If you are a musician like I am, you undoubtedly understand how difficult it is to get your music noticed and gain traction in the music world. The key is to not get discouraged. I can’t guarantee that you will become an overnight pop sensation like Justin Bieber, but the music business is not as impenetrable as it may seem. With my band Juice releasing it’s first single over Thanksgiving break, I have learned a lot about the type of work that needs to be done in order to get your music heard. If you are motivated and your music is something that people will want to hear, marketing your music online can be a fun and rewarding experience. Check out this article to learn variety of tips and online resources that will help you market your sounds on the Internet.
1. Post Your Music On SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online music streaming platform that is simply too big for any artist to ignore. It allows users to upload up to 180 minutes of free audio under a unique URL for each song, which is extremely key is being able to market your songs elsewhere on the web. Additionally, SoundCloud makes it extremely simply to share your music with followers on social media using social sharing buttons buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, and Pintrest. SoundCloud songs can also be easily embedded into your WordPress website or blog. If you are so inclined, you could even set up a special widget on your site that automatically tweets a new track as soon as it is uploaded. SoundCloud also acts as a social media site in it’s own special way. Users who are not musicians can listen to as many tracks as they want as well as repost and comment on the songs that they enjoy. If you use SoundCloud to it’s fullest potential it can really help get your music out to fresh ears everyday.
2. Take Full Advantage of Instagram
Almost everyone has an Instagram nowadays, but the app was meant for much more than sharing heavily filtered photos of pumpkin spice lattes and bare legs by the pool. If you are a musician or are in a band, chances are that you will have some really cool photos to share. Take advantage of Instagram by following as many people as possible, you don’t even have to know them in real life. Even if only 5% of the people you follow give you the follow-back, that is still more potential fans than you would have without setting up an Instagram account for your music. You can post cool pictures of your guitars or band practices, or more importantly, you can promote upcoming gigs by posting pictures of flyers with information about location, ticket price, etc. Perhaps the most useful feature of Instagram is the option to post video/audio clips up to 15 seconds long. With this option, you can give your followers previews to upcoming songs or show them all the silly antics that your band gets up to. Additionally, remember to include as many hashtags in your posts as possible in order to increase the odds of your images/videos beings discovered.
3. Gain Followers On Reddit
The so-called Front Page of The Internet, Reddit is an expansive online community that boasts over 3 million active users. Although Reddit may seem like a place rife with inappropriate jokes and strange memes, it is actually home to many smaller communities (known as subreddits) where users are eager to hear fresh and original music. The key to success in posting your music to Reddit is finding the right niche. For example, when my band upload it’s first single to SoundCloud, I quickly posted it to the subreddit /r/bass, where fellow bass players were very excited to hear the lines I had come up with. Other music subreddits to consider are /r/ListenToThis, /r/RateMyBand, and /r/ThisIsOurMusic. There are literally hundreds of other music subreddits, so whatever niche your music falls into is definitely covered. Find the right community and Reddit can help you gain new followers. Just make sure you follow all the posting rules and use proper online etiquette.
4. Use Canva To Create Graphics For Your Band
Canva.com is a great web-based graphic design tool that is easy enough for anyone to use. It features super simple drag and drop interface and is packed with thousands of free images and design templates to help you create cool graphics. If no one in your band knows Photoshop and you can’t afford a graphic designer, Canva is the perfect option for creating simple graphics for your music. Believe it or not, I created that overly-simply graphic that you see above for my band with zero design experience. It is possible to create much more elegant and complex graphics using Canva, but I’m not quite there yet. Having a memorable logo is essentially in gaining notoriety and credibility for your band, and Canva can help you get there.
5. Find Gigs On SonicBids.com
One thing that hasn’t changed about marketing your music is gigging. Playing as many shows as possible is on of the most important factors in getting your music to fresh ears and gaining new fans. Not only does playing gigs raise awareness about your band, but it also builds stronger relationships with your core audience and can even make you some money. Finding venues to perform your music was a drag in the past, but sonicbids.com makes it easier to find places to plat. Think of SonicBids as LinkedIn for your band, it allows you to create a profile, present your music professionally, and connect directly with promoters and booking agents. SonicBids pioneered the Electronic Press Kit (EPK) for musicians, which is a tool that allows you to present your music, outline your goals and apply directly for music opportunities all over the world. You can even send your EPK to other bands in your area if you are looking to gain notoriety by opening up for larger acts.
