We asked “Yokaromon,” who continues to increase the number of fans in a particularly stable manner among the groups that use Fanicon, for tips on managing fan communities!
――I look forward to working with you today! Could you start by briefly introducing yourself to all of us at YOKAROMON?
Daichi: We are a music entertainment group called “Yokaromon,” which covers various types of music, songs, and publishes original songs, mainly on YouTube.
To be more specific about the activities, the five of us are a group that has been doing something called a cappella since high school. YouTube activities are centered around a cappella, but I have a desire to start a group that combines other aspects of entertainment, so they are active while calling themselves a “music entertainment group.”
――Thank you so much! Recently, there was a huge buzz about the video where they collaborated with four thousand head bodies!
Masaru: There was a buzz (laughs)
Daichi: After all, I think it's best to let people know about it first, so what are our characteristics that other groups don't have? When I thought about it, I realized that it has the advantage of “being a cappella, so I can collaborate with anyone.” Right now, I'm using that as a weapon to speak out to various people and collaborate. The number of people getting to know about it has also increased as a result of the collaboration.
-- I see. I think each and every one of these activities is leading to everyone's future, but have you decided what kind of future and goals you want to achieve?
Daichi: When we first started this activity as members, we had a common feeling of “I want to do a nationwide tour.” At that time, there weren't as many subscribers (on YouTube) as there are now, and it would be amazing if there were 10 comments! I'm so happy (laughs)
Since then, I've been saying “I want to do a nationwide tour.”
-- That's a great goal! In the midst of such activities, you are currently using our Fanicon. What kind of presence does Fanicon have for you?
Takuya: Thanks to Fanicon, a space that is really close to fans has been created. I think it's a community place where the sense of distance with core fans shrinks greatly, and after that, I personally think it's a place where it's easier to casually post even more private information without having to post it to places where everyone can see it, such as Twitter or Instagram.
-- The word “close” came up, but is it positive for everyone that you have a close sense of distance with your fans? Also, wouldn't that be possible without Fanicon?
Daichi: Rather, there's a lot that our activities are made up of that closeness (laughs)
Also, it's probably not impossible to do it on other SNS, but after all, an unspecified number of people, for example, fans are watching, but people who aren't fans are also watching, and maybe people who really don't like us even go out of their way to see us.
I think there are things that can be said and cannot be said if you do that.
I feel that the number of things I can't say in particular has increased so much now, and I'm thankful that we now have a place like our own home at that time.
Not only do we send it out unilaterally, but in a sense, we get feedback while consulting with fans, and we also make new discoveries like “well then, let's do future activities like this.”
I think the fans also feel that they are involved in our activities, and I feel that it's a really good place for both of us.
――By the way, who is the biggest Fanicon out of the 5 who says things you can't say outside? (lol)
Takuya: I think it's probably Hiro.
Hiro: Isn't it me or Takuya? (lol)
Daichi: Takuya maybe (lol)
――For example, what kind of things are hard to say about oven-like SNS?
Takuya: It's hard to say... on Twitter, people who aren't fans in particular can be seen, and I'm watching people in the same industry or who work in the same industry, so it's a bit difficult to say things that don't matter. In that respect, Fanicon only watches core fans, so it's easy to say “ah, I'm hungry,” even though it's an extreme story (laughs)
――I saw a post the other day saying “Rouleau food is precious” (laughs)
Everyone: (laughs)
Takuya: Wouldn't it feel like tweeting something like that on Twitter (laughs)
But it's a place where I can say something casual.
――Incidentally, Yokaromon's community has the characteristic that “the frequency of posts and live broadcasts is 3 times the average of all communities,” and “the number of members has been gradually increasing,” and “the number of members has been gradually increasing,” and I would like to ask you some tips on how to use it to achieve this.
――First, let's talk about posting frequency, but do you have any rules among you?
Masaru: For the time being, I try to do regular broadcasts every week on the same day of the week.
However, there are members who do it regularly and others who don't.
Daichi: Actually, we don't have that many clear rules. Even when I started Fanicon, I thought, “Let's try it out and master it as we go.”
As they come, I feel like something like an unspoken rule of what kind of unspoken rule for posting has been created for the most part.
Masaru: Actually, he (Mr. Yudai) doesn't post much (laughs)
-- (Laughter) Is that OK among all of you?
Masaru: Yes. There's no sense of obligation, and each member enjoys thinking it's a place where they genuinely interact with core fans. So, nobody really cares about who is doing it and who isn't!
Daichi: After that, we're members who have been working together since high school, so maybe we balance each other in various places.
Even in YouTube activities, editors decide roles like this person, and it is this person who calls out to various people. At first, Takuya did a lot of broadcasts on Fanicon, and after watching it, the other members also said, “We have to do a little more.”
By not deciding the rules, the image is that even among us, we are working hard while watching each other's trends.
――Now, I'd like to ask you about another theme, “The Secret to a Steadily Growing Number of Members.”
Daichi: Actually, there was a separate fan club before we started Fanicon, but I have bitter memories of suffering because the number of members didn't grow easily.
――Unlike that time, it's growing now; what are the differences and ideas from that time?
Takuya: It's my personal ingenuity, but I'm conscious of “smelling” posts
-- Can you make me smell it?!
Takuya: It's an image of successfully preempting information about our future activities, videos, and collaborations. I'm conscious of a state where I can feel what Yokaromon's activities will look like in the future by being in Fanicon.
It's like I'm secretly telling you information or something you wouldn't know if you're just following Twitter.
Maybe I could paraphrase it as a spoiler.
――I see, the “smell” creates value (laughs) The level of satisfaction of the fans who entered seems to be high! By the way, are there any ideas that have been devised to let unregistered fans know about Fanicon?
Daichi: I took a photo for Fanicon when I started Fanicon, then made it into a video and posted it on YouTube. Also, I post a link every time to the YouTube summary section or something.
However, we were creating that kind of entrance, but now I think there is a part of the activity to get people to join a bit out of our hands.
--What do you mean?
Daichi: Among the fans, core people have joined, so fans get excited about information that is only known within Fanicon on Twitter and the like. Then, there is a trend where fans who follow that person want to watch it and join.
I feel that the fans are spreading the word, and I feel that I left my hand in that sense.
-- I see. By making Takuya smell good within Fanicon, fans are spreading that scent well on Twitter (laughs)
Takuya: Yes. It has a wonderful scent all over the place. (lol)
――By the way, are there any points that the other members are aware of when using Twitter and Fanicon properly?
Hiro: When it comes to Twitter and Instagram, I think “we” are places where we send out our own information, but at Fanicon, I'm conscious of “listening to the fans.”
I thought it would be nice if I could hear information from various fans.
On Twitter, they say “I like this book,” and on Fanicon, “what book does everyone like?” It's like listening to it.
Because they are members of Fanicon, and because they aren't an unspecified number, I think I want to know more about the people I trust.
I'm not asking that much. “What are you into right now?” Like that, I think it's important to know each other in that way.
Masaru: I don't use them properly, but I think the Fanicon bulletin board-like function (topic) is really nice. We are also happy that there are gatherings in various regions like the “Kyushu Yokamen Gathering - yo” and that the Yokamen are getting along well with each other!
Masaru: I don't think this can be achieved with other SNS.
――Thank you so much for all the positive stories! Listening to it made me happy too.
Last but not least, I'd like you to let me know if there are any things you would like to do with the good guys in the future!
Daichi: It's something I've been doing up until now, but what I want to further strengthen in the future is that I want everyone at Yokamen to work together as the axis of Yokaromon's activities.
The point is “follow what we've decided,” rather than “I want to go this way, what do you think?” It's like deciding to steer as Yokaromon while listening to everyone. I have a feeling that I want to become the Yokaromon that everyone is looking for even more!
That's why I want to do something like “it's OK to include everyone at Fanicon,” and I would be happy if everyone at Yokamen thought that too.
――Thank you so much for your wonderful message! Please make that world a reality together. Thank you so much for today!
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If you want to deepen interaction with fans and want to make running a fan club easier than it is now, then Fanicon is useful.