So, you've just dropped a major release on Soundcloud. Your music is now available online for billions of people around the globe to listen to.
You might be asking yourself – now what?
If you're ready to take your music career to the next level, it's time to get serious about promotion.
Having an effective and efficient promotional strategy is a must if you want to build your fan base and reach new listeners.
Whether you use social media, radio, press, or TV, you need to communicate your unique and diverse brand across multiple platforms in order to see an increase in your music-related income.
There is not a single band in the world that can single-handedly develop marketing strategies, promo campaigns, music festival opportunities, and more to get their music in the ears of consumers.
The majority of bands fail to deliver on a promotional level because they aren't organized enough and are assuming that, so long as their music is out there, people will find it and listen.
If only it were that easy!
With all the music out there these days, getting people to take the time to listen to yours is an endeavor as serious as making the music itself.
With that said, it doesn't take a ton of time or effort to effectively promote your music on Soundcloud.
There are a number of ways that you can successfully promote your music.
Hosting your tracks on a platform like Soundcloud is great. But remember, you don't control Soundcloud.
If there are ever any issues such as an accidental suspension of your account or server problems on Soundcloud's end, your fans won't be able to keep tabs on what you're up to and may lose interest.
Set up a website so you can make sure that all your marketing efforts aren't nullified buy trechnical isseus that are outside of your control.
If you already have a website, you can include all of your social media accounts on it, as well as links to the almighty Soundcloud.
Building a website doesn't have to be a difficult task, mind you.
These days, you can just use Wix or Squarespace to get something convincing in just a couple of hours.
Keep an eye on what your competition is doing and how they are being marketed to new audiences. At the end of the day, if there is a gap in the market, you should aim to fill it.
It is also a good idea to let your band's friends and fans know about your music and give them the opportunity to show their support.
The musicians who promote themselves in this way usually do so through social media, record labels, local music media, and other outlets.
It is important to include your fans in the marketing process because they will be there to help spread the word and attend live events when you play to promote your music.
A lot of artists forget that they don't need to do all of their own promotion themselves.
Instead, you can just get music blogs and online magazines to do it for you.
One interview or feature article in a compelling music blog is probably worth 50 to 100 social media posts when it comes to boosting your visibility and credibility in the eyes of prospective fans, record labels, agents, etc.
But without connections with digital publications, this can seem like such a monumental task that most artists just forget about it and move onto some other means of promotion that they have more control over.
Sure, traditional PR firms and publicists that can get you placed in publications can be very expensive.
With a service like Promo Panda, however, getting these sorts of media appearance doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming in the slightest.
If you've got $99, you can get a single or album review published by using Promo Panda.
Want a chance to communicate all the finer points of your artistic process or brand through an exclusive interview? Promo Panda can help with that too.
Touring is a crucial part of any music career.
It is vital for musicians to travel across the world and play their music to new audiences. Artists who travel are able to gather information about how to better market their music and have a chance to learn from others who are successful.
If you are not touring, you are essentially cutting off a huge part of the world from being exposed to your music and possibly your brand. Touring can also provide a buffer to slow down any failure on your part and help you bounce back from any problems.
Some ways that you can plan to tour are:
If you do all of these things, you should be able to increase your income significantly. Once you have made a few contacts, you will have a good idea of where to take your music and what ideas to use to promote yourself.
While music promotion can be a job in itself, it doesn't have to be such a difficult task with the help of modern-day companies and technology.
To help with the task of selecting the best music promoters and event planners, there are quite a few options to choose from for getting a work and event promotion company.
These companies are everywhere and they can get what you're looking for. One of the simplest ways to stand out from your competitors is by simply promoting more than they do.