In just the last couple years, digital music marketing has seen some major advances. Companies like Microsoft, Google and even a resurfaced Napster have popped up and released or announced music streaming software. So what does this mean for the music industry? Products like iTunes and similar services marked the first bump in revenue for the music industry in years. Even with YouTube, musicians have seen increased exposure and the ability to promote via paid ads before regular videos.
The question then becomes: what does this mean for you? This means that people are looking for their music online, and are willing to pay for it. You need to start promoting it on similar mediums. Email, social media, SMS and paid advertising are all instrumental in making sales of your music on a digital platform. Primarily, though, social media will be your biggest tool for successful digital music marketing. It's seen by users on mobile and at home and reaches one of the largest pools of potential customers available.
How do I go about digital music marketing on social media sites?
Marketing on social media is pretty straightforward, and here are some tips. You want to offer music samples that are long enough to catch a user's attention. Here are five ways you can boost your shares and follows, as well as refer people to your music websites.
1. Make videos
Seeing is believing, and most people don't blindly buy new music based on someone's recommendation. They want to know your sound before they buy. One of the more effective ways of doing this is to put up videos online featuring a minute or so of performance, followed by personal interaction from the artist. You can add links to stores on iTunes, Loudr and other leading digital music distributors. This allows listeners to test your music and decide if they enjoy it. Sharing videos around social media boosts the views and increases your engagement with potential leads and friends of fans as they share it around.
2. Hold contests
Contests on social media are common and effective, and they generate new likes and follows. Running contests helps grow your followers and reach new fans. Indie artists on YouTube know this, as many vloggers hold them regularly. You can learn from this. As a new artist, hold small contests regularly. As a larger artist, hold a big one every month or two. It'll boost the hype surrounding your name and make people more likely to share your post.
3. Interact directly from time to time
Having a social media page is great for your digital music marketing, and growing and expanding it is even better. But people often assume that you don't maintain content or post it there yourself. And that's a shame. Break the mold and offer replies, comments, and posts that are 100 percent yours. Your fans will appreciate it. It seems like a small gesture, but people will not only remember it, they'll tell other people as well.
4. Maintain an email newsletter
Your fans want to keep up to date, and they want to feel connected to you. A digital music marketing newsletter is a good way to facilitate that. You can keep them up to date on your music, give personal messages from each band member or even from your staff, as well as offer special deals and announce upcoming events. Your newsletter is your one-stop shop for keeping your fans informed, up to date, and engaged with your music and your band. An email newsletter will reach the largest number of people in the shortest period of time and can be personalized and customized to each individual customer automatically. They can then share information from your email using our social media sharing elements, reaching even more potential fans.
5. Visual media is incredibly important
Infographics are arguably the most shareable marketing content, especially in the music industry. Infographics, videos, and tweets are being used more and more, and you need to consider your marketing strategy from a visual perspective as well. Having a good design to distribute is important. You can push a message as many times as you like, but if it's not eye-catching you miss out on a bigger audience. Adding visual media to your digital music marketing strategy is a great way to get more eyes on your band, label, or associated acts.
Start Using Digital Music Marketing Today
These are just a few suggestions that will improve your use of social media, the fastest way to connect with people. Always research social media because what is popular and what works is always changing. Contact us and check out our marketing automation page to see what we can do to help you succeed in your digital music marketing.