that. As far as jobs, we still book starting out in person (or countless phone calls) and then giving our EPK link (or website page with videos, etc). Someone knowing someone who does the booking is still the fastest and most sure way to get the gig.
****
Yes, it’s a pain in the butt.  It’s like jumping through someone’s hoops or you don’t get the prize.  On the other hand, if you can find someone to whom you give specific criteria with regard to when to post what, it can be a great help to your efforts as a band, which is what you should be paying attention to anyway.
***
All too often someone at our gigs will ask if we have a Facebook page, and though I am hardly a fan of it, it became somewhat of a necessity…still, despite the inconvenience, we reach a wider audience by putting up our videos, photos, schedule and events there.
***
As much as I’d like to say social media has helped promote my music career, it has not.  Sorry, but it seems a waste of time.  It’s probably fine for promoting your SOCIAL stuff, which is why it is called SOCIAL media.
***
It has become very overwhelming and way too time consuming.  I can’t deny that Social Media has definitely helped my career. It has connected me with many other musicians through which word of mouth and referrals have gotten me many gigs. It has also allowed other musicians to see that I am active and what I have accomplished which tends to give street cred and clout. Yes, it is a double-edged sword and sadly a necessary evil at times but at the end of the day…if nobody knows, nobody knows.
***
Posting on social media originally seemed like a fun thing to do – now it just seems like a chore and I wind up feeling guilty if I don’t post….
***
We weren’t getting any good results so my band finally hired a guy to do our social media blasting.  It improved about 10% – not worth it, so we dumped him and googled how to do it better ourselves.  Now it has improved 20%, barely worthwhile.
***
Continual posting on social platforms has done my band nothing but good.  Sure, it takes time, but all good things do.  What else is new?
***
I do not receive large amounts of engagement with what I post over the years. I see social media as a benefit mostly to those artists and musicians who made a name for themselves and became famous before the advent of social media.  Other than that, I do not see a bright future for many new or unknown artists on social media.   Heck, an AI generated band has done better on social media recently than I ever have!  I found that having my own website (I am in my 20th year online) does quite a bit better for me as a musician and artist on the web.  And the thing that I always remember is the fact that a social media platform is not my property, it is the property of someone else. And it can change or be gone in an instant from the web.
***
I can honestly say it hasn’t helped me at all but I also haven’t devoted a lot of  time to it.  I’ve done a lot of Instagram reels that get a decent amount of views, etc. and have followers  there BUT professionally it hasn’t done a damn thing.  It’s anything but social and it makes us all loathe bothering with it as we weren’t designed to have to churn out content and creativity on a constant basis – it gives us ZERO recuperation time or time to actually CREATE anything of value or real ingenuity or things we care about.
***
I am a solo instrumental guitarist and I gig a lot around the Bay Area due mostly to my own promo, a couple of online agents and a living human agent.  I try to stay on social media so as to be relevant and legit.  I like to keep somewhat of a presence on TikTok and IG. I also use it largely to show my repeat-gig venue clients that I am out there, not just sitting back. They post me, so I should post them.
***
Yes, absolutely it is necessary but more for branding and marketability.  Social media is a necessary evil, use it to your advantage.