Line Messenging App Adds DIY Sticker Marketplace: Marketing Opportunity For Musicians?
News of the outrageously expensive acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook has alerted the world to the fact that messenging is big business. One of the more unique revenue streams in messenging involves stickers, small graphic images that can be attached to a message or are sometimes sent as a message, which can be sold to users or distributed for free during marketing campaigns. Now Line is opening a sticker marketplace where artists can upload and sell stickers offering a possible marketing opportunity for musicians.
Line Offers Much More Than Text Messaging
Line is another highly successful messaging app though it's more down the continuum towards platform in that not only does it offer free instant messages it also has such features as:
- free voice and video calls
- voice messages
- create and share video clips with background music
- display texts and media on a timeline
- buy stickers at the Line store
Note that many such messaging apps have the ability to create public timelines, friend accounts and publicize in various ways similar to having a presence on Facebook and Twitter. So, though your approach should be specific to the app or platform, many lessons from traditional social media marketing should apply.
For example, Paul McCartney's Line campaign resulted in "nearly 900,000 followers and his English language account has over 3,250,000."
A free sticker giveaway was a big part of that campaign cause who can resist fab stickers of Paul?
DIY Messaging Marketing With Stickers
If you're relatively unknown a big sticker giveaway won't work on its own and I imagine isn't cheap when conducted as a marketing campaign via a messaging app. But Cubie recently opened up some new options with the ability to create and share custom stickers among friends.
Now Line has taken the next step by announcing a DIY sticker store with 50% of sales going to creators.
But this isn't just an opportunity for artists. For example, an underground band with a unique look could create stickers based on members of the band. However the rules of the Line sticker store forbid promotional items so you couldn't include the band's name on the stickers.
But you could conduct a stealth campaign featuring awesome art representing your band's true spirit which will undoubtedly go viral and take over the world of messaging.
Now go show us how it's done!
More:
- DIY Music Marketing With Messaging Stickers and Emoticons
- Messaging Moves: Spotify Partners With Tango, McCartney Promotes On Line
- Sticker Power For Musicians: Digital Money Makers From Messaging To Photo Apps
Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (Twitter/Facebook) is currently relaunching All World Dance. To suggest topics about music tech, DIY music biz or music marketing for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
