As an independent artist, you now have a number of platforms and opportunities to promote your music available at your fingertips. With the right strategy, you can boost your career even on a modest budget. We are now seeing a lot of artists, unsigned and unaffiliated with big producers and talent management agencies that are able to make it big in the industry. Most promising artists are spoilt for choice but are overwhelmed by the options. The challenge is in identifying which platforms deliver positive results with the least amount of time and effort.
With that said, here are a few tips and strategies on how to promote your music and build your music website’s online presence.
1. Create your own music promotion site
At the core of how to promote your music successfully on the internet is the creation of an effective music website. The best way to promote your music is to create an online stage where your work will be highlighted. While it’s good to have a presence in popular streaming sites and music video sites, your brand will end up getting lost in a sea of similar artists vying for audience share and attention. Design a great music site with the help of a reputable site builder to make it easier for you, add your music portfolio and start promoting your content online.
2. Take stock of what you have in terms of marketing assets
Work doesn’t stop after publishing your website. The next step is to take an inventory of your marketing assets - what platforms are available to you for promoting your music website. You may have social media pages where you have built a following for your brand. Or you may be a regular contributor in another music industry website or a forum. These are all pipelines that you can use to further get the word out that your site is live and fans can listen to your music from that page. Understanding what avenues are available to you will also give you an idea of what else needs to be done - starting a Youtube channel, for example, or maybe creating a Soundcloud playlist.
3. Optimize your website content
Search engine optimization is a cost-effective way to promote your music website, enabling your content to get listed on relevant searches to target new listeners and build a strong following for your brand. By optimizing your content, you make your website search-friendly, thereby increasing your search engine rankings. Aside from using targeted keywords all over your content and your meta tags, it’s important to know your audience and serve them with the information that they are looking for. Update your playlists. Create a blog to chronicle latest updates such as upcoming gigs, concerts and events. Be mindful of your site’s navigational structure and make it easy for users to find their way around your website.
4. Social media integration
Another way on how to promote your music successfully on the internet is through social media. Sharing your content on social media platforms remains one of the most effective ways of promoting music online because you are reaching out to a network of people who are already interested in the kind of music you make. Harness the power of this platform to get your work viral. Add social share buttons to your website to encourage followers to share your content with their own network. Push your brand on social platforms by sharing any update you make on your website with your network. Encourage engagement by responding to feedback and comments.
