Music Marketing Experience

[john]

It would be nice to get a feel for what you guys currently do to market and promote your music, both online and offline, what platforms you are on, and what strategies you use.

 

I currently help spread understanding, and encourage cooperation between musicians. I am a firm believer that our strength is in working together, and that is the great leveller. Past experience aside, I regularky help promote other artists online (very little, if any, offline these days) on a number of platforms. I have done very little to promote my own music for years, or indeed Songstuff, but have recently started to be a bit more active in my own projects. What experience and understanding I have I will happily pass on. 

[Powder]

Other than aggressively spamming links (which I am guilty for) , I recently found a few methods through research, here is my list: 

- Collab with like-minded people and maybe even with someone who does a totally different genre of music 

-Live performance (friends, co-workers, or even strangers)

-Be present on social and post about other aspects of your life other than music because it will give you more exposure

-Be present on social media and use the same name so you are easy to find

-Be more than just an artist maybe create t-shirts, do lessons, and ghostwrite 

-At worst pay someone to do it for you

 

 

 

[john]

Add:

 

co-write

featured artist (they join you for a song, or you join them. Great for cross promotion)

Have a minimum posting schedule

Use automation tools to help (autoresponder in email, post dripping using tools like Hootsuite or timed entries on your Songstuff blog)

Where terms and conditions apply, have a couple of social media accounts. (Not Facebook. It is against their Terms. On Twitter have one in your artist name. But create a completely separate account as a fan of the genre of music you do, and another that is a general music fan. Have a 4th which is you in your own name for personal or political tweets... this account is for friends and family too)

on Facebook, create a Facebook Page for your artist name (not a new account, a “page”.Google “how to create a Facebook Page”)

 

I would keep typing, but I have to go.  bbl

[john]

Much of getting it out there is the same, no matter whether it is free or paid for. The first step is getting heard. It then takes awareness, engagement, tools and processes... and a degree of goodwill. On many occasions you will perhaps be exchanging favours with other, like-minded artists.

 

I am not talking a woolly, amateur endeavour. I mean contacting and working with other artists, and building a trusting relationship for mutual benefit. In fact that is one of the purposes of the club feature on Songstuff. The Red Circle 7 club is set up for that purpose but it’s already at a comfortable capacity just now and membership is private (ie the club doesn’t show, only the street team shows). However, I will happily help you by providing knowledge and practical help, as well as doing what I can to help you find suitable collaborators.

 

Such collaborations are the MOST effective thing you can do as an indie.

 

 

1. These damn kids giving away the store for nada on youtube----ruining it for pros like me. GRRRR

 

Well, different markets. You can either spend your time and energy getting angry at what is no more, or what has changed, or you can embrace it and make the most of opportunities you know about, and find out about methods of leveraging income that didn’t used to exist, but do now. It comes down to reality, or fantasy. Yes, it is that harsh.

 

2. Who's gonna notice MY music on itunes? Everybody and his brother's on itunes. GRRR

 

No one, is the answer you already suspect. That doesn’t mean that iTunes is a waste of time. It means you need to approach as a sales platform, NOT a discovery platform.

 

3. F^^k Spotify. They don't pay s%%t. Double GGGRRRR

 

Again, some platforms are nt the true means of income. They are more about discovery for indies. You control your catalog as an indie, and you choose what goes on the platform and what does not.

 

4. Why have a website? Who's gonna notice MINE out of the gazillions? (the ggrr joke is played out already)

 

A website is something that can be a permanent presence. They are not expensive. At least unless you happen to run Songstuff

 

It is important to have a hub you completely control, that WILL NOT GO AWAY. Years ago I remember MP3. Com was THE indie hub. Tens of thousands of artists put thousands of hours into promoting their page as the hub of their indie universe. The site got into financial trouble and was bought over. The new owner envisioned mp3.com as a mainstream music hub. Overnight he closed the entire indie presence. Just now Soundcloud could be in danger of exactly the same a decade later.

 

The way your site gets noticed is about solid promo strategy, and finding effective ways to compete for zero or low-cost. Having your own site can be as cheap as a cup of coffee each month.

 

One of the keys advantages remains having a mailing list you control. There are a whole lot more.

 

 

5. Oh, screw it! Lemme just forget it altogether, and just watch my 6-DVD NYPD Blue 1st season set and have an orange soda. Life sucks and then you die.

 

Good to see you are keeping positive!

 

[john]

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5 hours ago, fasstrack said:

Funny, but c'mon John---I went on to list all the things I DID---in a positive hopeful way. And I thought I made it clear that the beginning ggggrrrs stuff was indeed a bitchfest, but one I'm looking to lose. I was making fun of my attitude, not being smug. I want to succeed---period.

 

I was making fun of your making fun of your attitude. Joining you in having a sense of humour. Or so I thought. Who accused you of being smug? I made a light hearted response to your light hearted expression of frustration. The end.

 

I made a serious response to your points, precisely because I get that you want to succeed.

 

That was also why I made a specific offer of help.

 

Should I now join you in ignoring that offer of help? It seems to be on-trend.

 

 

[john]

Of course you can wink... using emoticons. see?

 

[john]

Text is well known for failing to convey nuance, so sarcasm often fails, as do other forms of humour. That is why emoticons were invented. Quick emotional dynamics added to text