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DJing and Social Media -

The Indispensable Act of Self-Marketing with MessemUpBeats

Digital Marketing

In this age of digital marketing, social status can be a crucial requirement when being vetted for a gig. Whether you’re trying to DJ at a party, nightclub, or wedding, your client will look to see what your experience is, and like most other jobs they will definitely be checking your social media. There may have been a day when having enough followers was enough proof, but now clients want to know who they’re hiring, and the content you post could have a direct correlation with your success as a DJ.

From my experience working at marketing companies, consistency is key. If one post a year isn’t enough for a massive company like Red Bull or Nike, it isn’t enough for you either. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok give users the potential to reach the masses with just a few clicks, and for DJs, the proper use of social media could make the difference in going from a bedroom DJ to a mobile DJ.

Mehsum's Experience

To help put this into perspective, I reached out to Mehsum Syed who you may know better as MessemUpBeats. Mehsum is a DJ from Ottawa who took to DJing in 2007. He looked up to his father and saw a man who was making money from his passion, and he was inspired to do so himself. “Just messing around with some new tech had me absolutely hooked – I didn’t know at the time, but this love and passion for it was just the start.”

 

Mehsum worked a wide range of jobs growing up such as concrete work and snow removal, but he never took his eyes off his passion for music. Before he leveraged social media, he didn’t see DJing as something more than a side hustle or fun pastime. When he entered the world of social media, however, everything changed.

"Live Streaming literally changed my life"

Mehsum told me he didn’t take social media very seriously, which led him to miss out on the initial boom of Instagram. Over time his perspective began to shift, and he saw social media as more of a resume or business card than just some content platform. The opportunity to showcase his skill and craft became more evident to him once he realized he could get booked more often just by maintaining a stable presence online.  

 

Mehsum refused to pass up the opportunity to leverage TikTok when it gained traction in 2020. Although he was focusing more on music production at the time, he wanted to see what he could do with this new platform. “From my first live stream DJing with 5 viewers to having around 1-1.5 million viewers a week was what lit a fire inside of me. I knew I had something and people were responsive of it”. Mehsum stayed consistent with his live streams and gained a loyal viewer base, leading him to net an average of $1000 a week without leaving his house. This is what really opened his eyes to the true potential he held with social media.

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"Consistency and patience in this industry has to be the biggest key

Mehsum may have mastered the craft of social media self-marketing, but it doesn’t take a professional to begin. Social media can expand your reach and bring your content to potential fans, fellow creators, and even future clients. By leveraging the powerful engagement tools, creators can build a community, and gain loyal followers. Social media is also a perfect medium to keep your audience informed about upcoming events, releases, and even a behind-the-scenes look into your craft and journey. The reach social media has today is unparalleled and couldn’t have even been fathomed 20 years ago. Passing up on this opportunity can be the factor preventing you from achieving your full potential.

As for Mehsum, he’s grateful to have taken the steps to self-market and is now proud to be able to tell people he is a full-time DJ. His advice: Just do it. “If you really really want something: You’re going to make it happen. You can really do whatever you’d like in this life. Just make sure you have structure”.

If you’re interested in how MessemUpBeats keeps his fans coming back for more, make sure to check out his LinkTree to stay updated. You can also follow him on TikTok to see one of his live streams yourself.

MessemUpBeats Linktree