Google Adwords for Musicians

Dave Cool is Director of Artist Relations for musician website & marketing platform Bandzoogle. Twitter: @Bandzoogle | @dave_cool

Google Adwords might not be the first method you think of using to promote your band. But, if you’re looking to book weddings or other private gigs, Google Adwords can be an effective method of driving visitors to your website and reaching potential clients.

Getting Started

First thing’s first: anyone can use Google Adwords. You don’t need to be a huge corporation and you don’t need to hire expensive consultants to start running ads.

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Seven Ways to Get a Little Bit Closer to Your Fans

This isn’t new information: People will like you if you make them feel special. INTIMACY, therefore, is one of the key ingredients in creating loyal followers and Superfans. How do you do this if you can’t give each one a gift or a hug? There are so many ways to get closer to your fans.

Here are some of the best ways to establish that warm connection:

SHARE PERSONAL STORIES

The usual blogs of musicians are mostly informative. They simply talk about their gigs and about their latest album. That’s okay since that’s necessary but blogging about those stuff alone won’t help you build any connection to your followers.  You have to share a bit of yourself to your followers even (especially!) the most shallow details of your everyday life.  Check out Amanda Palmer’s blog. The girl is an expert on this.

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121 Things Not To Do In The Music Industry

All too often, we get wrapped up in new tactics, new ideas, new plans and new ways of getting bigger and better as musicians. With social media and the internet, there’s so much information that it’s almost become immeasurable.

This is great and all, but maybe we sometimes lose sight of what we shouldn’t be doing.

There’s lots of stupid shit you shouldn’t be doing.

Here’s a quick guide to what you shouldn’t be doing.

THE PERSONAL ELEMENT

1. Don’t ever stop practicing your instrument.
2. Don’t be an asshole.
3. Don’t WANT WANT WANT WANT. Learn to give back first.
4. Don’t get defensive. Learn to take constructive criticism.
5. Don’t forget to learn how to take destructive criticism, too. You’ll get a lot more of it than you think.
6. Don’t forget that everyone’s an asshole.
7. Don’t stop learning.

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MusicThinkTank.com Weekly Recap: YouTube for Musicians: The Advanced Guide!

• Shaun Letang | YouTube for Musicians: The Advanced Guide!

• Chelsea Ira | Top 10 Strategies for Indie Musicians

MusicThinkTank.com Weekly Recap: YouTube for Musicians: The Advanced Guide!

Youtube For Musicians: The Advanced Guide!

The internet is full of basic advice on how to market your music with Youtube. That said, if you want to really step your game up and start reaching more of your target audience, there are only a few advanced guides that will let you know how to do that. This is one of them! So have a look for 3 ‘not often talked about’ tips that will have you using Youtube much more effectively!

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11 Things You Need To Bring On Tour | BandHacks

(Article Repost from BandHacks)

So you’re going on tour. Time to dump your girlfriend, because there’s gonna be coke, girls, parties, beer, and did I mention the coke? But before you get to live your 80’s hair metal fantasy, you need to pack your bags with everything you’ll need for the trip.

I had to learn the importance of almost everything on this list the hard way, and I’d like to help you avoid the mistakes I’ve made if at all possible.

1. Smartphone

This one should be a no brainer. Nowadays, everyone has a smartphone, and for good reason. On tour, I rely on my smartphone every day. I use Gmail to contact promoters; Google Maps to find venues; Yelp to find restaurants; Spotify to listen to music; Netflix to watch shows. The uses are endless (I’ll be writing up another article on my “must have” apps). The major drawback to most smartphones though, is their battery life, which is why you also need…

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5 Time Management Tactics Every Musician Must Know

The discussion of the intersection between independent musician and entrepreneur is not a new one. Both are responsible for shaping their own careers, building their own teams, setting their own goals and working towards the proper milestones that will turn dreams into reality.

Musicians and entrepreneurs also suffer from a similar issue: time management.

And rightfully so… whether you are a solo artist working on your own, or have a band that you can share the responsibilities with, the amount of time it takes to get through the never-ending task-load can very quickly surpass the number of hours in a day, week or year.

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5 Reasons Why Taking Extra Time to Plan Each Day Will Make You a Happier Person

We all know how hard it is to keep up with tasks. The sheer quantity of things itching for completion each day is a point of contention for everyone I know.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by how much work there is to be done and just dive in, rather than to take a second to step back and organize all the work before doing so. I would argue that taking 5 to 30 minutes each day (depending on your quantity of tasks) to organize and lay out your tasks will allow you to be more productive while you tackle them. Because of the 5 reasons below, I suggest you take a second to revamp your daily routine if it doesn’t already include planning time!

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In Defense of 1,000 True Fans - Robyn Dell'Unto's Multifaceted Approach to Fan Engagement

It’s been well over a year since our last contribution to our 1,000 True Fans series, but the ideology hasn’t aged a bit. The hustle and heart of the indie artist is still a necessity in today’s music industry, and the focus remains to have an all-encompassing view of every avenue needed to reach the widest possible audience, and tap into all possible revenue streams. Of course, there is not latter here without the former.

Cyber PR campaigns manager Andrew Salmon (@andrewgsalmon) sits down with Canadian singer-songwriter Robyn Dell’Unto to talk about Twitter, crowdfunding, user generated content, and seizing opportunities.

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Networking: Why it’s So Important and How to Do It

Everyone talks about networking and how it’s so important for your business, but when it comes down to it, not many people know how to do it and why it’s so valuble. Here are a few tips for all the new networkers out there.

No matter what your business, if you’re a up and coming musician, a publicist or an accountant, it’s important to know people in your industry. Industry connections, no matter the context, can make a considerable difference when it comes to growing and maintaining your business. People you meet along the way in life can help you to learn new things, and with our ever changing culture, you never know who you will need in your corner in the future.

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Why You Should Get Partners Instead of Sponsors

When most people who want sponsorships think about their ultimate goal, it involves money. They’re looking for someone to fund their event, to pay for their tour, to raise money for their charity, and so on. When many business think about sponsoring someone, it ultimately involves money as well: even if it is an incredible cause, at the end of the day, they want to know how sponsoring will help them get more customers. Each party treats the sponsorship as a transaction. However, I believe it is important to shift the definition from “a cash and/or in-kind fee paid to a property (typically sports entertainment, non-profit event, or organization) in return for access to the exploitable, commercial potential associated with that property” (IEG, 2000) to something more equitable: a partnership.

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6 Big New Years Resolutions For Musicians

2014 is with us. And while there’s a good chance you’ve already made non-music related new years resolutions, have you made any related to your music? If not, today we’re going to fix that!

After my well received 2013 post (still useful today), below are 6 resolutions you can ‘borrow’ to help get your music career on track this year. Feel free to use as many or as few of them as you please. All I ask is that any you do decide to go with, stick with them for the duration.

Challenge yourself to do a few of them, but don’t pick so many that you can’t carry them all out. Ready to get going? Well here they are:

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The Power of a Concert Memento

A ticket stub does so much more than just admitting you into an event. A ticket stub is a filled with memories, emotions and, if you’re lucky, your favourite singer’s autograph. Just one glance at that flimsy piece of paper, and the flood gates are opened. You are submerged in a pool of memories, like which song the band opened with, the moment you made eye contact with the guitarist, the hoarseness of your throat from screaming along with the lyrics, and how, for a couple hours, nothing else mattered in the world. That flimsy piece of paper can become a prized possession. 

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MusicThinkTank.com Weekly Recap: Why do musicians always feel disappointed about their career?

• Tommy Darker | Why do musicians always feel disappointed about their career?

• Shaun Letang | Earning From Your Music Part 2 - Recording Christmas & Holiday Based Songs

MusicThinkTank.com Weekly Recap: Why do musicians always feel disappointed about their career?