It doesn't have to be overwhelming to promote music online. There are many easy and cost-free ways to reach music lovers with your music. This is our manual for self-promoting your music.
It used to be difficult for unsigned musicians to promote themselves. That's all changed with the internet. Nowadays, there are countless ways for independent musicians to connect with fans via social media, email, and other channels.
However, self-promotion remains a challenging task. When deciding where to concentrate your efforts, you must use strategy. Additionally, you need resources and services that won't force you to give up your creative career in favour of a full-time marketing career.
Continue reading for our best advice on self-promoting your music.
1.Find distribution:-
Your music marketing strategy should start with a distributor contract. In other words, they distribute your music to digital music stores and streaming platforms. Certain smaller platforms, like Spotify and Apple Music, only allow music uploaded by distributors; however, some do allow users to upload their own music. A sizeable portion of your potential audience is being missed if you're not using these kinds of services.
It is advisable that you thoroughly investigate distributors before committing to work with one, as each one has distinct advantages.
Among the most well-liked distributors are:
CD Baby.
DistroKid.
AWAL.
Landr .
 Records Union.
2. Create an electronic press kit:-
It's a good idea to have an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) when contacting anyone in the industry, which includes promoters, venue owners, labels, and journalists. It serves as a place to compile all the information necessary for listeners to get a sense of your music—akin to a musician's resume. An EPK is a fantastic starting point if you're learning how to independently market your music.
A bio, a few high-quality promo photos, your contact information, and links to your top songs for streaming should all be included. You can also provide links to any previous press coverage or positive reviews you've gotten.
A Link fire bio link is a good choice if you want to make an eye-catching EPK.
A Linkfire bio link is a customised microsite that you can add links, music, and your bio to. It's ideal for promoting everything you do on social media, but you can also make a second bio link that serves as your EPK.
3. Engage your fans on social media:-
The term "social media" was chosen for a reason. The main goals of social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are to engage users, expand networks, and start conversations. Independent artists, however, occasionally overlook this. Rather, they view social media as a one-way marketing tool, nothing more than a place to share content that is constantly being promoted.
Social media should be approached like a conversation. Answer the questions and comments left by your followers, and express gratitude for their support. Because fans are investing in the artists behind the music as much as in you, don't be afraid to show off your individuality.
The content you post is something else to consider. It is very unengaging to have a feed full of release announcements. Musicians have an abundance of engaging material at their disposal, such as behind-the-scenes videos, song sheets, demo recordings, band member conversations, other songs you enjoy, and much more!
See the post at RoyalMusicMarketing on how to promote your music  for additional advice:
4.Become smarter about analytics:-
Analytics give you a whole new level of insight into your fan base in the digital age. Through metrics such as click-through rates, geolocation data, and visits, you can determine which aspects of your music marketing are truly effective.
The issue is that each of the three—social media, streaming, and ad services—has its own data analytics, which are frequently only available through business accounts or are not available at all. It is difficult for independent artists to obtain the whole picture because they are operating on a limited budget.
Everything is compiled into your Insights dashboard and presented in simple-to-understand tables and graphs. It greatly simplifies the process of determining the impact of marketing, enabling you to concentrate your efforts and refine your promotions along the way.
5. Get playlisted:-
Playlists have emerged as a popular method for many people to listen to music in the digital age. Getting your music on playlists is a critical first step for independent artists looking to expand their fan base and raise their profile.
Three categories of streaming playlists exist:
Algorithmic playlists:
Each user's algorithmic playlist is unique. These playlists, which are entirely human-generated, use information such as your listening history and the artists you follow to suggest new music that suits your taste. Among Spotify's algorithmic playlists are Discover Weekly and Release Radar.
You must establish yourself with a strong fan base that saves your music to their libraries and strong streaming statistics in order for the algorithms to feature you on these kinds of playlists. If you don't already have some listeners, algorithms won't determine that your content is worthwhile recommending.
Although it may take some time, growing your numbers is worthwhile.
Editorial playlists:
These are playlists created by the in-house music tastemakers of the services. Consider Apple Music's Today's Indie Rock or Spotify's Rap Caviar. Millions of people follow the most well-liked editorial playlists, which have the power to instantly propel an artist to new heights.
Each service has a different process for getting on these playlists. For example, Spotify For Artists contains a submission tool. Give curators as much information as you can about the track when you submit it, so they can more easily determine which playlists would be a good fit for it.
Conversely, Apple Music does not provide a way for submissions. Rather, by increasing your number of followers and streams, you will improve your chances of being included, much like algorithmic playlists.
User-generated playlists:
Anybody can create a playlist. Furthermore, some user-generated playlists have amassed a sizeable fan base, despite their lack of influence compared to algorithmic or editorial playlists.
Finding this kind of smaller playlist can be a crucial first step for independent musicians who are thinking about how to market their music on their own. Because there won't be as much fierce competition from other musicians, getting on these playlists may also be simpler.
You can either Google the curators' contact information or look through the playlist's About section to submit your music. Make sure the playlists you select reflect the genre or mood of your music.
6- Play live as much as you can:-
As everyone knows, a growing portion of most artists' earnings now comes from touring. But the immediate financial gain isn't the only factor. When you're thinking about how to independently market your music, sometimes you don't consider live performances as a promotional tool. Performing live is a fantastic method to create buzz. How often have you attended a concert that your friend is a huge fan of but you haven't heard of?
Given that we're currently under lockdown, many bands are unable to perform live. However, you might want to consider live streaming your shows as an option! Musicians now use Twitch more than any other platform, but most social networks have a streaming option, like Facebook Live or Instagram Live.
7. Build your mailing list:-
One of the most successful marketing channels available is email, in case you weren't aware. Most individuals regularly check their email. There's a good chance they'll see your newsletter if you sent one. On the other hand, on social media, your posts compete with each other for visibility in users' feeds.
Sending out email newsletters to your fans is a great way to inform them about your most recent releases and merchandise. Simply remember to keep your emails lighthearted, intimate, and concise.
However, how do you start using emails? You must choose an email marketing service first, though. For those just starting out, there are many excellent options available, such as Mail chimp, MailerLite, or TinyLetter. Although the prices and email templates offered by each service vary, they are all generally easy to use.
After selecting a service, it's time to grow your email list. Use sign-up forms on your website or social media accounts to accomplish this. Offering incentives to entice people to sign up—such as a discount on merchandise or access to exclusive content—is a smart idea.
So, Are you prepared to share your music now? Make the initial move towards achievement. Presently:
Get started on your musical journey right away by partnering with RoyalMusicMarketing, and allow the world to groove to your beats!
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