Streaming services and the internet as a whole make releasing your work as a band easier. You can publish music videos on YouTube and add your songs – or entire albums/EPs – to services like Spotify in just one click. Getting your music published, however, is only the beginning.
The internet is helping a lot of new musicians find their audience online, which means you are looking at a crowded landscape filled with competitors. You need a good marketing campaign (or some of them) to reach the right target audience groups, and we have some unique ideas for you to try.
Go Offline
As counterintuitive as this may sound, offline marketing actually works really well for bands and musicians. You can point to online music and video clips using QR codes or shortened URLs, so the transition for users remains smooth.
However, you have more tools to play with when you do offline marketing. You can, for example, create your own photobook or compilation of artwork based on your songs, and have the perfect binding company turn the materials into a book for your listeners and fans.
Other offline marketing tools, including merchandise and accessories, will work too. You can add them to create a more comprehensive bundle that tells the story of your brand or the music you are releasing. Don’t forget to add a link (or QR) to your Spotify page.
Engage in Social Media
One of the best examples of social media use for promoting a band can be seen in the form of Charles Trippy’s vlog on YouTube. He plays bass for We the Kings, but his vlog – a vlog about him and his dogs, how he deals with cancer, and his everyday activities – brought a lot of attention to the band.
You can use the approach to build a genuine audience and forge a relationship with them. It’s not limited to vlogging either. You can use Instagram and Twitter, or even Facebook, for the same purpose. The important part isn’t what you do, but what you convey to the audience.
Social media is perfect for musicians today. You can have real conversations with your fans and the audience in general. Simply be genuine when you do, and you’ll expand your audience base sooner than you think.
Play Live
One last strategy we are going to cover in this article is utilizing live performances to your advantage. I’m not talking about concerts and paid performances; I’m talking about a surprise show at a local bar or doing a live session on a random street with plenty of pedestrians.
Nothing beats the impact of seeing a great live performance. This is how you can immediately connect with new fans (and existing ones) on a more personal level. As always, add information about your online presence to the atmosphere to streamline your marketing efforts.
These are some of the ideas and strategies you can try to break into today’s competitive market. The way to shine in a crowded market is by being genuine, and these strategies will help you show how genuine you are as a band without going over the top.