Stephanie G. Mathis Music promotion strategies change each year. The music industry is a blob that changes constantly. People try new things and ignore what doesn’t. They repeat what works.
In this article, I will share with you seven of the most effective promotion strategies available for independent artists. Some of these tactics have been used for years and continue to work for musicians. Others are more recent strategies that are gaining popularity.
Update your website
is your music promotion strategy. The first step you should take is to update your website. You’ll need to have a website that is not influenced by algorithms. Your fans will be able to find out more about you and your music, as well as your tour dates.
Make sure that you update your About page to help people learn more about you. Telling your story is a great way to share what makes you unique and your music special. Update your tour dates and make it simple for fans to buy merchandise.
It would be best if you also made your music available to stream on your website. You’ll have to distribute your music to Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services. Then, embed an Apple Music or Spotify player onto your website (see the next section).
I embed a Spotify playlist or player for my latest release on my homepage. Below that, I will list links to all of my music across other platforms, which can be done using Smart Links.
Distribute Your Music
It is the most important part of promotion for your music. What will you promote if your music doesn’t exist everywhere?
You need a music distributor to get your music onto Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms. CD Baby is the best choice for indie artists. They all have different needs from their distributor. Your music will be distributed to all streaming platforms worldwide, including popular ones like Spotify and Apple Music.
Create your email list.
A mailing list is an easy way to reach your fans. If someone gives you an email address, you have their permission to send you stuff about your music. Send them your music.
Email them every time you release new music. Email them every time you release new music. Email them every time you get new merchandise.
How can you grow your email list quickly?
Make sure to add a signup page on your website. Signup incentives, such as unreleased music. You can build your list by using a pre-save program.
Want more ideas to grow your email list? Start with a landing page.
Create a professional music website in just minutes, complete with a mailing list, blog, and smart links. Try Bandzoogle today!
Join the playlist
About 83% of the streams I receive from Spotify come from playlists created by other users. Only 12% are streaming from people who listen directly to my profile. Because of my growing number of followers and all the activity I’ve done, my tracks are now on Spotify Radio as well as my fans’ Release Radar.
I may be biased, but I think getting your music on Spotify playlists will definitely help you reach new listeners. I’m not talking about Spotify Editorial Playlists.
How can you be added to these playlists? I have tried a number of methods with varying levels of success.
You can first submit your music via SubmitHub, which you will have to pay if you are interested in a chance at all, or Soundplate.
You can also search for “@gmail.com,” followed by the genre you want, on Spotify. You will find playlists that are in your genre and where the curators listed their email addresses in the description.
You can also click on an artist that you find similar to yourself by scrolling down your Spotify profile and clicking the “Fans also like” section. Scroll down their profile to “Discovered on” to see which playlists their music was on. You can then submit your music for those playlists.
You can also search for keywords related to your music’s themes and topics. For instance, I released a few songs about my deconstruction of religion, so I used keywords such as “spiritual” and “evangelical,” found playlists with songs on this topic, and placed my songs on some of them.
Engage fans on social media.
Authenticity is the best way to engage with your fans. People can detect dishonesty. Reply to comments and DMs from people as if they were your friends. Be someone people want to connect with online.
What type of content can you share to get people engaged? First, the content must be appropriate for the platform. What works for Instagram may not work as well on TikTok.
To succeed on any social media platform, you must first be a regular user. You can then get a better idea of what you enjoy and what your fans might like.
Take note of the content that you like, particularly content by independent artists. Make your songs that are similar to the content you enjoy but with your style.
TikTok
TikTok helps independent artists make music their full-time career. How? When you upload a video to TikTok, the algorithm will show it to those it thinks are likely viewers and not necessarily your followers.
According to Nic D, who is a full-time artist thanks to TikTok.com, the number of followers doesn’t matter at all.
What are the chances that your post will go viral? The probability is pretty low. Every time you post your music, it’s in front of people you have never heard before.
Why would you not post content to TikTok then? What have you got to lose?
Play live
Live music is one of the best ways to attract new fans. It’s a great experience to share a room and listen to a musician who is passionate about their music. Booking and playing shows is a lot of work, but the connection you make with your fans in person will last throughout your career.
Indie artists have never made a lot of money touring (although they can make a profit). Playing live is primarily to promote your music and connect with fans.
Sharing your music is a form of promotion.
Remember that the best way to promote your music is by sharing what you’ve made. It would be best if you chose something that you are excited about. You won’t come across as sales if you are authentic. You won’t annoy the people who like your music. Share your music!
