Why Marketing to Superfans May Not Be The Best Tactic

Superfans are often defined as the most loyal, passionate, and engaged customers of a brand or a product. They are the ones who will go the extra mile to support, promote, and defend their favorite brand, even without being asked or rewarded. Superfans are seen as the ultimate goal of marketing, as they can generate positive word-of-mouth, increase brand awareness, and drive sales. However, marketing to superfans is not always the best strategy for a business. In fact, it can be a waste of time and resources for several reasons.

Much has been written regarding the effectiveness of marketing to Superfans - regardless of product or service.

Superfans can best be described as a person who has an extreme or obsessive admiration for a particular person or thing. The number of Superfans for optimum business growth is arguably 1000 or 1500.

But is marketing to such a select group of consumers the best approach?

First, superfans are not representative of the majority of customers. They are a small and niche segment of the market, who may have different preferences, needs, and expectations than the average customer. Marketing to superfans may lead to creating products or services that are too specialized, too expensive, or too complex for the mass market. For example, a video game company may focus on developing features or content that appeal to the hardcore gamers, who are willing to spend hours playing and mastering the game. However, this may alienate the casual gamers, who are looking for a more accessible and enjoyable experience. By marketing to superfans, the company may lose sight of the bigger picture and miss out on opportunities to expand its customer base.

For the music industry,marketing to superfans may be a waste of time because that approach may neglect the potential of other customer segments, such as the casual listeners, the new fans, or the cross-genre fans

. These segments may have different tastes, preferences, and behaviors than the superfans, but they may also contribute to the growth and diversity of the music industry. For example, according to a report by CompareCamp, U.S. K-Pop fans outspend the general population on total music spend and listen more to music than the average American. They also use social media to look for new music by 31% of all teens. Moreover, R&B/Hip-Hop with a 26.7% share was the most-consumed genre in 2022. These statistics show that there is a huge market for music genres that may not have a large or vocal fan base, but still have a loyal and engaged audience.

Marketing to these segments may help the music industry reach new customers, increase its revenue, and diversify its offerings.

Second, superfans are not easy to identify or reach. They are often hidden among the millions of followers, subscribers, or customers that a brand may have on social media or other platforms. Finding out who they are, what they want, and how they behave requires a lot of research and analysis. Moreover, superfans may not be responsive to traditional marketing methods, such as advertising or promotions. They may be more interested in authentic and meaningful interactions with the brand, such as feedback, recognition, or co-creation. Marketing to superfans requires a different approach and mindset than marketing to regular customers.

Third, superfans are not stable or loyal. They may change their preferences, opinions, or behaviors over time due to various factors, such as personal circumstances, social influences, or competitive offerings. Superfans may also become dissatisfied or disillusioned with the brand if it fails to meet their high expectations or if it deviates from its core values or identity. Superfans may also switch their allegiance to another brand if they find it more attractive or appealing. Marketing to superfans is not a guarantee of long-term success or retention.

Bottom line: marketing to superfans is not a wise strategy for most businesses. It can be a waste of time and resources that could be better spent on understanding and satisfying the needs and wants of the larger and more diverse customer segments. Superfans are not the only source of value or growth for a brand. They are not the end goal of marketing, but rather a by-product of creating products or services that deliver value and satisfaction to all customers.

Dave Van Dyke Interview - The Sands Report

Richard Sands got the “radio bug” at 5 years-old, listening to his transistor radio.  After a long stint programming the iconic Live 105 in San Francisco, Richard ventured out to create “The Sands Report,” the #1 Alternative radio news weekly. It's a forum where he reports on the comings and goings of the format, while always offering up his insightful take on Alternative – and radio in general.

Richard recently interviewed Bridge Ratings CEO & Founder, Dave Van Dyke, about traditional radio’s dilemma. This interview was published in the March 15, 2023 issue of The Sands Report.

Richard: Last month you had a blog post about “Radio’s Dilemma.” What is that dilemma, Dave?

DVD: It should be a god-send, but radio has too much music to consider and expose for their listeners. When one considers all the music that has come before, there is an ever-expanding pool of possible songs. From a catalogue perspective, music discovery has increased in recent years as the internet has reminded original consumers of classic tunes to resample and discover and revive lost gems as younger generations discover that they love much of the older music as well as the new. Lots of classics. Plus, new music! Current music presents its own quagmire for radio programmers as listeners consume current and recurrent music differently than previous generations. For example, in addition to new album releases, many of today’s major artists may drop multiple new tracks from forthcoming albums in a given week. Part of radio’s dilemma is figuring out how to properly expose all this music.

RS: Streaming has made it a whole new ballgame, hasn’t it?

DVD: Exactly. Consumers have access to just about all the music ever recorded and have created self-selected libraries of favorites, interesting discoveries and classic finds. With artists dumping so much music into the marketplace, it’s a field day for music lovers, but presents a nightmare scenario for programmers. The industry generally continues to use the old-school 1980s playbook, reflecting airplay exposure based on the way labels used to release music.

RS: With so much new music constantly coming at us, how can radio sift through and figure out what is the best new music to play?

DVD: This is where it gets tricky. Radio has proven—in general—that it does very well “playing the hits” and that is what continues to bring listeners back to the dial. However, we’re at least ten years beyond when radio should’ve pivoted to systems that represent the way people actually consume music. Digital music consumption has changed the landscape and radio’s systems have not kept up. It takes courage in today’s radio business environment to do things so differently that it gives a perceived change to the listener. Considering how many wonderful tools are available to them to help sift through the avalanche of new music monthly, those tools really haven’t changed programming all that much.

RS: What is research showing?

DVD: We’ve found on-demand streaming and other forms of traditional music research provide very different listener reactions to music. One analysis revealed that traditional music testing of hooks gives false positives about the lasting benefit of a song’s true appeal. On-demand streaming analysis shows actual consumption appeal over time. We’ve seen many examples of songs radio clings to in high rotations when actual consumption of that song is fading. Part of this problem stems from programmers programming by consensus, i.e. utilizing airplay charts to make music decisions. Some songs maintain significant passion on our streaming charts for weeks or months, most, though, fade. It’s knowing which songs to jettison and how quickly.

RS: And your conclusion is...?

DVD: Move songs through the system faster. Our StreamStats streaming data allows programmers to see quickly whether a song has potential. If it doesn’t expand its reach in our research with their audience, it is advisable to drop it.

We’ve found that many songs that are major hits that do fade in consumption rank, do so not because of “burn” or building negatives, but because of a more benign reason: other newer songs are replacing the time spent with weekly music consumption.

RS: What’s the best way for radio to meet the demand for new music?

DVD: It’s going to require completely different clocks or sequence structure. We have seen stations we consult turn songs over much quicker—not necessarily rotating them faster, but rather retaining them on the list for shorter spans and as research guides you, hold on to a handful of exceptional high consumption/high passion titles and either discard or place songs that have stickiness into different categories. Programmers can measure “stickiness” with on-demand streaming data or other research tools.

RS: Thanks for your time, Dave. Last question: Is there an opportunity here to work with labels? The labels should be our partners in the ever expanding world of music.

DVD: Though we are often on opposite sides of the desk, both parties benefit from a strong relationship. Unfortunately, more often than not, the label has different goals than the programmer, but there are times when promoting the artist, the label is interested in is a benefit to the programmer/station. Our best broadcasters are already partnering with labels...It is possible to do on-air features of songs a label is working allowing a station for example to get listeners involved for their responses to new songs that show promise through streaming data.

Radio's Dilemma: Too Much Music

The music industry is thriving, and every day, new songs and albums are released. With so much new music being produced, radio stations can struggle to keep up with the demand. This problem is particularly acute for smaller, independent radio stations, which often have limited resources and manpower to manage the volume of new songs. In this article, we'll explore the challenges that radio stations face in managing the volume of new songs and how they can meet this demand.

The Challenges Radio Stations Face

One of the biggest challenges that radio stations face is simply the volume of new music being released. In 2022 alone, over 44,000 albums were released and nearly 1 million songs were uploaded to streaming platforms, and this is expected to continue to rise in the coming years. With so many new songs and albums being produced, it can be difficult for radio stations to sift through them all and find the ones that will resonate with their listeners.

CEOs for both Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group at industry events in September estimate that 100,000 songs were uploaded daily in 2022.

Another challenge is the competition for airplay. Major labels and artists have significant resources at their disposal to promote their new releases, making it even harder for independent artists to get their music played on the radio. As a result, radio stations can feel overwhelmed with music from established artists, making it harder for independent musicians to get their music played.

The Reality

"Hit" Culture is Dying?

It comes down to a theory called “The Long Tail”. This is when the total sum of less popular products match or outsell the more commonly praised products (hits) in their respected industry. This presents a significant problem for radio which has long been known for playing the hits - the most familiar songs regardless of genre.

On-demand streaming has made it easy for the consumer to access less popular titles or deepest part of music available. This “long tail” represents songs that micro life groups are consuming and in today’s streaming world more and more of these smaller “fandoms” of less popular genres like Afro-pop or EDM, are spending time away from the hits.

How Radio Stations Can Meet This Demand

To meet the demand for new music, radio stations can employ a variety of strategies. One of the most effective is to establish partnerships with record labels and distributors - not to influence what music is played. By working with these organizations as a marketing partner, radio stations can gain access to new releases before they hit the market, giving them a head start in identifying the songs that are likely to be popular.

Another strategy is to use data analysis tools such as on-demand music streaming analysis to identify trends and patterns in music consumption. With these tools, radio stations are able to quickly identify which songs are trending and adjust their programming accordingly. By doing so, they can ensure that they are playing the songs that are most likely to resonate with their audience.

Radio stations also leverage social media to stay on top of new releases. Many artists and labels use social media to promote their new releases, so by monitoring these platforms, radio stations can identify new songs and albums before they are even released. This can give them a head start in identifying new music that is likely to be popular.

Finally, radio stations can work with independent musicians to help promote their new releases. By featuring new and emerging artists, radio stations can provide a platform for independent musicians to get their music heard. This can help level the playing field and ensure that the best new music is being played, regardless of the resources of the artist or label.

Conclusion

The volume of new music being produced can make it challenging for radio stations to keep up with the demand. However, by employing the strategies outlined above, radio stations can stay on top of new releases and ensure that they are playing the music that their audience wants to hear. By working with record labels and distributors, using data analysis tools, monitoring social media, and promoting independent artists, radio stations can meet the demand for new music and provide their listeners with the best possible listening experience.

Notes

Global on-demand music streams (for audio as well as video) hiked by 25.6 percent to crack 5.3 trillion during 2022, as stateside on-demand streams grew by double digits to surpass 1.3 trillion.

• Domestic on-demand song streams (audio and video) increased by 12.2 percent year over year (YoY) in 2022 to hit 1.3 trillion.

• In 2021, over 1.2 million albums were released globally, according to music industry data provider MRC Data.

• In 2021, the global recorded music market generated over $25.1 billion in revenue, up from $21.5 billion in 2020, according to Statista.

These statistics illustrate the massive volume of new music being produced and the importance of streaming services in the music industry. They also suggest the challenges that radio stations face in keeping up with the demand for new music.