You’ve seen other musicians do it, and they’re not even that good. So it should be pretty easy for you to copy that formula and pave your path to success. Right?

It might <em>seem </em>easy, but there are ways to ruin even the easiest of recipes. So here's a short list of things to bear in mind as you start your blitzkrieg on social media.

<strong>Automated Posts</strong>

They sound like a great idea. But you've got to get it right. Think about what you’re posting to each of your social media channels and consider what you really want to communicate. What time are you setting these posts for? How often? Did you know that Facebook gets an uptick in traffic on Wednesday afternoons at 3pm? Or that Twitter is at its busiest Monday – Thursday from 1pm to 3pm? If you're looking to capture an international audience, then you need to factor in time differences. These are just a few of the <a href="http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/10-reasons-musicians-fail-on-social-media.html">thing</a>s you need to know.

Using an app to assemble all your social media activity, and display it on one dashboard, makes life far simpler than signing in and out of each individual account.

<strong>#Connect</strong>

A lot of people will tell you hashtags are passé. But how will you connect with your audience if you don’t use hashtags?

Tag other people in your posts, too-–you’ll reach a wider audience that way.

<strong>It’s Not All About You</strong>

Sure, your social media channels are <em>yours</em> and they’re there for the purpose of boosting your fan base and increasing your chances of succeeding in the music industry. But no one wants to read solely about your ambitions. Consider offering interesting stories and insights into your personal life. It's easier to connect with people if you put yourself out there a bit. Fans <em>love </em>when artists follow back, or reply to messages. Take time out of your day to read your feedback and respond.

<strong>Quality not Quantity</strong>

There is no point in frequently posting if what you’re posting is nonsense. Yes, people want to see you posting regularly, but they also want interesting posts that grab their attention.

Posting photos will give you far more traction on both Facebook and Twitter, as opposed to just a routine status update.

Tumblr wakes up after 4pm (7pm on Fridays is peak time). Pinterest keeps ticking over the weekend. While LinkedIn has people checking out from Friday afternoon through the weekend.

If you aren’t available to engage during the peak times of each social media channel, then this is where automated posts become quite handy.

If this sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. Seeing your music career take off isn’t going to happen overnight. And it’s definitely not going to happen without a concerted effort.

If you think <em>this</em> is hard work...just wait till you’re on the road regularly and churning out the hits.