I came across an article this month by Greg Rollett called “Justin Bieber and Lady GaGa Marketing” which highlights a video featuring Lady Gaga’s manager Troy Carter and Justin Beiber’s manager Scooter Braun from TechCrunch Disrupt.

Rollett lists some of the highlights of the video in his post, but even at 20 minutes long I think its worth it to watch the whole thing.  Carter and Braun discuss strategies they use with their superstar clients, but they still offer some really valuable advice that artists at all levels can use.

One of the most important lessons I took away from this is the impact that producing quality online content can have.  When you create something that people love and feel passionate about they will share it, and this is an invaluable tool for gaining an audience.

For example, Scooter Braun discusses how many fans Justin Beiber was able to reach before he ever had a single released through posting videos on Youtube.

Another thing that struck me was how Braun discovered Beiber- by finding his video as a related video on YouTube when he was searching for another artist. 

I thought this idea could be a valuable one for independent musicians- figure out what the audience is you are trying to reach, then make a video that those people will come across while using YouTube.  Couple that with making the videos something quality that people will want to share, and this could be a great way spread your message to new fans.

One other strong point of this post was its emphasis on making a personal connection with fans.  Even at a superstar level, spending time connecting with fans is integral in the success of an artist.  Both managers seem to agree that if an artist isn’t interested in personally taking time to use social media and engage fans, then they will not be successful.

So, check out Rollett’s article and watch the TechCrunch Disrupt video.  Justin Beiber and Lady Gaga were once where you were and became platinum selling artists harnessing the power of social media. 

While not everyone will be the next Justin Beiber or Lady Gaga, their stories are a testament to the power of internet marketing tools, and their strategies can be used by all artists to grow and engage their fan bases.