Now that you have the master/s of your new release, what do you do now? You can make a Facebook post about it and call it a day. You can’t just post a Facebook update in today’s music business and expect to make it big. It would be best to manage your marketing, PR and advertising campaigns. This means that many musicians don’t have the resources to invest in large campaigns. Being resourceful and knowing where your promo bucks can be spent is crucial to building a fan base and getting noticed.
Music Industry Inside Out has compiled a list of five ways to make money in music promotion without spending a fortune. Check them out below.
Paid Promotional Tools for Facebook and Instagram
Paid promotional tools on Facebook or Instagram, starting at $1 per day, can make a big difference in your project’s reach and frequency of messaging. More people, and more often will see your advert. The hardest part of deciding what content to promote is choosing the right content. Paying to boost a post with promotional tools does not guarantee any rewards, so make sure that the content you will promote is of decent production quality and is understandable/digestible for audiences unfamiliar with your project. Here are some Facebook tips to help you get the most value from your paid campaigns.
Here are some examples of videos you might like to share:
- Live performances to increase ticket sales.
- Video of performance to increase merchandising
- Performance footage, or stripped down performance footage for driving streams
- A fun/creative video initiative to promote album release and drive stream traffic (for example, a fifteen-second teaser in which the artist speaks directly to the camera).
- The video that showcases merch in a fun/creative way to increase merch sales
Facebook advertising tools can be used to reach people most likely to be interested in what you are promoting.
- You can then create a custom audience from the people who have viewed your videos on Facebook or Instagram. This qualified audience can be reached by creating a Facebook advertisement.
Get some eye-catching artwork for your single/EP/Album.
You can grow your fan base organically by finding the right visual aesthetic that matches your music. The artwork must be representative of your music and interesting enough to encourage people to look into your project.
Prices for artwork can vary widely. If you have only $100 to spend, you should look for emerging visual artists that match your style and are willing to accept a commission. You can look for artists with a similar aesthetic to you to help you find talent. It is also helpful to know a few keywords about your visual style.
Invest in Merchandise/Print Media
Promotional and physical merchandise can bring great returns in terms of exposure and return on investment. Depending on the quantity and supplier, $100 could double or triple if you buy stickers or promotional buttons. The double purpose of merchandise is to generate income through sales and generate exposure from people who display your band merch in public.
Make physical download cards.
You might consider physical download cards if $100 is too much to buy your CDs/Cassettes/types of vinyl. Physical download cards are affordable and a great way for artists to give something tangible/token to their fans or drive traffic to upcoming releases. The release artwork is usually included on the card and a link or digital download code. Bandcamp makes it easy to start designing and printing cards. These cards can be printed from your home printer.
Media coverage: Pay for it
Although $100 is not enough for most media publications, it is well worth your time to look into music blogs and publications that serve artists in your field. When it comes to promoting your artist/s online, media promotion is a great way to get positive feedback from outside entities rather than from the band/artist.
Make it count: Get to know your audience.
Promotion is nothing without a plan. Promoting your live show will be most effective if you attract new fans and build your audience. It takes time to understand how to use each promotional tool truly. Please pay attention to bands and artists you like, and find out their goals for each promotion. Finally, consider how promotional tools can be used in ways that align with the brand and story of your artist/band. Not all artists need Snapchat.