Why Musicians NEED to Blog

This week we have another guest blog, this time, about why you should be writing such yourself!  Kathleen Gage is an online marketing strategist, speaker, author, product creation specialist, and owner of Power Up For Profits. She works with creatives who identify as conscious entrepreneurs ready to quit playing small in order that they can get their signature message out in a BIG way through speaking, writing, information products and a targeted online presence.

I’ve been blogging for years and can’t imagine not having this avenue for getting my message out to market. Blogging allows me to build community, position myself as a thought leader in some circles, generate revenues, and write about virtually anything I want to teach or express my opinion on.

In today’s world of social media marketing, opportunities are more evident than ever for nearly anyone, regardless of their industry.

The return on investment far exceeds just about anything you can do to grow your business. This is especially true for musicians and other creatives.

The argument from many musicians is that blogging doesn’t seem to make sense. “After all,” they reason, “a website should be enough. Besides, I’m way too busy looking for gigs.”

When musicians, or anyone for that matter, blog on a regular basis, there are many advantages.
•    Showcase your work
•    Profile past and upcoming gigs
•    Post interviews
•    Build a fan list
•    Reach a larger audience
•    Build name recognition

Many up-and-coming musicians are on a limited budget. With blogging, budget is not an issue. Once you get your blog set up, it’s simply a matter of posting material.

Although blogging can seem like a lot of “busy” work, in reality, when done right, it can be one of the best uses of your time. Think about your own search habits online. That alone should convince you how essential visibility online is in today’s wired world.

Besides what is listed above here are even more reasons to start blogging.

Build community

One of the best ways to build community is to start by commenting on blogs that your potential readers would be interested in. When you comment, create value with what you write. Commenting is a great way for people to get to know you. Keep in mind, one comment on one blog is not going to get you much traction. Consistency will.

Inviting thought leaders and your readers to write posts for your blog is yet another way to build community.

Inviting your readers to leave comments on posts will get them more involved than if you simply hope for people to leave comments.

Being viewed as a thought leader

Blogging about things you are passionate about and you’re willing to take a stand on, will position you as a thought leader. The reality is, there are not many limitations on what you can blog about.

What frustrates you? What upsets you? What do you believe in? Whatever answers you came up with, be willing to blog about it.

Each blog that gets started is an opportunity for the blog owner to have a positive impact on those things that are important to them and their community. As with building community, sticking with your blog on a consistent basis is key to your success.

Visibility

I’ve had incredible opportunity show up because of blogging. One of the most amazing was when I used my blog to raise awareness and funds for rescue animals. I’m passionate about the care of animals. Little did I realize how many of my readers have similar interests. That is, until I hosted a fundraiser using Thunderclap and GoFundMe and blogged about it.

As a result, I was invited to speak at BlogPaws. From there, I have presented at WIPIN and IBPSA conferences. Each of these opportunities has created more opportunities.

The blog gives me incredible visibility and yours can do the same for you.

Traffic conversion

There are several actions that can be considered traffic conversion. The most obvious is when someone opts in for something you give them in return such as an eReport, a webinar seat, an audio file, a complimentary consulting session or a group training to name just a few opportunities to convert visitors into subscribers on your list.

Musicians can offer periodic samples of their work, updates on where they are performing, the backstory of how they got started in music, or just about anything fans would be interested in knowing.

Driving traffic to your social media networks

I love using my blog to encourage visitors to join my private Facebook group. It’s all very fine that people read my blog posts, but there’s no guarantee they will return. By offering them the opportunity to be a part of my private Facebook group, I have more opportunity to build engagement and value for them.

Writing a book

Yup! Blogging is a powerhouse way to write a book. And what musician hasn’t dreamed of writing their life story and having it published in a book?

“Most bloggers, on the other hand, write a ton of books—probably three or four books per year on average, but most of them don’t ever realize they’ve done so,” Nina Amir reveals.

“Later—sometimes much later—they realize they’re sitting on a ton of content that could be turned into a book.

“Many make the mistake of not bothering to consciously write a book. They just blog.

“Here’s a better way: Plan out the content for a book, then write the book in post-sized bits every day and publish the posts—the book—on your blog.”

To get the most out of your blogging efforts, create a vision for what you would like to happen because of having a blog. Most importantly, just start writing.

Starting Out

When you first begin, start with something simple, like posting images and a bit about where you’re touring. Grow from there. Post at least three times a week with content that your fans would enjoy.

Use your blog to get noticed by event promoters. You’d be surprised at how much you’ll stand out and be seen by using today’s online tools to be seen, be heard and be loved.