Music on Instagram

[maxguzzo]

Hi guys,
Apologize for the stupid question but I’m feeling like I’m lost in a glass of water…
Suppose I have the chance to have my music used by an Instagram page with a decent traffic (100k real followers), they are good friends of mine, they couldn’t afford to buy the song but they would be definitely happy to use my music in their Instagram videos, like on a regular basis.
Songs are PRO registered and guys would make sure to credit me in their caption as well.
Is it enough? Or should the songs be part of some Instagram apps in order to get recognized and pay back some royalties?
Example, they make one minute video using my music, video and music are in their local drive, it’s all edited by final cut, then it get uploaded on Instagram.
Won’t my music be “lost” somehow? Or Since it’s PRO registered (soundreef Italy) will it be recognized?
I’m pretty sure I’m getting lost into something very easy, so pretty please any feedback from you all would be more than welcome.
Thank you so much in advance!

[Vlad]

I am with ASCAP and don’t ever remember seeing Instagram listed on any statements. (Although that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t there). Not sure if PRO’s collect from Instagram or not.

As regards your situation: just my opinion, but negotiating that they would use your music for free or ‘exposure’ puts the value of your music at $0. I realize they are friends that can’t pay, so perhaps it’s a good idea to negotiate something in return that is a service or other thing of value. It’s been my experience that ‘exposure’ gigs provide value for the recipient and regret for the composer. Again, just my opinion.

Of course, I could be terribly wrong and you might land some clients + gigs. I hope it goes that way!

[maxguzzo]

Thank you for your kind reply Vlad, very much appreciated.

I agree with you about never doing things that could downgrade your music and work, but that would be just something useful to verify if and how Instagram is something that can pay off a bit, I would say a kind of “just one shot” agreement with very closed friends.
Lately seems like Instagram became particularly sensitive about paid partnership, sponsored posts, and music as well… It seems to me they’re gonna bring your video down if music has been uploaded without an agreement with the artist.
This is why I was wondering if they’re gonna pay off something or what?
Thanks!

[Mike Marino]

If they’re earning any sort of revenue from the vids they’d be posting with your music you might negotiate a percentage of that money with them. Until you know more about the model I wouldn’t suggest doing that with people you don’t know.

Another option could be a barter in this case. Since your friends are great with video editing maybe they can make an edited spot for you featuring any films you’ve scored, ads or tv placements you’ve had, etc etc for your website or whatever. Basically a promo video that features you and your skills and music?

Just a couple of ideas. Good luck!

[LAwriter]

I’ve never seen any PRO payments from Instagram.

[maxguzzo]

thank you Mike and LAwriter
well my question is not a commercial but a technical question.
I can feel you all about the deal and etc and agree..
but to make it easier, I was just wondering if technically, a huge instagram page with most probably a pretty good number of view on their content would generate some income or not it there’s my music placed.

[LAwriter]

If you are looking at generating “income”, that’s a commercial question – not a technical one. Technically, I’m sure it’s possible. Traveling to Mars is possible. Neither are probably though. Technically.

Commercially, today, 2018, the answer would most certainly be no. Instagram at this point does not generate any income from what I have been able to discern. It doesn’t matter if the page is huuuuuuge or tiny. If you have further question regarding that, a quick call to your PRO will almost certainly confirm it.

[maxguzzo]

thank you for the advice and the sarcasm as well, lol

I understand you are the kind of guy who will have the last word so, I’ll let you have it.

Actually IT WAS a technical question. I was not asking about sensations but fact, does instagram pay back royalties, even 1$ par million view?? or simply not? does anyone know it?

that was my simple humble question, thanks a lot again.

I’ve been asking the PRO as well, waiting for a reply from them.

[maxguzzo]

just an update since I got a reply from my PRO:

“Instagram by the moment do not report back royalties to collecting societies.”

[Mark_Petrie]

There is a way to make a little money from a popular video – put the music up on iTunes / Spotify and make sure the links are in the video description somewhere. I make more from iTunes and to a lesser extent, Spotify, than I do from RF sites now, so there’s definitely some money to be made from it 🙂

[maxguzzo]

Thank you for your feedback Mark!

[SCP]

I think Mark Petrie has the right idea. This is influencer marketing 101. Your giving your product to an influencer for free, who will promote you through a link. That link will leads to a website where you monetize…ie. licensing site, ideally your own, but your music on RF sites work too.

If you get even a tiny fraction of the influencer’s traffic, you’ve done well. Just my two cents…

[maxguzzo]

yeah, sounds like a pretty good option, thank you for your feedback 🙂

[Author]

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