Independent Artists now have more chances than ever to launch their careers without the support of major labels or big budgets.
Many new and promising artists need to learn how to create a successful marketing campaign for their music or earn money through music.
How to promote music
Making great music should be your priority. If you follow this advice to the letter, but your track, album, or EP needs to be better written and have a tight instrumental, you will fall at the first hurdle.
Let’s look at how best to promote your music in the current industry.
Watch our Unsigned Advice Video here!
Check out our Guide to Marketing Music, a free e-book to help you plan, organize and execute a successful independent music marketing campaign.
Artists Services: Sign up
Most of the largest music streaming services offer platforms designed specifically for artists. Signing up for a music streaming service is easy if you are releasing new music.
These services allow you to gain access to a variety of features and benefits that are reserved exclusively for artists who use and release music on the platform.
Signing up for Spotify for Artists, for instance, allows you to upload a profile picture, add music to Spotify’s playlists, and more (more information below! Edit your Spotify bio, view streaming statistics, and access Spotify’s ‘Artist’s Pick.’
Many other services cater to the needs of artists. You can also sign up for Apple Music For Artists, Amazon for Artists, Deezer, and Youtube for Artists.
Create a mailing list & website
A professional, slick website is a must for any online presence, but building a large and dedicated mailing list is even more crucial.
Include a sign-up form on your website. Your music, biography, tour dates, and images should be included. Email marketing allows you to reach people most likely interested in your music. Regularly updating your website will help you to increase your Google search ranking and SEO.
A fan’s email address indicates they want to be contacted. An email about your new release or tour will reach them much better than a post on social media, which can have a limited reach.
Create a social presence that engages your audience
It is not a secret that a solid social media strategy can be very effective. Maintaining a consistent and interesting presence on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, and other platforms, such as Snapchat, is important. Keep your profile names consistent so that people can find you easier online.
The amount of information on managing your social media channels is overwhelming, and the platforms are always changing. Check out these resources to learn more about managing and maximizing your social media presence.
Playlist
You cannot ignore playlisting and streaming. Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer playlists reach hundreds of million listeners worldwide, with billions of streams. You can get thousands of streams by getting your track on a popular playlist. This is not only great exposure but also royalty earnings for Spotify.
It’s great to have your music on curated playlists, but being on AI-generated algorithmic lists like Discover Weekly could make a huge difference in your stream count and your royalty payments. It’s well worth exploring all options.
Press & Blog coverage
Your music can be featured in music magazines, blogs, and webzines. This will help you build buzz and boost your career.
The best way to ensure that your campaign gets great coverage is to hire a professional public relations executive. This is not always possible or affordable for new artists with limited funds.
Artists with a small budget can do their PR. It’s crucial to reach out to bloggers and journalists the right way. You’ll first need to create a press release. It should include all of the important information about you and your music. These resources offer advice to musicians who wish to do their PR.
Music Videos
Even if a song isn’t popular, a music video that is exciting, original, and interesting can go viral.
Don’t be afraid of thinking outside the box when making a video to promote your new release. Consider the videos of acts such as Childish Gambino and OK GO that have exploded online thanks to their popularity. The videos have something special and unique about them. It could be a hidden message or a theme with a twist.
Creating a music video or visuals based on a live performance is perfectly acceptable. But putting in the time, effort, and thought into your videos can reap big rewards.
Surround yourself with strong teams
If you prefer to promote your music alone, there are many benefits to surrounding yourself with a team of people who share the same passion. It makes sense that if you have a group of people who are well-connected and passionate about music working for your benefit, your chances of success will increase.
You’re in luck if you can assemble a group of friends to help you for free or for a share of your future earnings. You may need to hire professionals to give you an edge in the music market. Accepting help is fine, whether from a publicist, radio plugger, or promoter/booker.
It is also a great idea to hire an artist manager. Make sure that they are passionate about your music and that they believe in you. You’re worth more than gold if you have a manager who will go the extra mile.