So, you’ve started a band, wrote what you think are some pretty good songs, and practiced until you’re all really tight. You’ve been playing lots of local venues, and it’s gone down well, but you want more; you want a real music career. The first thing you’re going to have to do is get more attention for yourselves. Here are a few sensible steps you should take if you want to propel your band into the spotlight:
Create Your Own Website:
If you have a band, then you should have your own standalone website and you should absolutely take the time to update its content regularly. If you don’t do this, not only will new people not find you, but anyone who has been following you will probably start to lose interest. Your website really does need to stay fresh if you’re to attract as big an audience as possible.
Upload Your Music in New Places:
Chances are, you’ve already uploaded your band’s music somewhere, but if you really want to get more attention, you’re going to have to keep uploading it to as many new platforms as you can, so that it can reach as many people as possible. For example, you could upload indie music on indiesound.com or feature your band on Dozmia.com. You should also be trying to get your music onto more popular platforms such as iTunes so that you can piggyback off recommendations and perhaps pick up more listeners.
Give Radio Stations a Go:
If you’ve recorded your music to a high standard (A professionally recorded promo CD rather than a raw demo, ideally.), then sending it out to various radio stations, both local and national is a good way of potentially getting more exposure. Obviously, just sending your music is no guarantee that your band will be featured, but if it is, you could see more opportunities to play in more places open up for you and that can only be a good thing, so give it a try.
Create a YouTube Channel:
It should go without saying that if you’re looking to promote your band in 2018, you need to have your own YouTube channel because so many now famous musicians have been discovered there. While we’re on the subject of YouTube, you might also want to take the time to comment on other people’s music videos, whether they’re indie like you or major names. Don’t be spammy, but where appropriate mention your own band (perhaps on the videos of bands you sound like), and you will probably get a lot more hits.
Network with Event Organizers:
A good way to get more attention is by playing more high profile gigs, rather than just playing in local clubs and bars where everyone probably knows you already. So, take the time to reach out to event organizers and let them know you’re available. If you stay in touch and build a strong relationship with them, it could pay off big time.
Talk to Playlist Curators:
Playlist curators on platforms like Youtube can get millions of views, so if you come across one who you think might dig your band’s style, don’t be afraid to reach out to them and ask them if they would like to include one of your songs. You lose absolutely nothing by asking, and you could gain a lot of attention if they agree.
Start Your Own Podcast/YouTube Channel Review Site:
A strategy that can really pay off if you’re dedicated to it is to move away from relentlessly promoting your band using the hard sell and, instead, set up another platform, whether that be a podcast, YouTube channel, review blog, or anything else, where you talk about music in general. By doing this, you can make a name for yourself as someone who’s passionate/knowledgeable about music and people will start to naturally look to your band. Of course, you’ll be able to slip in the occasional plug, too!
Flickr Image
Send Your CD Somewhere Unexpected:
Although you should send your CD out to various music blogs, magazines, and reviewers, you should also consider sending your disc out to more unexpected places, which are somehow related. For example, if you’ve written your album on the theme of Paris, then sending it out to someone who blogs about the city might get you more exposure than you expected. Or sending a CD on the theme of Buddhism to a publication like Tricycle could prove fruitful. Whatever it is you can think of that will give you an extra and unexpected opportunity to sell your music, do it and you might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Spend Some Money:
If you’re a bunch of struggling musicians, it’s understandable that you might not want to spend any money on advertising, but considering the fact that you can advertise on platforms like Facebook and Dozmia for as little as ten dollars, it makes sense to give it a go. The increased exposure you’ll get from it might actually make you some money in the long-term.
Take Promo Photos:
Another area where you might want to spend a bit more money is in the promo photo department. A few great shots of your band in various poses can make all of the difference between someone giving you a chance and listening to your music, and them ignoring you completely. Now, which is your best side?
Whether you’re looking to boost your fan base by enough that you can make a little money doing what you love or you want to make it big, doing any and all of the above is a great place to start. At the very least, you will gain more attention, which is what you will need to do if you want to convince more people to give you a shot. Good luck!
Featured Image By: Flickr
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