Marketing from Home: Top Tips and Tricks for Independent Musicians
Now more than ever, independent musicians are having to write, record, and promote their work from the confines of their homes. As an artist hoping to release music into the world and turn a profit in 2021, this can seem daunting.
At a time when we’re unsure when it will be safe to play live shows and events again, many of us are wondering how we can make sure our music reaches new audiences. Thankfully, much of the music industry these days relies on online streaming and marketing tactics to distribute and promote new music.
This means that as an independent artist, it’s entirely possible to grow your platform and start making a profit off of your work from the comfort of your own home. You don’t need a large budget or a ton of free time to do it, either. These simple tips and tricks are essential for independent musicians starting out in the world of online music marketing.
- Make Sure your Product is Polished to Begin With
This first tip might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to consider the quality of your work before figuring out how to promote it. Before beginning to market your music, make sure your recordings are as high-quality as possible given your current setup.
If you have a budget to work with, consider investing in some recording equipment or hiring a freelance audio engineer to mix and master your work.
If you don’t have enough money for that, however, don’t worry. As long as you’re able to produce a clean-sounding recording and your music is top-notch, you definitely still have a shot at garnering some online attention.
For example, bedroom pop musician Clairo’s first hit, Pretty Girl, was written using Garageband when she was nineteen years old. Many other independent artists on platforms like YouTube and SoundCloud record using only bare-bones equipment like Garageband or paid software like Ableton Live.
These successful artists tend to be masters of the equipment that is available to them and like to use their software in unexpected ways.
- Pay Attention to Social Media
One of the most important things to do if you are looking to market your music online is pay attention to social media.
Notice what social media apps seem to be the most popular for introducing people to new music, and curate a cross-platform social media presence that shows people who you are as an artist.
Different social media platforms can be good for different things. A website like Facebook is very strong for event scheduling and promotion, as the event feature on Facebook allows you to share detailed information about an event very quickly.
An app like TikTok, however, is better for creating and promoting catchy clips of your music and gaining traction that way.
Since the landscape of social media is constantly changing, pay attention to any new apps or social media sites that seem to be gaining popularity and consider making an account.
- Have a Solid Website
In addition to having a strong social media presence, the state of your website is a huge factor in how people will perceive you as an artist online. Make sure you have an easily link-able website address and a clean layout for your site.
If you have some money available in your budget, consider hiring a professional to design and/or take photographs for your website. However, if you don’t have a lot of funds at your disposal, don’t fret.
If you’re willing to do a little work, there are ways to make a website that requires fairly low yearly maintenance funds. The simplest way to do this if you don’t have a lot of experience with making a website is to select an inexpensive website builder like Squarespace or Wix and build your website using one of their templates.
While having a website is always going to require some level of funds to maintain, it is important for artists looking to grow their online presence, as your website serves as a hub of information for people to consult about your work and upcoming projects.
- Submit your Music to Playlists
One of the fastest ways to grow your music’s online presence is to get one of your songs on a popular playlist. Some of the most prominent playlists in the online music landscape are the ones on Spotify, though lots of streaming platforms curate playlists of new or unknown music for their listeners on a weekly basis.
To get on one of these platforms, you need to make sure that your music is released on these online platforms through a music distributor. If you’re an independent artist working from home, you’ll likely want to go with an online music distributor to do this, like Tunecore or CDBaby.
Once your music is distributed online, you can pitch your music to be considered on curated playlists on websites like Spotify.
Of course, remember to pay attention to the types of playlists you are pitching to and try to pitch your work to playlists that you think would be a good fit for you and your genre.
- Find Writers and/or Websites to Review your Music
Finally, you’re going to want to find writers and/or music review websites to review your music. While it might take a while to get your first review, getting reviewed by a music writer or website is one of the most surefire ways to introduce a new audience to your work.
To start, you’re going to want to look for music review blogs that accept online submissions, and draft a solid pitch for your music, including links to your song on streaming services and your artist account on sites like Facebook, SoundCloud, and Twitter. Some examples of music review websites with open submissions are Indie Music Review, Louder than War, and Heart Eyes Magazine, though there are countless options.
Most of these places only accept new music, so it’s good practice make sure the music you submit is less than three months old. While it can be hard to get attention from music review blogs when you’re just starting out, submit to a wide variety of blogs and don’t give up, because your big article could be just around the corner!
