Music Promotion is an inherent part of the industry. It is in its own right inescapable if you want to make something of your music.
Famous artists didn't just luck their way through it; they put in the time and effort to promote themselves and their music to make it to the big leagues.
Music Promotion helps more than just getting you onto stages and expanding your fan base. In fact, it's strategic and is part of the only reasons bands and musicians can make substantial Royalties from their music sales. -91
Why is Promoting my Indie Music Important for my Career?
You're in it for fame and fortune, of course! Music promotion is crucial to getting your music to become a lucrative business for you. By promoting your music, you are gaining a bigger fan base to spread your songs to and creating a source of income for yourself and helping yourself reach new heights by getting onto Music Industry Professionals' radars.
It goes without saying that if the music industry had a list of commandments set in stone, music promotion would be there. If you want your sound heard, and to create a name for yourself, promoting your indie music is the way to go.
How Can I Start Promoting My Music?
Get onto Playlists
Hardly anybody walks around without access to a music streaming service. Of course, everyone has their preferences, but currently, Spotify and Apple Music dominate the music market by offering their listeners an infinite supply of music in a creatively imaginative way.
With so many artists to choose from, it can seem almost impossible to get listeners through these apps. Still, the reality is with their invention, clever individuals created companies based entirely on promoting music through these apps.
GetPlaylisted is a prime example of this. Offering their services at an affordable fee, with an easy sign-up process. Artists send through their music, and GetPlaylisted will help get it onto curated playlists.
Playlists are the easiest way to find new music on Spotify; even artist radios are carefully conducted playlists that offer listeners a chance to find music they like according to their tastes.
When using a music promotion service like GetPlaylisted, you're not only getting yourself put into playlists that collect hundreds of hours of listening time, but you're also piggybacking on the promotion of other artists.
Artists thrive on these apps, and it makes for an easy and uncomplicated means of promoting indie music.
Social Media is Your Best Tool
Social Media has become almost a staple in the everyday lives of ordinary people. People dedicate hours of their day to mindlessly scrolling through Facebook or entering the rabbit hole that TikTok can be. In doing so, they unconsciously open the gates to expose themselves to new music.
You can gain followers and engage on a personal level with your fans through the use of social media. It's a dynamic and versatile tool that will help you promote indie music globally.
Research the algorithms, trending hashtags and demographics you're looking for and plot a strategic takeover. Of course, anybody is capable of it, but doing it well is the trick.
Consistency is key when using social media, but you want to remain engaging. So shake things up and use the tool for all it gives you; engage with your fans in the comments or livestream a bedroom set they'll never see again.
And when using your profile to give people access to other means of hearing your music. Using smart links, you can connect people to all your streaming services, social media accounts and personal webpages too.
Use Smart Links
Smart Links are an incredible tool that can act as a personal business card or a simpler version of an EPK. These are easily connected to your social media and can act like a dedicated Google Page (but not as complex) that's all about promoting you and your music.
You can link fans and potential music industry professionals to your streaming services, music videos, personal websites and more. Some artists have also cleverly made use of smart links to add pre-save functions to their profiles, in conjunction with hyping themselves up on Social Media (see above.) whenever they release new music.
Smart Links are versatile and make promoting indie music seem even easier if you make them interesting to your listeners, especially since some of the paid smart link services let you customize your landing page and will give you insights into what resonated with your fans the most.
Keep a Mailing List
Good old-fashioned mailing lists come in handy when promoting indie music, even once you're established.
If you choose to promote yourself independently, keeping a mailing list means you can offer people an exclusive first look into your new music. There's no limit to whom you can email regarding your upcoming songs, and if you have a personal webpage for your band or indie music, you can even give your fans the option to sign up for your mailing list!
As outdated as it seems, it's still extremely useful, especially if you're trying to get a music industry professional or club owner to hear your song. It's direct and targeted, rather than being put out there in the hopes they stumble across it.
Find Ways To Do Live Performances
Nothing promotes your music more organically than live performance, and the means to do so are incredibly versatile.
You don't need to book out a stadium full of people, and you could spend a Sunday busking in Central Park. The reality is that you're letting people hear your sound.
Spend time in your hometown, chat with cafe owners, join open mic nights and find ways to perform and organically promote your indie music to people. You'll be surprised at how well it works, especially since word-of-mouth travels fast. If your newfound fans loved your performance, they'll be at your next and bring some friends too.
Conclusion
Promoting your indie music can feel like an impossible task. Still, the means are out there and you'll find it surprisingly simple once you get into the swing of things.
And remember, if you've created a budget for yourself, you can also get assistance from promotion services like GetPlaylisted, who take some of the stress off your shoulders and make your music promotion a breeze.
