Breaking the Mold: Overcoming the Familiarity Bias in the Music Industry

How Unconventional Social Media Ad Strategies Can Help You Overcome the Familiarity Bias in the Music Industry

The music industry has long been plagued by familiarity bias, where well-known artists and songs are given priority over new and emerging talent. This bias can make it difficult for up-and-coming musicians to gain traction, even if they have exceptional talent.

The familiarity bias can be attributed to a variety of factors. One of the most significant is how radio stations and music streaming services operate. These platforms often prioritize songs and artists that have already gained popularity and have a large fan base. This can make it difficult if you're new to breaking through and having your music heard by a wider audience. In addition, on streaming services, you also have to live with the skip button, whereas, on the radio, new artists are "sandwiched between two very familiar songs to avoid tune out.

Another factor contributing to the familiarity bias is how people consume music. Many listeners stick with what they know and enjoy rather than explore new genres or artists, which can create a self-fulfilling cycle where well-known artists continue to dominate the charts and receive more airplay. At the same time, lesser-known musicians struggle to gain a foothold. This creates the crowding-out effect on playlists.

One way to counter the familiar bias in the music industry is through cheap social media ads. Targeting specific demographics and niches can build familiarity with new audiences and gain more exposure to your music. However, the trick is not to use short clips to drive traffic to a DSP but to keep people on the platform and have them listen to your music as long as possible, using the platform like a radio station and keep increasing the frequency of the ad to 6 or more to take advantage of the mere exposure effect.

On Youtube, you can use the "Target Frequency" setting to ensure you get your video played out multiple times to the same audience.

Social media ads are an effective way to build familiarity because they allow you to target specific groups of people based on their interests, location, age, and other demographic factors. By tailoring your ads to these groups, you can reach potential fans who are more likely to appreciate your music and become part of your fan base.

Moreover, social media ads are relatively cheap, especially when you're not trying to drive traffic away from the platform. Social media ads can build familiarity and gain exposure, even with a limited budget.

The familiarity bias is a significant challenge for new and emerging musicians. However, by using "always on" social media ads, you can take advantage of the "mere exposure effect, build familiarity with new audiences and counter this bias. With persistence and the right marketing strategies, even lesser-known musicians can break through and achieve success in the music industry.