Even if you're immensely talented, it can be discouraging to try and acquire a fan base. It feels a bit like you're having to convince people that you're good, whereas it's much more natural and enjoyable when people discover your music and fall in love with it on their own!
Unfortunately though, some degree of convincing is typically required if you're to make it as a musician. But it's less about convincing people you're good, and more about simply getting your sound out there. These days there are more ways to do that than ever before thanks to a variety of emerging digital marketing techniques. Below are some you might be able to use without forcing it, and while still enjoying the authentic practice of your own music.
Streaming Sites
As every aspiring musician has undoubtedly come to realize, the rise of streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, etc. has essentially relegated CDs to the past; mobile phone companies even offer incentives like free Apple Music to get users streaming. And when you factor in the expansion of Bluetooth in cars, and between phones and headphones, CDs really are just about completely obsolete (and it remains to be seen if the resurgence of vinyl is essentially a fad).
It follows then that using streaming services to feature your music is a great way to reach more people. Those services pay you every time someone listens to your material, and while they may have initially seemed as if they're reserved for established artists, this is not the case at all any longer. Various services exist to help you submit your music for publication, and start generating revenue and spreading the word about your sound (which is not to say that you'll be a surefire hit). Maybe most important of all, having your music on a streaming platform makes it easier to share through your other marketing and exposure efforts.
Game Soundtrack Partnerships
With the emergence of legal online gambling, especially in New Jersey, there are also some surprising new opportunities for musicians. These come in the form of the original soundtracks that many popular online slots use. Games like Age of Gods Furious 4, Frankie Dettori's Magic Seven, Divine Fortune, and plenty of other slot games are featured at New Jersey's online casinos and all carry their own music. Meanwhile, the explosion in mobile gaming popularity has led to similar opportunities, with countless games designed with their own original soundtracks.
Now, these soundtracks, whether on casino slots or mobile games, aren't typically full of ordinary music. But even designing a simple tune for a game developer looking for budget audio can give you another massive outlet for exposure. Suddenly, you'll be able to market through a game that may already be popular among millions of players - not necessarily showcasing your regular sound but giving people a reason to check you out.
Personal Websites
Your website is a must-have if you want listeners to see you as genuine and not a passing trend. Even if you have a simple one-page site that uses anchors instead of several web pages, it gives your music a brand and legitimacy that competitors without websites won't have. Plus, you can essentially turn a website into a self-fulfilling marketing tool.
For instance, consider using QR codes to direct listeners at your gigs directly to your site. Most mobile cameras have built-in QR code readers now, so your fans won't even need a separate app to scan posters and connect to your site. From your site, your followers should see strong and obvious links to your social media pages so they can follow you right away (see below for more on using modern social media trends). Through functions like this, your website can be a launching pad for growing your fan base, rather than just a hub of information.
Furthermore, if you're considering making music videos, then your website offers a great opportunity to feature them. They can really make or break your image, so be sure to strategize about how to use them within your marketing scheme. Of course, you'll debut the videos on your social media platforms, too, and likely host them on YouTube, but the website is a more permanent place to feature them and also acts as a way to archive your music history (such that any new fans you attract can look back and engage with past material with ease).
As a last point regarding the website, keep in mind that regular blogging can help your site show up higher on Google searches. It's easy to find information about how to use SEO tactics to boost your readership, and doing so can actually make you significantly more visible. If you write about relevant content that your fans want to read, you may be able to market to more people because they're discovering your website more often. Blog posts are also a great way to link to Spotify playlists of your songs, or lists with music similar to yours. For that matter, you may even find like-minded artists who will share your content if you share theirs - which helps you both and hurts no one!
Social Media Trends
Modern media isn't about adding posts on Facebook anymore, or adding photos to Instagram. Instead, most social media users are all about their stories. Stories are updated more often, and they tell more about who you are and what is going on in your everyday life. This is what your fan base is interested in, and what they crave to know about you. If they like your music, they want to know you. Simply put, you can use your social media platforms to help this happen for them.
If you need to get someone to help you understand how to use stories, or modern social media in general, then find someone. It's well worth your time, even if it seems strange at first. And with proper strategy this can turn into your most valuable marketing tool.
The more you utilize these digital marketing trends, the more fans will find you and the more popular your music will be. Striking a balance between meeting your fans where they want to be and exposing yourself to new audiences is a difficult process - but one most every successful artist figures out.
What digital methods have been most successful for YOU in marketing your music? Talk about this blog in our Facebook group!
(Digital Marketing image courtesy of Diggity Marketing)