Marketing Strategies All Musicians Should Know
A number of musicians tend to be at odds with the concept of music marketing. Making music is often so passionate and personal that creating tangible marketing strategies for promotion seems foreign. But how else can you jump the first hurdle and get your work out there?
New artists or independent musicians must find audiences for their music. That’s the first step to begin successful promotion of your unique talents and offerings. Remember, the digitalized world is your oyster. You can promote your music as effectively as possible with the right approaches and tactics. To help get you started, here are a few marketing strategies all musicians should know.
Build a Network: Make Industry Connections
Remember, music isn’t just art—it’s business. The competition in the present landscape is fierce. Out of all the marketing strategies all musicians should know, networking tops the list. Driving traffic to your music involves making professional connections. You can’t just sit around and wait for organic recognition.
Career-minded musicians need to pitch their work to bigger players, influencers, or bloggers in the industry. Reach out to others via social platforms or in-person events. Strike up a conversation. Be active in your local community. The right mindset will drive connections and build a network of results.
A Two-Way Street: Be Active on Social Media
Having a known online presence via websites or social media accounts is one thing. But in all actuality, how engaged and active are you on the web? Are you using social media to your full advantage? Communication—and effective marketing—is a two-way street. You can’t simply relay messages out there that strive for market awareness and close your ears in return.
Know your target audience and stay focused within your niche. As your online presence grows and you post updates on your feeds, be sure to continue the conversation with others. Involving others in your music career is essential to build up a loyal following and gain support now and in the years to come.
Reach Out: Create Interactive Content
Besides mere posts, how else do you interact with listeners and potential fans online? The key is to create interactive content for audience engagement. Simply putting out music and crossing your fingers for new listeners to come across it isn’t enough in today’s competitive industry. Think outside the box for compelling ideas. Your content doesn’t have to be musically-based, either. Put out a strong visual of your artist identity with pictures, vlogs, or written narratives.
Many of today’s listeners search for songs or artists they want to hear. You can use this to help listeners find your music instead. Put a licensed cover up on YouTube or TikTok to compel other’s ears your way. Hop on a current trend or challenge. Or host an interactive livestream on your favorite platform with a quality camera and HDMI switcher. Focus on what makes you memorable as a musician—your achievements will speak for themselves.
