Social media isn’t optional for dancehall artists anymore—it’s essential. In 2025, your social media presence can make or break your career. It’s where fans discover you, where your music goes viral, where you build community, and where you convert casual listeners into loyal supporters.
I’ve learned this firsthand as Tray Millen. Social media has been crucial to building my fanbase, promoting releases, and creating direct connections with people who support my music. But it’s also overwhelming, constantly changing, and full of pitfalls that waste time without generating results.
After years of trial, error, and eventually finding what works, I’m sharing the strategies that actually move the needle for dancehall artists. These aren’t generic tips that work for every industry—these are specific, proven approaches tailored to dancehall culture and the way our music spreads.
Whether you’re just starting or already established, these strategies will help you build a stronger social media presence that translates to real career growth.
The Foundation: Mindset and Strategy
Before diving into platform-specific tactics, let’s establish the right foundation.
Social Media is Your Direct Connection to Fans
Old model: Artists created music, labels marketed it, media gatekeepers decided what people heard.
New model: Artists create music AND build direct relationships with fans through social media, bypassing traditional gatekeepers entirely.
What this means: Your social media presence is as important as your music quality. Great music with no social presence dies in obscurity. Decent music with strong social presence can build a sustainable career.
Quality Over Quantity (But Consistency Matters)
The balance:
- Post consistently (daily is ideal, minimum 3-4 times weekly)
- But never sacrifice quality just to post
- One great post per day beats five mediocre ones
Why consistency matters: Algorithms reward consistent posting. Your audience needs regular touchpoints to stay engaged. Momentum compounds over time.
Authenticity is Your Superpower
Fans can spot fake immediately. The most successful dancehall artists on social media are genuinely themselves—flaws, personality, realness included.
Be authentic:
- Show your real personality, not a manufactured persona
- Share genuine emotions and experiences
- Admit struggles, don’t just highlight wins
- Let your Jamaican culture shine naturally
The benefit: Authenticity builds trust and deeper connections than any polished marketing campaign.
Each Platform Has a Purpose
Don’t try to do everything everywhere. Understand each platform’s strengths and focus energy accordingly.
The platforms:
- TikTok: Discovery and viral potential
- Instagram: Visual storytelling and community building
- YouTube: Long-form content and evergreen reach
- Twitter/X: Real-time engagement and industry networking
- Facebook: Older demographic and event promotion
Strategic approach: Dominate 2-3 platforms rather than being mediocre on all of them.
TikTok: The Viral Discovery Engine
TikTok is the most powerful platform for dancehall artists in 2025. Period.
Why TikTok Matters
The algorithm doesn’t care about follower count. A brand new account can reach millions if the content resonates. This democratization is unprecedented.
Music discovery happens here. More people discover new music on TikTok than any other platform. Viral TikTok moments translate directly to streaming numbers.
Dancehall thrives here. The platform’s emphasis on movement, dance, and short-form content perfectly suits dancehall’s energy.
TikTok Content Strategy
1. Music snippets (3-5 times weekly)
Post 15-30 second clips of your music:
- Focus on the catchiest hook or most energetic section
- Add engaging visual elements (studio footage, performance clips, lifestyle shots)
- Use text overlays highlighting key lyrics
- Keep it raw and authentic—over-production often performs worse
The goal: Get people to save/share the sound, creating viral potential.
2. Dance content (2-3 times weekly)
Dancehall and dance are inseparable:
- Create or participate in dance challenges to your music
- Show dance moves inspired by your tracks
- Film yourself or others dancing to your songs
- Collaborate with dancers who have strong followings
Why it works: Dance content is TikTok’s bread and butter. When people recreate dances to your music, it compounds reach exponentially.
3. Behind-the-scenes content (2-3 times weekly)
Show your creative process:
- Studio sessions and recording moments
- Writing lyrics or creating melodies
- Explaining song meanings or inspiration
- Day-in-the-life content
The benefit: Humanizes you and builds deeper connection beyond just the music.
4. Trending audio participation (1-2 times weekly)
Use trending sounds strategically:
- Participate in viral trends with your own dancehall twist
- Add your personality to popular formats
- Shows you’re culturally aware and not just self-promoting
The balance: Trends show you’re engaged with the platform, but don’t abandon your music content.
5. Educational/Value content (1-2 times weekly)
Share knowledge:
- Quick music production tips
- How you create certain sounds or effects
- Dancehall culture education
- Industry insights and lessons learned
Why valuable: Positions you as knowledgeable, not just another artist begging for attention.
TikTok Best Practices
Posting times: Test different times but generally:
- 7-9 AM (people checking phones before work)
- 12-2 PM (lunch break scrolling)
- 7-11 PM (evening wind-down time)
Hashtag strategy:
- Mix of broad (#dancehall, #newmusic) and specific (#jamaicantiktok, #dancehall2025)
- Include trending hashtags when relevant
- Create branded hashtags for your tracks (#YourSongTitle)
- 5-8 hashtags is optimal
Caption approach:
- Keep it concise but engaging
- Ask questions to encourage comments
- Use humor or cultural references
- Include call-to-action when appropriate
Engagement tactics:
- Respond to comments quickly (algorithm rewards this)
- Duet and stitch with other creators
- Engage with other dancehall artists’ content
- Create content that begs for response videos
The TikTok Algorithm Hack
What TikTok rewards:
- Watch time: People watching your full video
- Completion rate: Percentage who watch to the end
- Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, saves
- Rewatches: People watching multiple times
- Sound usage: Others using your audio
How to optimize:
- Hook viewers in first 1-2 seconds
- Keep videos tight—no wasted seconds
- End with a question or prompt for engagement
- Create content people want to rewatch
- Make your music snippets easily usable by others
Instagram: Visual Storytelling and Community
Instagram remains crucial for dancehall artists despite TikTok’s rise.
Instagram Content Strategy
1. Feed posts (4-7 times weekly)
Your feed is your visual portfolio:
Content types:
- Professional photos (promotional shots, performance photos)
- Music announcements and cover art
- Lifestyle content showing your authentic life
- Cultural content celebrating Jamaican heritage
- Collaboration highlights
- Motivational content aligned with your message
Quality matters: Instagram rewards high-quality visuals. Invest in good photography or learn basic editing.
Caption strategy:
- Tell stories, don’t just post captions
- Share meaningful context
- Show personality and humor
- Ask questions to drive comments
- Include call-to-action linking to music
2. Reels (5-7 times weekly)
Instagram Reels compete directly with TikTok:
- Repurpose your best TikTok content
- Create Instagram-specific reels
- Use trending audio with your twist
- Show your music in creative contexts
- Behind-the-scenes and lifestyle content
Pro tip: Post TikToks to Instagram Reels for double reach, but customize for each platform’s aspect ratio and format.
3. Stories (Multiple daily)
Stories are for real-time, authentic connection:
Daily story content:
- Morning check-ins
- Studio updates throughout the day
- Sharing your music or others’ music
- Polls and questions engaging followers
- Behind-the-scenes moments
- Quick thoughts and observations
- Resharing fan content
Story features to use:
- Polls (easy engagement)
- Questions (gather feedback, show engagement)
- Quizzes (fun interaction)
- Countdowns (build anticipation for releases)
- Links (direct traffic to music, website, etc.)
4. Lives (1-2 times weekly)
Instagram Live creates real-time connection:
- Impromptu performances
- Q&A sessions
- Studio sessions
- Hanging out and chatting
- Collaborations with other artists
Why Lives matter: Followers get notified when you go live, creating immediate attention. Lives feel intimate and exclusive.
Instagram Growth Tactics
Engagement strategy:
- Comment genuinely on other artists’ posts
- Respond to every comment on your posts
- DM supporters personally (when feasible)
- Share fan content to your story
- Collaborate with artists at similar levels
Collaboration opportunities:
- Takeovers with other artists
- Joint Lives
- Featured posts on each other’s accounts
- Shoutout exchanges (authentic only)
Hashtag approach:
- 20-30 relevant hashtags per post
- Mix of size (large, medium, niche)
- Create branded hashtags
- Research what’s working in dancehall space
YouTube: Long-Form Content and Evergreen Value
YouTube is different—it’s for long-form content that lives forever.
YouTube Content Strategy
1. Music videos (as releases happen)
Professional music videos remain important:
- Invest in quality when possible
- Tell visual stories that enhance the music
- Create shareable, memorable visuals
- Optimize titles and descriptions for search
2. Behind-the-scenes content (1-2 times monthly)
Take people deeper:
- Full studio sessions
- Making of music videos
- Day in the life vlogs
- Tour or performance documentation
3. Lyric videos (for every single)
Simple but effective:
- Helps people learn and sing along
- Easy to create (can DIY)
- Good for SEO and discovery
- Extends life of each track
4. Performance videos (ongoing)
Capture live moments:
- Live session recordings
- Acoustic or stripped versions
- Freestyle performances
- Collaborations with other artists
5. Educational content (1-2 times monthly)
Share knowledge:
- How you produce tracks
- Songwriting process
- Industry advice for aspiring artists
- Dancehall culture education
Value proposition: Positions you as authority while providing genuine value to viewers.
YouTube Optimization
SEO matters on YouTube:
- Keyword-rich titles
- Detailed descriptions with timestamps
- Relevant tags
- Custom thumbnails that catch attention
- Playlists organizing content by theme
The long game: YouTube content has longer shelf life than other platforms. A video posted today can get views for years.
Twitter/X: Real-Time Engagement
Twitter is for conversation, industry connection, and real-time engagement.
Twitter Strategy
1. Regular thoughts and updates (2-4 daily)
Keep your timeline active:
- Quick thoughts and observations
- Music updates and links
- Cultural commentary
- Industry insights
- Responding to news and events
2. Engagement and conversation
Twitter is about dialogue:
- Reply to other artists and fans
- Join trending conversations
- Share opinions on industry topics
- Build relationships publicly
3. Thread content (1-2 weekly)
Longer form thoughts:
- Tell stories in thread format
- Share lessons learned
- Explain creative processes
- Offer advice to aspiring artists
Why threads work: They showcase depth and thought, building respect beyond just music.
Facebook: Events and Community
Facebook’s younger demographic has shifted, but it remains valuable.
Facebook Strategy
1. Event promotion
Facebook is still best for events:
- Create event pages for shows
- Share to local groups
- Use Facebook’s event tools
- Target local audiences
2. Community building
Facebook groups create dedicated spaces:
- Create a fan group
- Share exclusive content there
- Foster community among fans
- Use it for direct communication
3. Cross-posting
Share Instagram content to Facebook:
- Maintains presence without extra work
- Reaches different demographic
- Creates backup content distribution
The Content Calendar Approach
Consistency requires planning.
Weekly Content Plan
Monday:
- TikTok: Music snippet
- Instagram: Feed post + Reels + Stories throughout day
- Twitter: Engagement and thoughts
Tuesday:
- TikTok: Behind-the-scenes
- Instagram: Reels + Stories throughout day
- YouTube: Post longer content (if scheduled)
Wednesday:
- TikTok: Dance content
- Instagram: Feed post + Reels + Stories throughout day
- Twitter: Thread or engagement
Thursday:
- TikTok: Trend participation
- Instagram: Reels + Stories throughout day
- Instagram Live (evening)
Friday:
- TikTok: Music snippet
- Instagram: Feed post + Reels + Stories throughout day
- Twitter: Weekend vibes engagement
Saturday:
- TikTok: Lifestyle content
- Instagram: Stories throughout day
- Light engagement day
Sunday:
- TikTok: Value/educational content
- Instagram: Stories + potential feed post
- Planning for next week
Adjust based on your capacity and what works for your audience.
The Metrics That Actually Matter
Don’t get lost in vanity metrics.
What to Track
Engagement rate over follower count:
- 1,000 engaged followers beats 10,000 passive ones
- Comments and shares matter more than likes
- Saves indicate valuable content people want to reference
Link clicks and conversions:
- Are people clicking through to your music?
- Are profile visitors checking your website?
- Are people signing up for your newsletter?
Sound/music usage:
- How many people are using your music in their content?
- This compounds reach exponentially
Growth rate:
- Steady growth indicates sustainable strategy
- Spikes often come from viral moments but aren’t sustainable alone
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from others’ errors:
Over-promotion:
If every post is “stream my new song,” people tune out. Mix promotional content with value, entertainment, and authentic connection.
Ignoring engagement:
Posting without responding to comments wastes the relationship-building opportunity.
Being inconsistent:
Posting randomly whenever you remember kills momentum. Consistency builds algorithmic favor and audience expectation.
Copying others exactly:
Inspiration is fine; direct copying without your own twist seems inauthentic and rarely works.
Neglecting video:
Text and static images perform worse than video across all platforms in 2025. Embrace video content.
Buying followers/engagement:
Fake followers and engagement hurt more than help. Algorithms detect it, and it destroys authentic community building.
My Personal Approach as Tray Millen
Here’s what I actually do:
Daily routine:
- Morning: Post to TikTok, Instagram Stories check-in
- Throughout day: Engage with comments, respond to messages
- Evening: Instagram Reels/Feed post, Twitter engagement
Weekly focus:
- 3-4 TikToks showcasing music or creative process
- 5-7 Instagram Reels (including TikTok crossposting)
- 3-5 Instagram Feed posts
- Daily Stories keeping people updated
- YouTube content when I have something valuable to share
- Consistent Twitter presence
What I prioritize:
- Authenticity over perfection
- Engagement over follower count
- Providing value alongside promotion
- Building genuine community
Final Thoughts: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Social media success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s consistent, strategic effort over time.
The reality:
- Some posts will flop—that’s normal
- Viral moments are great but not sustainable alone
- Real growth comes from showing up consistently
- Community building beats follower chasing
The opportunity:
Social media gives every artist a chance to build directly with their audience. Use it strategically, stay authentic, and play the long game.
Your move: Start implementing these strategies today. Track what works. Adjust. Keep going.
The artists who win are the ones who show up consistently, provide value, and build genuine connections.
That can be you.
Ready to build your fanbase the right way? Subscribe to the TrayMillen.com newsletter for exclusive music, industry insights, and social media strategies. Follow me on TikTok (@traymillen), Instagram (@traymillen), and YouTube (Tray Millen) to see these strategies in action daily.
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