Promoting your music is hard work, and while it takes time away from recording and songwriting, it is an important part of having a career in music. Many musicians upload their music online and expect to just be found, but this is an unrealistic expectation. Successful musicians are the ones who put the work in to get their music in front of the right audience through effective use of different music marketing strategies. Assuming you have an album recorded and are selling your music online, here are some things you can do every day to improve your music promotion efforts.
1. Send your music to a radio station
An effective radio promotion campaign can help any musician gain a densely populated fan base. When your fans are within a dense geographical area, it makes touring more profitable and can make booking new gigs much easier, since you’ll have local awareness. When sending your music to radio stations, it’s important that you send finished recordings (not demos) to the program directors. After sending, you want to follow up with a phone call to solicit feedback. If the program director likes what you’ve sent, it’s time to ask them to add your music to the playlist. If not, ask when you can follow up with them, and follow up on time.
2. Reach out to a blogger
For a new artist, getting your music reviewed online is a great way to gain a loyal following. Reaching out to music bloggers who are passionate about your niche and have a strong following is a great way to tap into the ears of passionate music fans. When reaching out to bloggers about getting your music reviewed, make sure you have a high-quality album or EP out – it’s unlikely they’ll want to review singles. Emails you send to bloggers should be short, make proper use of white space, and be direct. After you email bloggers, don’t forget to follow-up a few days later. You can automate follow-up emails with apps like Rebump.
3. Post to social media
Social media is great for musicians, but too many use it as a promotional platform. Instead, your social media accounts should be used to engage your existing audience so that they share your content and your following grows organically. When posting on social media, be sure to follow the social media rule of thirds. One-third of your posts should be promotional, one-third should provide value to your followers, and one-third should be personal interactions. Keep this in mind when you attempt to promote your music on Twitter and Facebook.
4. Learn something new
Whether it’s learning a new musical instrument or reading blogs about promoting your music, it’s important to keep your mind fresh with new ideas. Subscribe to blog newsletters, search for music promotion tips and ideas on Google, or ask someone for advice every day. When attempting to learn something new, remember to actually apply what you’re learning. Early application of newfound knowledge results in early failures and struggles that accelerate the learning process.
5. Spend $5 on advertising
While paid advertising can be expensive, it can be effective when used properly. Unfortunately, creating an advertising campaign that’s working effectively can take time and upfront investment, but by spending $5 a day through online advertising, you’re getting started on the learning process that can lead to effective paid promotional efforts when you release your next album.
