THE TOP 5 THINGS YOU NEED TO BE DOING TO PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC
You’ve spent years practicing and writing music. Months (and maybe years) recording it. Now you’ve got a few songs recorded, or maybe even an album, and you want to share it with more than just friends and family. For one thing, you want to increase your exposure. But you also might be trying to make music your livelihood, and in that case you want to sell your music too. There are some great ways to promote your music, widen your fan base, and expand your audience. All it takes is a little time, patience, and persistence, and soon you’ll be gaining momentum in the world of music marketing. Here are the five things we feel you should focus on to market your music.
1. Create a Website. It might seem slightly old-fashioned in this era of social media, but having a central location where people can go to listen to your music and find upcoming concert dates is crucial. Services like Soundcloud, ReverbNation and Bandcamp allow you to upload your music to streaming services and make it available on your site. It doesn’t hurt that a website also affords space to include information about you or your band, to help visitors and fans understand you a little better and see where you’re coming from with the music you create. You can even do fun things like posting lyrics or writing a blog. Regularly updating a blog keeps fresh content on your site which helps improve your rankings in search engines, but it can also be a fun way to connect with fans and explore topics that interest you.
2. Upload to YouTube. Unlike streaming services, YouTube allows you to share videos with other people. It can be footage of concerts, videos of you at work in the studio, or more professional-style videos to accompany your songs. The great thing about YouTube is you can use it as is or embed the link on your website. Either way, it is easy to share.
3. Create a Facebook Page. Yet another tried and true marketing mechanism, Facebook may seem dated in some ways, but it remains a force to be reckoned with in the marketing realm. Rather than sharing on your personal page, create a “business” page on Facebook. This makes it easier to separate the personal and professional as far as what you choose to post. The business page option in Facebook also includes Insights, which help you track interaction with your Facebook page. But remember, building a relationship with your fans means using your Facebook page for more than just upcoming concert dates. Share tidbits about how you come up with lyrics, what music inspires you, and who you’re working with to help people want to follow you and possibly buy your music.
4. Stay Active on Other Forms of Social Media. Twitter, Instagram, and Musically are just some of the other social media apps that can help you get the word out about your music and upcoming gigs. You can make life easier by using a scheduler like Buffer, so you don’t have to constantly be updating your status during the day when you really need to be working on new music.
5. Get out and Perform! When it comes down to it, the best way to promote your music is to get in front of your fans. Schedule concerts whenever possible. Collaborate with other artists to share your fan base. And of course, use all the avenues listed above to promote your performances and get as many people there as possible.
If you’re interested in taking your music to the next level by getting a studio recording and promoting it to the public, contact Tanner or Wyatt here at Madison Records. We’re always looking to add to our list of artists and happy to share our own experiences and talent with others. CONTACT US to learn more.