The impact of social media to influence and leverage emerging electronic music artists engagement, driving their personal brand relevance, consideration and purchase

Abstract

The electronic music industry has undergone significant evolution, with social media becoming a pivotal tool for emerging artists to connect with fans and build their brands. This thesis proves how emerging electronic music artists can leverage social media platforms to influence consumer engagement and drive brand relevance, consideration, and purchase. Through a mixed-methods approach, the study combines qualitative insights from fan interviews and quantitative analysis from an online survey. While artists were initially included as stakeholders in the qualitative phase to understand effective engagement strategies, the focus shifted to fans due to limited artist availability. Key findings indicate that social media algorithms, particularly on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and SoundCloud, play a critical role in artist discovery and consideration. Fans prioritize music quality, authenticity, and alignment with humanitarian values when evaluating artists, while exclusive content and direct interactions foster emotional connections and loyalty. Additionally, performance videos and collaborations significantly influence artist visibility and audience engagement. Quantitative results emphasize that digital media, particularly streaming platforms, is the most important discovery channel, with trust and purchase decisions driven by interactive content, community-building tools, and alignment with audience values. This study provides actionable insights for emerging electronic music artists to refine their social media strategies and enhance their online presence, fostering meaningful connections and brand growth.

Date of Award	31 Jan 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Pedro Miguel Torres Tavares (Supervisor)