I recently created a poll under the heading "How to become successful" about what single asset or tool would musicians and artists consider the most important.I see artists promoting themselves in quite creative ways but from discussions between artists I could see that understanding of how things fit together was often a bit confused. Here are the results of that poll.
Voters were given these choices:
- Your Own Website
- YouTube
- Blog
- MailingList
- Myspace
- Access To Forums For Promotion
- Reverbnation
- iTunes
- CDBaby
- Soundcloud
There are quite a few in that list that potentially offer so much to musicians and artists, but only one of the truly offers the most.
Which one would you pick?
Why does it matter?
Surely the combination of these is best? Yes, it is true using these tools and assets together is the best solution but only if they are used together. Artists want to gain and keep fans. Fans buy records, merchandise and they make possible the creation of better recorded songs with better quality videos. They also feed egos too.
The point is, it all depends on getting full value from your tools and assets. Where you spend your time has to depend on what is most beneficial. Your time is valuable, understandably you want make the most of whatever time you spend on something so unmusical as promotion had better be worth it!
What is important?
Artists need fans. Fans buy records and merchandise. An active fanbase helps grow both the fanbase and your popularity. Fans spread the word and recommend you to their friends. Fans need encouraged. Fans need information. You are responsible for getting them the information they need at the time you want them to get it.
Your music and everything about your act has to be provided to your fans in a way and at a pace that they can digest it. They need to know when songs and albums will be available, tour dates and locations, when you will appear on TV etc, and it is up to you to tell them.
In music promotion timing is important, and so is the process. Timing and process are used to form marketing campaigns.
Overall there is a need to control your communication with your fans, whether that is through a website, social media, press, tv, radio, internet radio, email or otherwise. The tools that give us the best coverage, the best control and the most flexibility become your strongest individual music industry asset.
Lets be very clear, it is NOT that you only use one tool, it is that you use the tools wisely. Knowing the most important tool at least helps you put the emphasis of your effort in the right place at the right time.
Growing Your Fanbase
This is a major part of what we are talking about. Getting new fans whilst keeping the existing fans. Even as an amateur artist you need fans. We all want people to like what we are doing and we all wnat those people to come back again, maybe bring some friends who might be interested.
Controlling Communications
This is another major part of what we need to do as artists / labels / promoters. We need to be able to control what we say, how we say it, when we say it, and how it is presented. As we want to communicate at a time of our chosing (to synchronise campaigns for album releases etc) we need to be able to control the time that the message is delivered as best we can.
Durability
We need something that will stand the test of time, where as much as possible WE own and are responsible for method being used. Otherwise we risk being left with nothing should a disaster happen (site closures, changes of policiy or going out of fashion).
The Results
- Your Own Web Site 33.33%
- YouTube 14.81%
- Blog 0.00%
- Mailing List 18.52%
- Twitter 0.00%
- Facebook 7.41%
- Myspace 3.70%
- Access To Forums For Promotion 11.11%
- Reverbnation 7.41%
- iTunes 3.70%
- CDBaby 0.00%
- Soundcloud 0.00%
Social Networks
YouTube, Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, the social networks of our time. Each has it's benefits and drawbacks as far as artist promotion goes. Each gives you the opportunity to communicate with your fans and to grow the number of people who are exposed to your music and to your promotions.
The trouble is that social networks can go out of fashion. You've just spent months or even years building your social connections when the site disappears (mp3.com - ok not a social network but it was the biggest promotion possibility for artists at one time) or becomes unpopular because of band spamming (myspace).
One thing is sure, the majority of websites are only popular for a while, even when they are the largest of their kind. All your carefully nurtured connections are virtually worthless overnight. That is their biggest weakness.
While they have their uses, remember contacts added like this are volatile 3rd party contacts and shouldn't be relied upon.
Blogs
It's a sign of the times that no one thought of their biggest assest, yet it can be of considerable use as blogs get subscribers. In other words you post a message and it is pulled by other sites and blog readers, or notifies via email. People still visit blog sites all the time and subscribe to blogs they like.
Another benefit is that you can import your blog to Facebook and Twitter so from the effort of making 1 post on your blog you can also feed your info to your fans, friends and contacts. Your blog can also be listed on Network Blogs anad Technorati, two main stalwarts of the blogosphere, mixing social networking with blog ranking.
Music Sites
Sites like Reverb Nation (OMDs) allow you to upload your audio files, create an artist page, gain fans, sell your music and gain chart position. Unlike many sites Reverb Nation gives you access to your fan's email address, which somewhat insulates your efforts should the site disappear or become unfashionable.
The big problem with most Indie music sites is that the membership tends to be predominantly other artists. They are not fan centric.
Sites like CDBaby are a bit more focused on fans but they provide less tools for artists and don't provide access to email addresses. The biggest benefit for CD Baby is their integration with iTunes.
iTunes is a mainstream music retailer combining main stream acts with Indie artist releases. Unfortunately they provide no info on the fans you have gained. What they do offer is realistic charting and a broadly used platform that directly interfaces with the most popular mp3 players in the world.
Sound Cloud is still very much in the world of Indie Music, offering uploads and more but saddly lacking when it comes to building fans.
Forums
Forums can be useful, but they require quite a bit of effort to become a high profile member. They don't provide email addresses or fan info but they are excellent places to develop industry relationships, and relationships with other musicians or for getting feedback on tracks in development.
There are plenty music forums out there that do focus on fans but they don't often react well to Indie Music.
Yet again forums as a tool are somewhat volatile. Sites can disappear or become unfashionable.
Your Own Site
Your own site gives you a lot of control, it gives you a place to host your audio and video and fundamentally it gives you a place to call home. The big drawback is that it can take ages to build traffic. They are useful news portals for your music but you have to get people there first. As far as dispersing your promotion messages goes, posting on the site also needs your fans to visit your site first before they get your message. A major drawback (It is better to push your message out at a time that suits you rather than wait for it to be pulled via a newsreader etc).
Mailing List
Mailing lists are collections of email addresses. They give you direct access to your fans (or as direct as you can get). They allow you to push the message out when it suits you. You get to keep the addresses so if the mailing software become unsupported or the mailing server you use goes bust, you are insulated from any damage.
You do need to keep your list up to date as people do change email addresses. This is an ongoing task and with decent mailing software you can deal with this automatically.
You can add sign up boxes to your site and often to other sites too, including Facebook.
Conclusion
By comparison the mailing list beats the other methods hands down. Sure build your Facebook, your twitter, grow your site audience, join forums and music sites, but remember- the gold you are looking for is the fan's email address. The whole thrust of your web sites and web presence should be towards signing people up and getting their email address so that you can keep in contact with them.
Visitors to your site may of course buy or download one of your songs, but once they are gone they are gone, unless of course you get their email address.
Your biggest asset towards success is without doubt your mailing list. Built it and you build a lasting connection directly with your fans.
Having music is of course a pre-requisit!
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