Independent artists are the lifeblood of the music industry. Each year, indies put out more than 9.5 million tracks. That's over eight times the number of tracks major record labels release annually.
In 2023, it is easier than ever to promote your music. But that also means you face thick competition. Luckily, good music promotion skills can help you stand out from the crowd.
The first step to any good music marketing plan is obvious: just make good music. But where do you go from there? In this guide, we want to help you figure that out.
In this article, we explain the top ways to get your music noticed. We go into detail about everything from creating an artist brand to leveraging influencers for extended reach. Keep reading to learn more.
Do you know the platforms and strategies available for independent artists like yourself? If not, this is the first step to creating a solid marketing plan. Music marketing is no different.
The following tools can help you promote your music:
The great thing about a lot of these tools is that they are completely free to use. That way, you can free up extra funds for the powerful services that are not free but are essential for getting your music to a wider audience.
For example, many big streaming platforms offer artist-specific pages. Spotify for Artists is one of them. Signing up for this platform allows artists to add a photo, an artist bio, and music.
Getting music on your Spotify for Artists account makes you eligible to submit your songs to Spotify playlists. Of course, Spotify is not the only place to get your music playlisted, but we will talk more on this subject in a moment.
Other platforms to sign up for include Apple Music for Artists, YouTube for Artists, and TikTok for Artists. Submitting your music through these platforms may cost you, but it is more than worth it in the long run.
Your music is not the only thing that communicates your brand. Everything you put out should reflect your personal brand identity, from music videos and promotional photos to your online and media presence.
And do not make the mistake of believing that artist branding is not important. Take a look at some of the top artists today. What sets them apart from the competition is their recognizable branding.
Take two-time Grammy award winner Ariana Grande as an example. The artist has used her signature style to create a highly recognizable brand. Even her high ponytail is part of her brand, which fans recognize almost instantly.
To get started, ask yourself the following questions: why do you create and share music? How does your music reflect that drive? What type of music are you creating in the first place?
Artist branding is all about visuals and imagery. The imagery in your music should be reflected in your branding. So, if your music is punk rock, your visual branding should reflect that.
A strong artist brand will connect you with your desired audience. Your consistent visual style that reflects in your music will cultivate loyalty. That way, your loyal fans will spread the word about your amazing music for you.
74.2% of US adults report using one or more social media platforms regularly. As an artist, these platforms are your best bet to get your music heard. The top social media platforms for music promotion in 2023 are:
Each of these platforms serves a different audience. You can leverage them differently depending on your goals.
For example, TikTok and Youtube are the best platforms for video content. However, they serve different age groups and utilize different forms of video.
TikTok music promotion is best for artists who want to reach the 18–25 age group. It is one of the best platforms for teasing new music. It is the best platform to release short-form videos.
Youtube, on the other hand, serves a wider audience and skews slightly older. The majority of users tend to be in the 25-34 age group. But YouTube has one of the widest age demographics online, serving people up to 65 years old.
This platform is also the best place to post long-form video content. You can even monetize your music with ads and even sponsorships.
But which is better: Youtube or TikTok? It depends on your goals. TikTok offers the best chance to go viral, while Youtube is the best place to create a portfolio of your music and music videos.
If you want to learn more about leveraging social media platforms for musicians, check out the SpaceLoud blog.
85% of Americans use the internet every single day. No matter how niche your audience is, you can guarantee they are online, too. That is why it is absolutely essential to maintain a web presence as an artist.
But social media is not enough. The main reason why is that you do not own your content on social media platforms. A change to the platform's strategy could see all your content deleted in a matter of seconds.
Websites are different. You have 100% control over the content you publish on your website. So, even if you do use these platforms, use them to refer people to your website.
Another benefit of having your own website is credibility. Will prospective fans really take you seriously if they can't find you when they look up your name online?
Plus, artist websites are the perfect place to display your brand identity. You can customize everything, from the color of your background to the number of images you share.
Websites also give you the chance to keep your fans up to date with your latest appearances and releases. You can sell branded merchandise, too, which is one of the best ways to monetize as an artist.
Last but most importantly, you can acquire and analyze data about your audience. Website builders offer built-in analytics applications to help you discover important facts about your biggest fans.
You can identify how old your fans are, the predominant gender of your fanbase, and even where they live. Having this kind of information can help you reach your fans in a more targeted way.
Don't have a lot of followers on your socials? These days, it is not always worth trying to grow your social media presence organically. Instead, you can leverage influencers to reach a larger audience for you.
Influencer marketing is a term for using influencers to market products, services, or, in your case, music. Promoting your music through influencers might look like this:
The goal of influencer music promotion is to leverage the influencer's following. This can help you improve your own social media following, as well as have a direct impact on streams, listeners, and album sales.
SpaceLoud specializes in helping artists like you connect with influencers who will love your music. We take the guesswork out of contacting, communicating with, and paying influencers to promote your work.
Learn more about how we can help you submit your music to top influencers in this blog post. Or stick around until the end of this article to find out how to start working with us.
Music videos are more relevant than ever, especially for marketing purposes. 85% of marketing professionals agree that short-form video receives the most engagement of any online content type.
Your music videos do not even have to be high-budget to get you the attention you want. Take artists like Ice Spice and Doja Cat as examples. Both artists put out relatively low-budget music videos that went viral.
Still, expect to pay at least a few thousand dollars to film your music video. A low-budget video's budget ranges from $2,000 to $5,000. This is inclusive of shooting, crew, editing, and paid video actors.
You may not even need a full-length video. As mentioned, short-term videos get the most attention online right now. Filming a short-form video can help you earn more revenue and attention while also costing significantly less.
What's more, videos can go viral even if your song does not. Think Childish Gambino's quirky imagery when coming up with a music video idea that you want to take off online.
Apple Music, Deezer, and Spotify are incredible platforms for artists. They feature curated playlists that can get your music heard by millions of people in the US and beyond. You can also earn royalties for streams.
Let's use Spotify as an example. Spotify has more than 430 million global users, and each time a user streams your song, you earn royalties. You could wait around for users to find your music, or you could get playlisted.
How do you get on one of Spotify's curated playlists? First, you need to create an artist's account and get verified via platforms like CDBaby. Then, you can submit your favorite tracks to Spotify one at a time.
Spotify will review your submission and decide whether or not users will like it. If Spotify does approve your submission, they will also determine which playlist(s) are the best fit for your song.
Though it is the best platform to use, Spotify is not the only one. You can also try Apple Music, Google Play, Distrokid, Landr, and CDBaby. Each platform comes with a different fee and various advantages you can leverage.
Want to learn more about getting your music on Spotify in 2023? Check out this Spotify promotion post on our blog for everything else you need to know.
Some artists start making music because they want to get famous. Others want to create great music and share it with the world. No matter what your goal is with your music, you need a loyal fanbase to achieve it.
Many of the tips we've provided so far are great first steps toward building your fanbase. For example, creating a branded website can help you build a mailing list. Fans can sign up to find out about new releases, tours, and events.
Your personal branding can also promote fan loyalty. It is rare for an artist to have extremely broad appeal. Curating a brand can help you reach niche audiences who will offer narrow but deep appeal.
Offline networking is still relevant today, too. Other artists and professionals in your space can be integral to reaching more people who will love your music. Attend shows you love meeting others who vibe with your brand.
Finally, you need to be consistent. If you say you are going to release something tomorrow, hold to your word. And avoid going long stretches without releasing anything new to avoid losing members of your loyal fanbase.
Music promotion is easier than ever for indie artists. All you need to get started is great music and access to the internet. Follow this guide to ensure you get the most out of what you put into your music marketing strategy.
Are you looking for a partner to help you amplify your success? SpaceLoud connects artists to the influencers who love their music. Our goal is to increase your reach, no matter your budget or unique needs.
Sign up for a free 14-day trial on our platform today and get your music the attention it deserves.
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3 Comments
Blood flame
3:38 pm Thursday 7th December 2023
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