Most artists have a blind spot. They think fans are in love with their newest experimental track or their latest art-hype video, when in reality, people are connecting with something else entirely. That gap between what you believe people like and what they actually like is where a lot of wasted time and money disappears.
Here’s the truth: the crowd usually leans toward the simple, basic stuff. That doesn’t mean you abandon your creativity or stop experimenting. It means you learn how to walk and chew gum at the same time. As an artist in today’s crowded market, you’re lucky when anything you do is working. Double down on what’s already working, and double down on your out-there ideas. You need both. The only way to strike that balance is to figure out what fans are really responding to—and that data is already at your fingertips.
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Meta Business Suite: Where to Start
Meta Business Suite (MBS) is the control room for your Facebook and Instagram pages. Beyond posting, it shows you exactly how your content is performing. Here’s how to use it to see what fans like:
- Go into Meta Business Suite and set your timeframe to the last 90 days.
- Sort your posts by engagement—shares, comments, and reach matter most.
- Pay attention to average watch time on reels and videos. This tells you how long people actually stick with your content.
- Filter out “false positives” like birthday shoutouts or family posts. Those don’t reflect genuine fan interest in your music.
Tip: Shares usually mean more than likes. If someone is sharing your music post, that’s a clear sign it hit hard enough to spread.
MBS also lets you schedule posts in advance, track follower growth, and monitor your overall reach and impressions. That makes it more than just an analytics tool—it’s a way to keep your socials consistent while freeing up time for your music.
YouTube Analytics: Find the Real Winners
YouTube is one of the strongest places to measure what people like. Here’s what to do:
- Go into YouTube Studio and set the analytics range to the last 90 days.
- Sort videos by “Top Videos” to see which ones fans are actually watching.
- Check average view duration—it’s not just about clicks, but how long people stay engaged.
- Look for patterns: are fans responding to your official music videos, lyric videos, shorts, or behind-the-scenes clips?
What About Collaborations?
Here’s something a lot of artists miss: your biggest videos might not even be on your own channel. Maybe you did a collab track, and that video is blowing up on another artist’s page. That’s still a huge sign of what fans like.
- If you have an Official Artist Channel (OAC), YouTube shows you activity on videos you’re involved in across other channels—not just your own uploads.
- If one of those collabs is performing well, you should make your own official lyric video or visualizer for your channel.
- Turn that audio into Instagram and TikTok reels so fans can engage with it everywhere, not just through someone else’s page.
If you don’t have an OAC, you won’t see that extra layer of data. For serious artists, it’s a must. Learn more in our guide: Why YouTube Official Artist Channels Matter.
Double Down, Don’t Sell Out
When you learn how to see what fans like, it doesn’t mean you abandon your artistry. It means:
- You keep making the music you want, but you recognize what’s already connecting.
- You double down on proven content so your career grows faster.
- You use that momentum to fund and fuel your riskier, experimental projects.
From Data to Action
If you want to grow, stop guessing. Use Meta Business Suite and YouTube Studio to get real answers about what fans like. Then, put your energy and budget behind the content that’s already working—while continuing to build on your creativity.
And when you’re ready to scale even faster, take your top-performing posts and turn them into targeted campaigns. Our social media ads services help musicians amplify what’s already resonating and reach entirely new audiences.
360 Promo is a full-service music marketing, promotion, distribution and admin company. Learn more about us and what we do at 360 Promo, follow us on Instagram and contact us to tailor a plan that works for you.