MyHogwarts is a social network for Harry Potter fans... but it's also so much more than that.
The Future of Wizard Rock
March 7, 2012 | facebook.com/wrockbox
A Little Background Information
Before mid-April, the myHogwarts.co.uk (MH) beta program will be open to nearly 10,000 users.
In June, MH will be releasing the site to the general public. As we write this, there are 78,049 pre-registered members, and by the time you read this, the number will have gone up (the number of pre-registrants is on the home page).
It’s important for everyone to understand that MH is not only a social network for Harry Potter fans, but it will introduce tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of people to the fandom itself.
We all have to face a harsh reality — wizard rock has undergone a steady decline of both popularity and new material. Fans and bands as a whole sort of started dropping interest when the last film was out… but what’s great is that with a website like MH, with SO many Potter fans together digitally, we have the opportunity to boost the fandom back to where it was.
MH requires users to attend an “Orientation”, which guides the user through various slides of what exists out there beside the films and books — meaning, a huge percentage of the 78,000+ preregistered (and however many register before our June launch, and those who register after) will all be exposed to what wizard rock is and how THEY can help contribute.
What the Future Holds
By July, we’ll have launched the new wrockBOX.com, which not only lets musicians upload and manage their OWN music directly tied to the station and their own band profiles, but our editorial staff will always feature a new band, interview a musician, promo local events and ENCOURAGE the public to start their own wrock band.
With the mass amount of numbers that myHogwarts has at their disposal, it’s only a matter of time before wizard rockers come out of retirement AND we see an entire new generation of wrockers spring up from around the world.
How One Little Feature Helps us Shape the Future
Our confidence in the future of wrock comes from experience, so let us explain. Anything can grow, so long as those who share a popular interest have a place to do so.
When we initially launched wrockBOX, the fandom was so pumped. Websites for wizard rockers (most notably Wizrocklopedia) gave bands the attention they needed, but the wrock industry was so spread apart that it was difficult for BOTH bands to promote and share their own music AND for fans who couldn’t find the type of sound they were looking for. So what are the main concerns? 1) Providing a platform for brand new bands to be heard and 2) Giving fans the ultimate wrock resource to not only stay in touch with bands they love, but to also have the opportunity to come across NEW bands and new sounds they absolutley love.
Let’s talk about the title of this section for a minute: one little feature. Our confidence in the future of wrock comes from one, small feature implemented in the early stages of wrockbox — and it gave us the willpower to find a way to grow the industry, and our own radio station. The little feature is theFacebook Like Button. If you were around in the early days, you knew that wrockBOX would display not only the current song, but also a Facebook Like button to like that band’s page.
This SIMPLE, little feature made us see the incredible impact it could have on an entire industry. When we released that feature, it was SO simple for fans to just “like” the band they were listening to, which does two amazing things… it allows fans to stay in touch with the bands they love (without going to another website, loading a new tab or doing something inconvenient), but it also allows the BAND to see their growth and stay in touch with their fans. We had TONS of bands comment on wrockBOX and how because people listening and liking, their iTunes and Bandcamp downloads were going from 2 or 3 downloads a week (if that) to upwards of 20-30.
The Future of Wrock
The increase in downloads and fanfare for the bands motivated their spirits, some of which had even written NEW music just because they knew people would hear it on wrockBOX. This simple feature solves the two most important problems, and it encourages the wizard rockers to keep creating new material; which keeps the fans begging for more.
wrockBOX creates that integral platform that any industry needs. It provides a central resource for the wizard rock industry and provides an incredible place where bands and fans can connect with no effort.
We cannot WAIT to lead the way for the wizard rock industry’s return, and we hope you’ll join us.
Sincerely,
~ The wrockBOX Staff
