Musical artists such as Armin van Buuren, Markus Schulz and The Wanted are using a location-based mobile application to drive ticket sales and encourage fan loyalty by distributing rewards.

Armin van Buuren, who claim to be the world’s No. 1 DJ, has been actively using the Flowd application for iPhone and Android to let fans know about his latest news and gigs and to share his location and photos. One of the first artists to use and promote his gigs in Flowd Events, Mr. van Buuren talks directly with his supporters in the dance, trance and electronica music scene.

“The goal of Flowd is to provide fans a new way to keep up with their favorite artists and for artists to be able to have a new type of dialogue with their fans,” said Andrea Schneider, New York-based spokeswoman for Flowd. “Additionally, there are a number of ways that users can interact with each other in Flowd.

“With the loyalty program tools in development, artists will be able to reward their most loyal and active fans through Flowd,” she said. “Flowd was launched on iPhone and Android first, since these are smartphone OS’s with high penetration rate in our target audience.

“We’re firstly focusing on Britain, since the smartphone penetration there is amongst the highest in western Europe.”

Flowd is a location-based mobile application developed by Finland-based Digia’s Ventures business unit that facilitates conversations between music acts and their fans.

Through Flowd, fans can keep up with their favorite music acts’ latest news, views, tours and offers.

Flowd also provides a way to connect with friends, places and parties.

Feeling the Flowd
Flowd is a location-based mobile application that facilitates closer connections between music acts and their fans.

The new Flowd Events feature is now available as a free update to the application on the iTunes App Store and Android Market.

By using the phone’s built-in GPS, Flowd Events lets users check-in to concerts, festivals and other live events while bands and artists can run contests and promotions that award fans for attending their gigs.

Both artists and fans are rewarded for using Flowd.

Fans can get special access to the artists, prizes and more. Artists can do special promotions that are  tied to an event and tracked using Flowd’s measurement tools.

Mr. van Buuren will offer rewards to his fans during his upcoming tour in Australia, including the “Armin Only” concert in Melbourne. Show dates include:

Dec. 31, 2010 – Etihad Stadium, Melbourne (“Armin Only”)
Jan. 2, 2011 – Summadayze Gold Coast
Jan. 8, 2011 – Summadayze Perth
 
By checking into any of the upcoming Armin shows, fans will be automatically entered into a contest for a chance to win a VIP package to the next Armin van Buuren show in Australia – A State of Trance 500 in Sydney in April 2011.

The winners will also get a signed copy of Armin’s latest album “Mirage.” For full details of Armin’s Flowd Events, download Flowd for your and check out Armin’s artist profile.

Any music act, regardless of whether they are up-and-coming or already established, can register and start using Flowd to connect with their fans at http://www.flowd.com.

Artists can add their tour schedules into Flowd using the Events tool available through the Web site, and then share their performances through the mobile application.

Flowd is not being monetized yet, since Digia’s most important goal for the time being is to provide value to the users of Flowd.

Eventually Flowd will turn on its monetization tactics, of which there are many options considering the industry Flowd is focusing on, including in-application sales of tickets, music tracks and merchandise.

Flowd is targeted at Generation Y smartphone users: urban, ages 18-35 and socially active.

Flowd is getting the word out through paid and earned media. Digia is running both online and mobile ad campaigns for Flowd, as well as social and PR campaigns.

Additionally, the application is designed to be viral, and Flowd is seeing a fair amount of growth in users through those features.

Any artists, regardless of whether they are up and coming or already established, can create an artist profile in Flowd, and this is what Armin van Buuren also has done.

“What that means is that fans of Armin can follow his moves and grooves within Flowd with visits to places, shouts, picture shouts and gigs,” Ms. Schneider said.

Fans can also use the Armin van Buuren skin in Flowd, which adds Armin branding into the Flowd experience on the splash screen and homescreen background.

“The new event feature is also used by Armin van Buuren in a promotional way,” Ms. Schneider said. “Flowd facilitates communication between artists and their fans in a whole new way – and developing and retaining a relationship with your fan base is ultra-important for any artists today.”

Final Take
Armin van Buuren on Flowd