March 10, 2017 This article appeared first in Sonicbids.
Logic dictates that the more music bloggers you reach out to about your band, the more coverage you’ll receive.
Not necessarily.
February 7, 2017 The day has finally come. You’ve been practicing hard, laying down vocal track after vocal track, and finally got your drummer to play with a click. Recording an album can be one of the most rewarding, but most difficult processes a band goes through. Now that the album is finally in your hands and ready to go there’s only one thing left to do, plan your release show!
Not so fast.
DIY, Promotion tagged diy musician, music publicist, music publicity January 3, 2017 Being in a band can be a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming and stressful. There isn’t any tried and true manual which describes every step you’ll need to take to find success, but there are tips and tricks. How do you know if you’re doing everything right? Here are a few ways to know if you’re actually sabotaging your PR success. Have a sit down with your bandmates and see what has to change.
December 5, 2016 Being in a band can be a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming and stressful. There isn’t any tried and true manual which describes every step you’ll need to take to find success, but there are tips and tricks. How do you know if you’re doing everything right? Here are a few ways to know if you’re actually sabotaging your PR success. Have a sit down with your bandmates and see what has to change.
December 2, 2016 I’ve had many a band come to me thinking they could overcome the one major factor that determines whether their band will be covered.
What’s that factor? Timing.
When you are unknown band, you are already faced with the major challenge of no one knowing who you are. As a result, you have to give extra benefits in them covering you. You need to stack as much as you can in your favor. And timeliness is the best way to do that.
Here’s a few ways you can maximize timeliness.
October 3, 2016 This post was written by Joy Ike and originally appeared on the Bandzoogle Blog.
I know what you’re thinking: Blogs are so 2005.
It’s true, blogs were a big deal back in the day. But they still are – you just don’t know it.
Believe it or not, as a musician, you need blogs. They are the lifeblood of many artists’ careers, and one of the most effective ways for independent musicians to grow their online reach.
September 1, 2016 I used to get e-mails from Paper + Plastick Records about free downloads once a week or once a month (to be honest, I don’t remember which). While it felt a little overwhelming at times, I also found myself being informed about new bands and releases I really cared about. Bands like Flatfoot 56 and The Braces who I’d followed for years were putting out new releases and I was getting mp3s and updates pretty regularly on their new stuff. Facebook worked for this as well, but I didn’t get free music out of it!
Promotion tagged DIY, mailing list, record label August 28, 2016 This post was written by Jon Ostrow and originally appeared on the Bandzoogle Blog.
When it comes to promoting music online, there are far too many channels, networks, forums, platforms, apps and communities for musicians to be involved with to be present on them all.
So rather than attempt the impossible, you should focus your efforts on a handful that are likely to bare the most fruit.
How are you to know which platforms are most likely to lead to success?
Promotion tagged Fans, Marketing, digital marketing, mailing list, promotion, social media, website July 28, 2016 Are you frustrated because all the music bloggers who loved your last record seem to care less about the new one you’re releasing? After repeated attempts to contact the writer, you can’t seem to get a response no matter how hard you try.
Here’s the cold, hard truth: Your band is not the center of the journalist’s universe. Writers are often battling fast-paced deadlines, an overflow of submissions in their inboxes, and, more often than not, a full-time job with deadlines and demands of its own.
Promotion tagged industry media, journalism, publishing July 5, 2016 With more bands and artists going DIY since the revolution of the Internet, is the role of PR and publicity really still needed? The Internet has had a huge impact on the music industry. Bands and artists are now able to reach their fans more easily than they ever could before. But does this mean they can also manage their own publicity? Although the Internet has brought many benefits for bands and artists, unfortunately, it has also increased the competition. Anyone nowadays can call themselves a band or artist, and with affordable recording software, anyone can make music and upload it onto YouTube or SoundCloud. There are a lot of artists out there all vying for people’s attention. The real issue is how a band or artist can make their music stand out amongst a mist of noise.
Promotion tagged DIY, Fans, music publicity, publicist, social media May 25, 2016 Most music writers will agree: we get way too many press emails to actually read every single one. In fact, some are never opened. What can you do to make sure yours is seen? How can your band stand out in so thick a swarm?
Honestly, there are tons upon overwhelming tons of unread emails from publicists in my inbox. My freelancing schedule falls somewhere between part- and full-time, and I always say I’ll make time to read every one – but there are days when the best I can do is skim the subject lines. It’s unfortunate; a lot of music I’d probably love is overlooked entirely or discovered too late to for a story to make sense.
May 17, 2016 Before Facebook and the era of social media, it was estimated that the average person was exposed to some 2000 ads every day - billboards, television commercials, signs in grocery stores and storefronts, etc, etc.
Since then, that number has probably doubled. This makes promotion very tricky. How do you successfully promote your music when there is so much competition? Below are 6 things you must do to stand out in a sea of clutter, make a dent with your music, and continue to grow your fanbase.
Promotion tagged DIY, Fans, Newsletters, music promotion, promotion April 13, 2016 Bands often come to me while they are in the studio with a clear idea they would like to release their album within a few months. However, without a finished product this is rarely a successful strategy. I’ve even seen a few bands announce their album release date on social networks and then have to retract that date, due to a variety of circumstances.
These are three reasons why you shouldn’t announce your release date before you have a finished product.
March 22, 2016 This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog
Artists and songwriters have encountered this roadblock of a phrase many times before: “no unsolicited material.” The ominous slogan conjures up images of faceless label execs in black suits and ties with an arm out, palm forward in the universal gesture for, “Stop. We are untouchable. Your career goes no further.”
It can be the most infuriating thing for an eager artist to deal with. That’s especially true when youknow you have great material that aligns with the label’s brand and roster. I get you, buddy. I’ve been there, too. But “no unsolicited material” is actually not as scary and unapproachable of a term as it seems once you understand why labels use it in the first place.
Promotion tagged promotion, publishing, record labels 