How to Make Friends Within a Fandom 😎

Written by: Lucy Widmann

Let’s all admit it - Fandoms can be overwhelming! A group of people who seem like they know all the in’s and out’s about a particular artist; how do you even join in on their conversation? Well rest assured that as much as it seems like it is hard to join a group of super fans, these groups consist of the most hospitable, friendly, and welcoming people you have ever met! 🤗

Usually when we think of our friends, we think of the people closest around us; it could be from people you hang out with at school or even those you work with at your job! But what’s awesome about fandom friendships is that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you look like, or even how much knowledge you have! If you have a passion about an artist and their music, you are automatically welcomed into a family! And just think, you might have more in common with your online fandom community than the people you see physically day-to-day! 🧐

Here’s how to make friends within a fandom community:

Joining the Conversation of Social Media

So you’re obsessed with an artist and found a fandom community you really like! But how do you go about getting more involved with that account and meeting new people? First, start with a simple follow! Follow the account you like so that you can regularly get updates on your feed when they post stories or photos/videos of that artist. Being interactive with the account can open up the door to becoming more known on the account, so make sure you like and comment on the posts! Individuals who run these fandom accounts are very observant and intentional with who their followers are! So, the more you like and comment on their posts, the more they will recognize your username/account and interact back with you! 📱

Making Friends on Fandom Accounts

You now have followed a fandom account you really admire and regularly like and comment on the posts. But how do you start making personal connections and friendships? One way to open the door to meeting new people is to directly comment on what someone else’s comment might be! If someone comments saying that they really

like a certain song on that artist’s album, directly comment back to them how you really like that song too! Be authentic with whose comments you comment back on; don’t feel like you need to comment on everyone's comments. Take the time to read through and see which comments really stick out to you, and then proceed from there! 👍🏼

If for some reason you are feeling nervous to comment back, remember that everyone likes validation! Saying something positive and agreeing with someone else’s statement is going to make that person feel good and most likely reply back to you, which could be the start to a conversation with a new friend! 💖

Starting a Fandom Account

One thing to keep in mind when following fandom accounts is that you have the same resources and power to do the same things someone you are following is doing! Just because you may feel unqualified or not adequate does not take you out of the running from creating your own fandom account! If you want to start a fandom account, think of the qualities you admire in the accounts you follow, and incorporate those into the creation of yours. Maybe it’s a catchy username, high quality photos, or funny memes. Post the things that you like the most about the artist and caption them with engaging questions that your followers can comment back and answer you with. Let’s say the artist of your fan account just released a new album; use your caption to ask your audience what their favorite song is on the album. In this situation you could even dedicate one post for each song on the album and engage with your followers about what you like and might not like about the songs. Providing ways for you to interact with your followers is what is going to draw them in and help you grow your account! 🤠

Fan Meetups

Beyond just meeting each other online, fan meetups is a special way for you to finally meet the people behind the accounts you interact with! Because of Covid-19, physically meeting in person has been a little bit more difficult than what it might have once been.

But, that doesn’t stop you from hosting a fan meetup online! Setting up a Zoom meeting that is dedicated for you to virtually talk with others is a great way to get to know other people better - Plus, who doesn’t like to throw a little Zoom party?! You can make it fun by having people who join have their background be a funny picture, have fun slides to help direct conversation, and truly just revel in the joy that comes with talking to other people about something you love! 🥰

However, with fingers crossed that concerts are coming back for good, meetups before a concert can also be an option for encountering other fans! Posting about what venue you are attending, setting a time, and a location to meet can be a way to get your followers involved with introducing themselves in real life! These meetups in person before a concert are super fun because you all can get hyped together, talking about what you're excited for or what songs you hope the artist will play! Using this time in person to chat will also hopefully extend the invitation to continue these friendships down the road, whether in person and online. 💙

Despite the distance that may be between you and your fandom friends, these friendships you make online are so valuable and last forever! Meeting people and building a friendship online takes intentionality. Just like you, these friendships matter to other people because of the shared bond that is created from artists that you both love. ❤️‍🔥

These are some of the best ways to start to get involved in a fandom! This involvement can then lead to lifelong friendships!! Fandoms really can be like families, and these communities are so incredibly important! So, remember to be bold, put yourself out there, and as Harry Styles says, “Treat people with kindness!” 🌈

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