Let’s face it, the wildfire spread of web-based portals designed to introduce independent music to the world has created a bewildering array of opportunities and costs. So where do they all balance out? When does the cost of signing up to yet another music promotion service yield results? What results are we looking for anyway?

The key is to make your Web promotion targeted, systematic and rich.

What is the main drive for independent performers  encourage  their music on the web? The fundamental incentive for Internet promotion is the occasion to get your music heard by people who might otherwise never know that you exist! If people know you exist they can be come audiences and repeat- audiences. Which of those audiences buy CD’s and downloads? Targeted audiences.

The most vital goal of Web promotion is to attract targeted fans.

Any independent musician who demonstrates they use the Internet to sell their music has missed the primary target – attracting targeted listeners. Attracting targeted listeners ought to be every independent  artist’s  first priority. Do not forget, you don’t sell your music – listeners BUY your music. It’s a buyers market. The more targeted listeners you have, the more sales you make – provide d you’re systematic in getting your targeted listeners.

The perfect way to get targeted fans is to be systematic.

a lot of performers tend to approach their Internet promotion thinking that since they have a website and have signed up to a couple of artist showcase website s, that the fans will just come pouring in. Yes you’ve managed to target some potential fans, but you still have to shout, “Hey, over here… you’ll like the sound of this!” A systematic approach to getting fans to hear your music will attract and maintain their interest. But remember to make sure you’ve the content ready for the listener to enjoy.

Sites rich in content will retain your targeted listener.

In the independent  artist’s  case, the rich content is the music. This could seem prefer old news, but look at the amount of independent performer websites that give the visitor loads of info about the performer but decidedly little (or hidden) ear candy. Music should be the 1st thing a visitor gets. At the decidedly least they need an apparent link to where they could listen to your music. And not just one or two tracks but a variety of your music. Independent musicians have to remember they have not had the radio exposure to model the presentation of their music following more well established acts. Listeners need to be convinced they prefer your independent music before they will buy it.

So the question is how to make your Internet promotion targeted, systematic and rich?

Tips for Targeting.

The perfect targeted listeners on the Web will be those that make it to your website. Locate a way to know who they are.  set up a newsletter and make it simple to sign up to it. individuals interested enough to want to receive news about you’re your hardcore Web listeners, keep them happy.

The next optimum group of targeted listeners are those that hear your music on other web site s. Try to select web sites that allow listeners to link to your web site. Assuming that they like your music they could click on that link to visit your web site. You could then find out where these visitors are coming from. Locate a nice Internet statistics package that lets you know which web sites your visitors are being referred from. Take note of those web sites and focus your efforts with them accordingly.

When selecting web sites on which to  encourage  your music, check to see If they provide any individual stats relating to your music. like how a lot of track plays or page views you and your music receive on their web site. This way you can check in periodically and monitor your gig with these web site s.

Systematic Steps.

The key to being systematic is organization. Keep a note of all the websites you use to  promote  your music, a brief description of what they do and how much it costs. Try to get into the practice of monitoring all of them regularly. Take note of which websites are getting better solutions than others and focus your resolutions accordingly. You could pay for minimal promotion on one website, while another gets you loads of listeners for free. Naturally you will want to put more resolution into updating the websites that are getting better solutions.

offer a link on your website and newsletters to all of the websites you use to  promote  your music. Do not forget your website visitors are your hardcore Internet audiences and are the the majority like ly to check out and spread the word about your spot on other website s. So  promote  them to visit your profile on other website s. At the considerably least it raises your stats on those websites – making your music look more popular!

Try to produce a ring of web sites that link to each other though the content you supply. For instance, you may have your music on your own web site and two other showcase web sites – web site A and web site B. Your web site should in the absence of a doubt link with web site A and web site B. web site A should link with your web site and web site B, web site B should link with your web site and web site A and so on. What Assuming that the se web sites do not allow you to performance up links to other web site s? Put a Web address in the areas where they do allow you to supply content. prefer biogs or descriptions.

The highest quality aim of linking all your web sites is to offer your fans with a variety of access points to your music, as well as access to the different ways numerous web sites can deliver your music. Don’t forget to link to your specific page on the web site and not just the web site itself. Your web site linked with a web site that play your tracks on Web radio, linked with a web site that sells your downloads, linked with a web site that sells your compact disc’s offers for a convincing mixture of exposure.

Be Rich

in the absence of resources ! That’s the challenge that most independent artists face. The conventional approach to selling music is that it should not be too effortlessly available to listen to, should the incentive for listeners to actually buy albums be undermined. This has persuaded independent artists that they should limit Internet listeners to low-quality snippets of streaming audio.

Indie artists have to remember they do not have the resources and finances to help the “shotgun approach” of spraying their music across radio and music TV. Big artists have big organizations behind them that need to recoup the expenses of mass media exposure, and for that reason try to limit the extent to which audiences could sample their music on the web. Listeners have already heard the music and are trying to find a copy of their own.

Conversely, listeners haven’t had a occasion to listen to independent musician through conventional media. Therefore independent artists cannot assume that people will buy their music off of a website Assuming that they do not get a occasion to really listen to it. If people have already heard an  performer’s  music, and prefer it, the value they pay for is in owning a copy they can performance whenever they prefer. If people haven’t already heard an  performer’s  music, the value is in being able to sample as much of the music as possible.

So being rich is providing your fans with as much of your music as they want to listen to before they buy it. Now you do not have to make all your tracks available for free download, but you might provide wonderful quality, full-length streams that impress the listener and enhance your sound. Not tight-fisted snippets that lose the listener because they are lo-fi and over before they attract the listener’s interest.

Being rich is furthermore making your music available in a variety of formats for disparate audiences s. Telling audiences that your music can be heard via Internet radio, on-demand streams, mp3 downloads and mail order compact disc  means you may appeal to audiences who like more than one kind of media. You may furthermore use your Web promotion to go beyond quickly plays and sales – consider licensing.

Licensing your music for use with television, film, advertising, website s, video games and other multimedia will open up your listening listeners, offer re Venue and introduce a degree of professionalism to your career that attracts the notice of industry reps and A&R. Adding this depth to your Web promotion helps to enrich the presentation of your music and retain targeted listeners.

So remember : a) maximise your targeted audiences, b) be systematic in capture ing them, and c) retain them by making sure your own website and other websites are rich in content.

With the major labels focusing on quick returns rather than musician development and the appearance of downloading music Web, the traditional record company/artist relationship has become blurred to the point of being obsolete.

Nowadays, being independent has real perks.

How many times have you heard or read somewhere that the Internet has change d the face of the music industry forever? I would love a dollar for everytime I heard it.

Nonetheless, it’s true and there are a number of reasons for this. Two that spring into mind are that:

1. A traditional record company/artist relationship is optional and not a necessity. You can do your all music sales and performer promotion On-line cutting out all of the ‘middle individuals ‘.

2. websites may turn an artist with a Local/Regional fans into an artist with an international fans. As the Web is not ‘owned’ by any one entity the playing field is a lot more even.

To me, being an independent artist means that you are the one driving the bus and being in control over your own affairs.

A lot of talent ed artists and performing songwriters around the world are at this  surprisingly moment waiting for that knock at the door, the opening  to ‘get located ‘. What is prefer ly to happen is that they’ll spend their creative lives being  surprisingly disappointed.

If you are reading this and feel that this is you, consider this…

Where do you think you would be if you managed your career yourself rather than wait for someone (or some company) to do it for you?

There are a lot of web sites out in cyberspace that are there to help you take control over your career by spreading practical information about band promotion and the independent music industry as a whole, take advantage of these web sites and go to as a lot of as you can

Embrace independence today and secure control over your own musical affairs.

Many people would say the first thing to do is to find a name for the band. Lets start from there s hall we??

The auditions are over, you have found your bass player and you all seem to get along really well. The excitement is in the air and you have had your first performer bonding celebration.

Now its time to start your musical journey together.

Personally, I think that locating a performer name is THE hardest decision that the performer will ever have to make and consequently one of the most important decisions as well.

A band name is a unusually vital part of the bands identity. It is the first point of contact a punter has with the band.

I cannot recall how many times individuals have raved about a band to me but cannot tell me the name when I ask them. Right there is the has been ted opening  for a band. It frustrates me no end.

This is a optimum example of how extremely necessary a performer name is.

The performer name is the first thing that a punter will remember. They will not address the performer by the names of the individuals in it when they talk to their friends (unless they are personal friends of yours) they will address the performer by its name.

The perfect way to find a performer name is through sheer persistance. Locating a performer name that is agreeable by any person is not an simple task.

Here are some performer name party suggestions:

1. Get every member to write down their own list of potential band names

This can be the 1st task that the performer might do collectively. session a date for the 1st performer meeting and among now and then do that task.

2. Make brainstorming band names the topic of your 1st ever band meeting

When anybody gets together put all of the lists out on the table and go through each one keeping to one side the names that’strike a chord’ (sorry about the pun) with all of you and getting rid of the rest.

As a group try brainstorming some ideas. This is a great way to start formulating what the performer is all about, what its image is etc, etc.

3. Create a competition among all your companions /family/anyone else via email

This is a great way to start compiling the beginnings of your bands email list. List all of your friends /family/anyone else that you want to include and their email addresses and compile them all into one mailing group. Send out an email outlining the competition and be ready for the tips to come flooding in.

It’s necessary to have a cut off date for the competition (perhaps by your first band meeting) and to have a prize on offer. Of course the prize is totally up to you.

Make sure that when you do find a performer name that you announce it through your email group. You have just started email promotion of your band.

Whatever you do have fun with the process and don’t let the quest to find a performer name override the other things that you have to do such as writing songs and locating rehearsal space.

I guarantee that once you have agreed on a band name you’ll all collectively breathe a immense sigh of relief. The hardest part of the journey has been achieved.

Having a lot of individuals that know who you are is always a worth and not a hindrance.

Just the other day I got a call from someone who wanted to find out if I has been available to performance bass with their band. I declined due to not having the room to take on another project but I gave them the number of someone else I knew that would fit the bill perfectly.

That day, that performer found a new bass player and so the story goes.

That experience got me thinking that pretty much everything that I do in my dealings with the music business is based on who I know.

people like working with others whom they trust will do the job they want them to do or like recommending others for jobs that they can’t tackle themselves for one reason or another. I recognize that when this particular performer that has been looking for a bassist finally found one through my network I has been proud of myself. I has been glad to stimulate someone out.

That is what networkings really all about though isn’t it? Helping people?

For any person who’s just starting out my recommenndation is to locate as many people and go to as many functions and concert as you can.

Immerse yourself in your Local/Regional scene.

The more that people know who you are, the more opportunities that will open up for the taking. Become the squeaky wheel that gets all of the oil. Have that belief in yourself that you are value knowing and do not be afraid of knowledge.

One thing that you do not do however is to get to know individuals for what they can do for you. Get to know them for who they are as a person. Others can spot your insincerity a mile away (especially us cynical musos) and that is a real turn-off.

Personally I’m chuffed when an individual asks me for recommenndation or just wants to have a chat about how things are going for them, but only Assuming that they are genuine about it.

A exceptional place to start networking would be at open mic evenings.

Get yourself involved in an open mic and just walk up to someone and say “hi”. Everyone is there for the same reason so there is some common ground. You may perhaps ask them If they’re going to be performing on that night and go from there.

Remember, the more you network the more you will be known and the more you are known the more work you will get.

In time your ‘little black book’ of names will become your most important asset.

I’ve met a lot of musicians along my journey and some of those I’ve gotten to know pretty well. All of them have a similar story as to how they started in the music business and it goes a bit like this.

I do not know how I started really, I just sort of fell into it and before I knew it I was in a band

Sound familiar? It does to me. That is how I got started.

I did not have a plan, did not have a clue and did not have any idea of what I was getting myself in for let alone what I wanted to get out of it.

I wanted to be a “rock star” so I may “meet girls”.

I has been only fifteen when I made that decision and thinking back on it I cringe and laugh at the same time but it does show me the importance of getting ready ahead.

It’s considerably easy to get swept up in the hype of it all and before you know you’re in the same place that you started but ten years have gone by and you’re left wondering ‘where did it go’.

Before going any further you need to ask yourself some questions. These questions may be (in no particular order of importance):

1. Am I going to write tunes or not?

2. Am I going to be a solo performer or play in a band?

3. Am I going to sing, play an instrument or both?

4. Am I prepared to practise, drill and rehearse my craft?

5. Am I going to find my own work or do I leave that up to an individual else?

I think you’re getting the idea of where I’m going with this.

You could be thinking that these questions could seem exceedingly simple and straightforward and in essence you’re right however, I’m unending ly surprised how a simple question such as “am I going to be a solo performer or play in a band” could distract someone from actually moving forward.

I have seen it happen to many artists and have experienced it myself.

Before you start have a evident knowledge of what you want to do and what you want to get out of it. Ask yourself these categories of really simple questions and from those answers a series of paths will be presented to you.

All you need to do then is to pick which path you take.

Working to a plan will make your journey a lot easier to undertake.