How To Promote Music Online

How to Promote Music Online

Just a decade ago the power structures within the music industry were very different.  Music publishing houses and major record labels were responsible to promote artists and control what was being played on MTV, reviewed by major music magazines, and broadcast on the radio.  Since then, the industry has been constantly in flux.  Independent artists are finding ways to promote their music and the major labels are losing control of the music-loving population. get millions of views on YouTubeYou can now book tours and win new fans without the help from the controlling entities that used be able to decide whether an act lives or dies or if their debut album will see the light.  It’s possible to do almost anything in this age of music promotion. And if you, or someone in your group, are a bit tech-savvy, it’s easy to stay ahead of the pack. Your primary focus as a musician is your music.  Great songs will resonate with your audience if you can write them.  Writing and recording great songs is not enough. It’s important that someone hears it.  It is easy to increase your music’s visibility online. This should not be difficult for any artist or band.

Have a Great Product – And Know How to Sell It

Promoting something amazing is the first step in online music promotion.  You must put your best foot forward.  The old saying is that you only have one chance at making a first impression.  The average internet user’s attention span is only a few seconds.  If you fail to grab their attention within a few seconds, they will quickly leave your profile, music, and website. They are unlikely to return.

When choosing a band picture for your website, or social networking profile photo, keep this in mind.  Although your album artwork may look amazing and was created by a talented friend, it won’t be captivating to casual listeners who come across your music online.  You should choose a clear, well lit photo of you or your band. Make sure it has something special.  You can choose a bright color scheme or an unusual location for the photo.  Avoid clichés like train tracks and brick walls as a background.  You want your shot to stand out.  You can use a great live shot if you have it!  Your best shot is one that showcases your creativity while still clearly displaying you or your band.  Would you click on the thumbnail to see this photo?

When designing the first impression for your band, you should also consider which song will be displayed first on your profile or website’s music player.  Choose a song that is both accessible and unique enough to make your band stand out from the rest.  It is not a good idea to choose a slow-building song or one with a long intro.  A song that has a strong chorus and is easy to sing will be more popular with potential fans.  Remember that the average internet listener will only allow you 30 seconds to preview a song before making a quick decision.  Impress them!

Now it’s time for you to make a great first impression.  Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are the top three outlets for musicians and bands looking to promote and connect with their fans.

Facebook – The Social Networking Juggernaut

Facebook is probably the most popular social network on the internet. If you don’t have one, you are missing out.  In that there are no limits on the number of pages, they work differently to personal profiles.likesThey are great for reaching a larger audience.  A page can be managed by multiple admins, so your bandmates can edit and interact with fans.  Many people prefer to “like” bands and musicians on facebook because it’s a non-committal way of keeping track.  They don’t need to be bombarded with emails, but they can see when there is a show in their area or a new song has been released.  Facebook’s social component means that every “like” you make is broadcast to all your friends, spreading your name further across the network and encouraging more activity on your page.

Facebook offers a useful statistics tracking tool for pages. You can see how many people saw your post, how many “liked” it, and how they interact on each post.  This is a great way to gauge the type of posts that your fans respond to, so you can improve your posting style.

Twitter – What 144 Words Can Do For Your Music

Twitter is the best micro-blogging platform in the world. You can interact with your followers, update them and keep in touch.  Twitter is an excellent medium to create viral trends.  However, it takes dedication to get traction on Twitter.  No one, not even your music fans, wants to see the exact same tweet promoting the same song or video repeatedly.  To gain more followers and to keep them there, you need to share interesting content so that people don’t miss out on what you post next.  Share music other than your own.  You can comment on current events and share favorite lyrics.  Discuss the cities you are visiting and the people you have met there.  Follow Twitter’s top topics, and if there is something you can add to the conversation.  Twitter can be a useful tool for promotion and quick interactions. However, its success is due to its short attention span.  Your followers will increase if you keep your posts brief and interesting.

YouTube – Interact for Success

YouTube viral videos have made many an artist a star.  OK Go’s “Here I Go Again” treadmill video is an excellent example of how YouTube can propel artists forward in their careers.  The most important thing about getting attention on YouTube is to have. unique, quality contentThere is nothing wrong in posting low-budget videos like acoustic performances in the living room.  YouTube watchers You will love these intimate videos!

You can also use a few tricks. get more views and subscribers.  YouTube will increase the number of users who interact with you.  Comment on all videos you see and, if possible, leave your own videos as responses.  You can have insightful conversations with other users through comment threads.  Interacting with others makes them more likely check out their profile and to share your videos.

Blogs and Bloggers – Find Your Niche

Another way to promote your music online is by reaching out to other music bloggers.  You can start by looking for bloggers who specialize in your genre or local bloggers. This will provide a great starting point for an introduction e-mail.  Independent bloggers with less recognition are more likely than well-known ones to review your music or write about you band.  Although they may not have much reach, their followers are more likely to be committed and interested in the content of their posts.

Advertise to Your Target Audience

You have the option of using Google, YouTube, and Facebook advertising to promote your music.  These low-cost advertising options are keyword-based, and can deliver relevant results to internet users.  These ads don’t cost much and you can track their effectiveness using the analytics programs on each site.  Use keywords that target bands and artists whose fans might enjoy your music.

You can monitor your progress

Promoting your music online is all about knowing what is working.  Google Alerts are a good way to keep an eye on your online presence.  Google Alerts will send you an e-mail each time a new result appears in a web search that mentions your name or artist.  This will allow you to see who is sharing your content and where they are doing it.  This will help you to determine the best avenue for promotion so that your efforts are directed in the right direction.

It can be daunting to think of all the different ways you can promote your music online.  It can be fun to get to know the blogs, websites and networks that you use to promote your music and to try to grow it.  You are sharing music that you love, so make sure you promote it with all your heart!