Great news: there are now more ways than ever to get your music out there! Not so great news: millions of aspiring musicians can use the same methods. So, the question you should ask yourself is “Can I offer something original and intriguing enough that will be discovered organically?” If the answer is affirmative and you’re patient enough to wait for your music to be discovered and shared on YouTube or social media, we can only wish you the best of luck.
However, if the answer is negative or you’re not sure that your music alone is sufficient to attract a wide fanbase, you might want to consider doing something about the way you present your music. To help you promote your music and grow your fanbase, we’ve prepared some tips that have proven quite successful on many occasions. So, make sure you give them the consideration they deserve.
Get a relevant influencer to promote it
Unlike many products and services that can, more or less, easily be sold if you simply let people know they exist, music requires a slightly different approach. You can’t just send hundreds of e-mails to people you think could help you promote your work. You have to count on them being exposed to many aspiring musicians and your work may easily be overlooked. Instead, do some research and write personal messages to those who would actually be interested in hearing it.
It’s quite easy to see what influencers like in terms of music and you should have no problems identifying those who would actually be attracted to your work and, thus, more likely to help you. The more curated your approach is, the better chances you’ll have of succeeding.
Learn from seasoned professionals
You won’t get very far unless what you do is of sufficient quality. This is particularly true in the early stages of your career when it’s really impossible to get every single aspect right. There must be some things related to the songwriting, recording or mixing that you’re not doing properly, or at least not as well as you should. That’s why you need to send your music to experienced music industry professionals and ask for their feedback.
Sometimes all one needs are tiny tweaks that can make a world of a difference when it comes to the overall impression and that’s the kind of advice you could get from a producer or sound engineer, while a publisher can give you invaluable feedback in terms of songwriting, lyrics and arrangement. Just make sure you choose professionals with experience and whose judgments you’ll trust and whose suggestions you’d be ready to accept.
Social media
We all know that they can be extremely powerful when it comes to making people famous, but you have to be careful when it comes to using social media to promote your music. You should be present on as many social media as possible, but how to make your presence count? To begin with, you should maintain a bland of conversational and engaging content while promoting your music in order to avoid making people feel spammed by your content. Next, choose the platforms that your target audience uses (Instagram and Twitter seem to be doing a pretty good job these days). Then think about how you’re going to present your music visually.
Consider using some of the great music visualizers available or record a video that will help you get your message across. Also, update your content regularly with pics of work in the studio, clips of productions, artwork, experiments and more. Choose the right hashtags and try to give off an image of someone who knows what they’re doing and who loves every minute dedicated to music.
Choose your audience carefully
Just like there are people who hate ice-cream, there are people who have a most peculiar taste in music. You should be aware that not everyone will be able to relate to your music and instead of trying to share your music with anyone and everyone, you need to present it to those already inclined to like it.
Finding your niche and then exploring the ways in which you can present your music to that audience is one of the vital elements. Once you and your music start building your fanbase, you’ll find it easier to experiment a bit in an attempt to widen the range of those who appreciate your work.
Networking
Social networks are great, but you should never neglect the “real world”. You need to interact with fellow musicians and managers. This is best done by attending concerts and other relevant events, where you should seek an opportunity to speak to some of those who might help your career. Don’t be shy, but try to reach out to them during or after the show. Remember that interacting in person is much more powerful than having just a “virtual” contact.
Basically, with so many people trying to break through, you could say that the music industry is saturated in many segments. However, there is always room for someone who thinks and does things differently and you might just be that one.