Imagine putting in hours of work, sweat, and tears to produce a new track. Imagine how excited you would be on your release day to share your new music with the world. You share it on your social media pages, but it simply does not get the love that you feel it deserves. What could you possibly have done differently to ensure better success for your music release? Luckily for you, there are plenty of things to try next time. In 2023, the key to a great music release is planning and promotion, so let’s take a look at some tried and true music marketing techniques.
Social Media Presence
In the age of smartphones, everyone has at least one social media page, even your best friend’s great-grandma! However, as a music artist, it is simply not enough to have a social media page; you must also know how to make the most out of your social media. Make sure that your pages are visually appealing to your fans and that any links are in working order. You also need to make sure that you are posting content on a regular basis. Fans want to know what their favorite artists are up to, so let them know! For ideas, check out the socials of some of your favorite artists.
Additionally, you might want to think about getting into a short-form content game, such as TikTok. TikTok and other short-form content platforms have absolutely exploded in popularity since the pandemic, and there are no signs of it slowing down. There are even instances of people finding their fame on these platforms (think of the girl who produced an entire Bridgerton musical on TikTok). Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and put samples of your music on TikTok. Truthfully, people may be far more likely to listen to a 30-second clip of your new release than to click on a link that takes them to a full-length song.
Advertising
Advertising is not cheap, but you can guarantee that it is effective (remember those billboards that read “Does advertising work? It just did!”). Also, it is worth noting that advertising can be done in conjunction with social media. Facebook ads in particular have proven very helpful in marketing music. TikTok itself is like a collection of advertisements, so create a few ad-like TikToks. And don’t be afraid to use your older songs for these ads; the ads do not always have to be for new songs. Start out advertising your most popular songs from the past. Once you gain new followers, then you can advertise new and upcoming tracks.
Email Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing plans are just as successful as they always have been. Sending a quick update to all of your subscribed fans is a great way to easily let them all know about upcoming singles, shows, or any other news that you would like to share. Make sure to include working links in your emails so your fans can easily access whatever you are trying to share with them. There are few things more annoying than an email link that does not work. You can even use an email marketing campaign to let your fans enter free giveaways; fans love free giveaways!
Live Shows
Even if it is in the local bar down the street, make your live shows as memorable as you possibly can. Do not be satisfied with finally getting a gig; completely rock that gig. Make the owners of that bar offer you a slot next weekend as well. Make everyone in the bar ask how to get more of your music.
This is also a great time to use your social media accounts. Make sure that all your existing fans know where you are playing and what time they should be there. It is also important to have your online presence easily accessible at these live shows (hello, QR codes!). There is also the option to live-stream your live shows, just in case any of your fans were not able to make it. Encourage everyone who might be live-streaming to tag you; that way, anyone on their social media can easily be linked to you.
Get a Feature on a Music Podcast
Music podcast listeners are usually die-hard fans of that particular genre, which means that you will need to find podcasts that cover your genre. Podcast listeners are also usually actively looking for new artists, which is great news for you. Sometimes, getting a slot on a podcast is as simple as typing out an email and sending it to the producers. However, you want to make sure that you have something that is actually worth sharing before you go for your interview. Otherwise, you may end up being a boring guest and lose chances at any further podcast interviews.
Collaborate
Collaboration is an all-important factor in the music industry. Just think of all the greats who have earned a lot of their fame solely on collaborations (DJ Khaled, I’m looking at you!). When you collaborate with another artist, especially one who has garnered more fame than you, you have the possibility of being sling-shotted to a higher level of fame. This is another great time to use your social media. TikTok is a great and easy way to collaborate with other artists.
Make It onto a Streaming Playlist
Most people these days use some sort of music streaming platform, so getting your track onto a curated playlist has the ability to open up many other doors for you. Set up an email campaign to pitch your track to a Spotify editorial playlist. Better yet, enlist the help of professionals for this marketing technique. Here at GetPlaylisted, we are professionals with more than 10 years of experience in the industry. It is our job to pitch your music to hundreds of playlist curators on Spotify. These organic playlists will bring you new listeners who are truly interested in your music, which results in even more fans for you!
