| Music marketing is by and large difficult for most | | | | good, but never gets the click.What you need to do is |
| artists, that is something we need to realise. Marketing | | | | create content within your site. Simple as that. Without |
| yourself, being confident to allow people to listen to | | | | content you are just another site that the visitor has no |
| your tracks and most importantly, handling criticism | | | | real reason to come back to. Content also increases |
| takes a bit of time to get used to. In the majority of | | | | the chances of you being picked up by the search |
| cases though, marketing plans do fail. you may have a | | | | engines. Please note:Google, and the other big search |
| great sounding track, but if it is not marketed properly | | | | engines have stated that their thousands of |
| then it will just be white noise.However all is not | | | | calculations per site includes content search. This is a |
| lost.The main reasons why music marketing fails is that | | | | fundamental statement, even if you are a music site |
| 1) there is always some money involved, and 2) we | | | | giving away your MP3s.If you have ever looked for |
| market our music.They all sound a bit strange I know, | | | | MP3s within the search engines, there are about 6 |
| but my plan is for you to get over these hurdles and to | | | | million sites dedicated to the term MP3. Now, your one |
| get your music out there without any hassle. I will take | | | | site has to be found by a visitor, the chances are very |
| each of the above points in turn, but remember they | | | | low. However, if your site has content focused |
| are interlinked:1) Money marketing. This is bad. The | | | | keywords, such as "good guitar riffs", "how to gig" etc, |
| economics of this is so: you have to sell slot of tracks | | | | then you will be picked up much easily than a simple |
| to get back the amount you spent on marketing, then | | | | MP3 search. Within the various pages that you have |
| you need to sell a few more to make any profit. The | | | | created you put, "download free guitar MP3s" or |
| problems is, why are we spending so much money on | | | | something that suits your music, and you then |
| music marketing, or, why are we spending any money | | | | advertise your MP3s through the "back door". Content |
| on marketing at all?! The Internet has greatly reduced | | | | will also bring back the visitors, they love a site that |
| the cost of marketing by 100%. Yep, marketing should | | | | they are interested in, they sign up to your news-letter, |
| be free, then any tracks that you do sell is pure profit. | | | | and then you email them with new updates, your new |
| There are so many music marketing strategies, some | | | | MP3s etc. Then you start to create your own little |
| of which are simple ideas that are not being | | | | buzz, you create people willing to listen to your |
| utilised.Here are some fantastic free marketing | | | | tracks.A sideline to content is always relevant, |
| strategies are not being used, at all. How about leaflet | | | | up-to-date content. Offering tapes with your tracks on |
| distribution, flyers, making a mailing list then advertising | | | | is music marketing suicide. I have seen these actually |
| your new tracks on that (they already like your tracks | | | | being offered on some websites. Offering a tape |
| because they have signed upto your mailing list). | | | | states that 1. You are not up-to-date hence your |
| Applying to competitions will always bring in some | | | | sounds won't be, 2. You are offering poor quality, |
| much needed traffic as competitions generate 1) leads | | | | hence your tracks won't shine, and 3. You have to pay |
| and interest from the host site, 2) your tracks will get | | | | out for the tape (postage and packaging etc). People |
| viral marketed especially if it has become in the top 3. | | | | on the Internet want things now, not tomorrow, offering |
| Viral marketing is just another way of spreading | | | | MP3s, even short WAV files is giving the visitor what |
| interest, all the people who voted for your tracks will | | | | they want- immediate access to your tracks.Relevant |
| recommend the great track that they heard, and you | | | | content is just as important as current content. If you |
| name spreads. 3) You can always advertise the fact | | | | have a rock website stick to rock related web pages. |
| that you got in first, second or third in X competition | | | | If I was into hip-hop I wouldn't go onto your rock site |
| (always state how many other competitors were | | | | and look at hip-hop related articles. Obvious I know, but |
| there as well- coming third out of four entries is nothing | | | | scarily this has been done. It also has another effect. |
| to promote really).Surely the ultimate advertising | | | | The search engines see topic specific sites as just |
| strategy is...give away your MP3s for FREE! A simple | | | | that, topic specific. If you stray away from your |
| technique that promotes your tracks. People then trust | | | | chosen topic it will not look good for you with the |
| you, they love quality items, they assume then, "hmm, if | | | | engines. They will see that your relevance has |
| this is free, and it's good, what would his selling tracks | | | | reduced and so to will your page ranking.Content is not |
| be like?" Free stuff sells pay goods, fact. Give away | | | | that easy to accomplish. It comes with time, you need |
| alot of free stuff...MP3s being the main one, and then | | | | to tweak, track whether that has done any good to |
| be patient.Once you have finished your free marketing, | | | | your traffic or click throughs. You could also just be |
| start again. Just keep on promoting yourself by free | | | | writing alot of drivel. Content needs to be "Search |
| processes. It gets your name banded around, people | | | | Engine Focused", you need to honestly persuade |
| will see your Webpage link and click on it increasing | | | | people to buy from you, you need to have a one to |
| your traffic. It might not too successful in the first few | | | | one style (like you are talking to a friend), and definitely |
| months or maybe even a year, but stick with it, gaining | | | | not be boring. Nearly forgot, you need to assess who |
| visitor confidence will ultimately prevail.2) The above is | | | | your audience is. Are they young, middle aged, |
| great, but why would anyone buy any track from you | | | | technophobic? You writing style should cater for your |
| in the first place? To most surfers you are faceless, | | | | audience. For example, a younger audience will like |
| they don't see you on the music videos, so why should | | | | more colour, more tech information, a friendly banter, |
| they buy anything from you?Harsh words I know, I'm | | | | and up-to-date chart acts. Generally if you write as |
| sorry, but it is true. That is the real reason why there | | | | you would talk to a friend then you will be on safe |
| are thousands of good groups and artists out there in | | | | lines.Dominic Hough has made music for over 18 years. |
| Internet land marketing away, spending cash and | | | | On his site he has proved that you can make, and |
| showing nothing for it. They marketed first, wanting | | | | market your own techno songs for free. His site also |
| cash, and their visitors are literally saying "I don't think | | | | covers sampling, MP3s, loops and much more. |
| so". You then become the banner ad- looks really | | | | |