Music marketing is how record labels and artists promote music to their target audience. Music marketing consists of multiple factors, for example, social media, press campaigns, online advertising, radio play and film placements. These combined make the ultimate marketing machine. But what some ways to achieve it?

Twitter this twitter that

Twitter is a vast network, consisting of millions of users, retweets and hashtags. It is a powerhouse for music marketing. To gain exposure over Twitter, you need to be consistent and should he check with your posting. Set up a posting schedule; for example, you could post promotional tweets in the morning and more lighthearted tweets in the afternoon. If you do this for a solid week and have a look at the analytics, you will be able to see which tweets are the most effective. Once you establish useful tweets, do more of them and reevaluate in a few weeks.

Remember to use #hashtags when posting content. If you did not know a hashtag is a form of metadata used on social networks and is away the uses to find particular material which is relatable to the hashtag. Again, use the analytic’s built into Twitter to establish which are most active.

Facebook it

Facebook is a funny one for music marketing. You can have thousands of followers on your page however only a handful will see the post. Here’s a top tip. Head to your page’s admin settings and have a look at the engagement analytics; Facebook kindly show you which days and times people engage with your content. Once you have established this, create a posting schedule and start lining up your content. Review this in a week and see if you will reach an engagement has increased. If not, reevaluate and try again. The key to successful Facebook posts is consistency and a lot of trial and error. Try out different images and wording. Your audience may like communicating in memes. They could like long-form style posts. Try a few and reports back to us with your findings.

Fan promos

If you are in the music industry, sending DJ promos is not uncommon. However what is unusual is to send your fans a promo before the official release. Madness? No, not at all. You could put your top fans to work in exchange for your music via promo.

Set up a landing page showcasing your music but also include an email input form. Ask your fans to subscribe to your mailing list and have an automatic response email asking your fans to share the landing page to their friends. However, set criteria; in the initial auto-reply email ask your fans to screenshot them posting the landing page and for them to email it to you. Tell them you will choose 5 lucky people to receive an early release via promo email. This will help create buzz and traffic to the music.

Get featured on Podcasts

Podcasts have been around a while and are becoming increasingly popular. This could be used to your advantage. For example, if you wish to promote drum and bass, we recommend you start searching for drum and bass podcasts. Shows like Hospital Podcast allow music to be submitted for feature consideration. Take a look at their websites and grab the relevant email addresses. Often they’ll have a public submission email address. Use promo software, like Promo.ly to send them your latest track.

We hope these brief, informative ideas help when promoting your next hit. There is no secret sauce with music marketing. Grab an idea and go with it. If it fails, try again until it succeeds. For more information on music marketing, Promo.ly have an extensive blog especially for you!

Now, this is the ultimate question. What should music promotion companies do for you? Should they promote your music? Should they get you interviews with top magazines? Do they write the press release details? Do they tell you what is going on? Confused..?

Promo.ly have worked with a good deal of PR companies over the years and each of them work in their own unique way.

Let’s explore further into the world of music promo companies

This topic is subjective and depends on the company you are working with. It also depends on your budget; music promotion isn’t cheap and if it is, you may need to question who you’re working with. Promotion & marketing is a skill, normally comprising a lot of trial and error. What works for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you? Aphex Twin’s team likes to spray paint his logo and launch blimps into the sky to announce albums. Others like a more traditional approach, such as email campaigns and promo mail-outs to gain features. Would this work for you? Maybe, but I bet there’s a better solution which suits your record label. 

Promotion companies should explain how they work and what they intend to do with your music. This process should be collaborative. Remember, you’re paying them to work on your behalf. The music PR team should have a good track record. They should be approachable and want to work with you. They should also keep you informed about what’s going on, and what is working and not working so well. The PR company should extend your record label or company. It’s no use the PR company doing their own thing and keeping you out of the loop. Think about the PR company being the boat and you’re the navigator. You then have the crew who will get you to your destination. Think about what music PR companies should do for YOU. You’re in control. 

Good promos companies

A good company should say no to working with you. Your music may not suit their tastes or style. They might just dislike it altogether. A good PR company should tell you straight what they think about your music. If they only seem concerned about their invoice and not the music, perhaps they are not the company for you. There are plenty of music PR companies available if the first choice doesn’t work out.

All PR companies work very differently. Some do everything you can imagine and others will only email to DJs on your behalf. Some may take your money and you’ll never hear from them again. Let’s hope it’s not the latter. Doing research about the company will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.

Sourcing a music PR company

When sourcing a music promotion company you need to decide on what you need them to do. In the electronic music industry, most want someone to send their music to DJs, Blogs and Magazines. They want features they can boast about on their social media. This may sound easy but music promotion is a long game and results take time; your PR company should explain this to you. If you want blog articles written about your music, you need to appreciate this takes a while to organise. Don’t get annoyed with your publicist when it the feature isn’t online within a day. Your PR company have to create a press release, collate music, embed images, write an email, email the recipient, chase the email, organise a feature, chase the email again, confirm the details and eventually send the published article back to you. This process can take anything between a week and several months. All of this process is for only 1 recipient. Imagine if the goal is 10 blog articles written by 10 different publications; yep, this is where a lot of your budget goes.

Ask questions

When contacting a PR company you should ask them which publications they work with. You’ll probably find different companies have their favourite ’secret weapon’ contacts which they like to show-boat about. “We have close contacts at Thump, Mixmag & Billboard” are often the lines used during the sales pitch. This is cool, but find out about the smaller niche contacts too. The niche blogs audiences may love your music. Who knows, these niche blogs one day may be the new Mixmag?

Hopefully, you now have an idea what music promotion companies should do for you.

To Summarise

What type of promotion do you need? How big is your budget? Once you have the answers start your research and due diligence. Ask lots of questions and ensure the PR company is the right choice for you. Remember, your promotion is in their hands. It needs to be correct.

If you would like to learn about music marketing, this article on pitching music will point you in the right direction. 

Are you still rocking out to Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next”?

You probably know by now that although Ari teased her fan base with a few lyrics from the new song, the single itself was a surprise.

The star’s surprise music dropped on November 3, 2018, earning millions of listens and downloads. It even had a star-studded music video featuring Kris Jenner and some of the former cast of the 2004 film Mean Girls.

Releasing surprise tracks and albums can be a huge PR move, especially in today’s instant gratification world. You can release a song and have millions of your fans hear it just a few hours later thanks to the magic of the Internet.

But what do you need to know before you drop a surprise hit? And why is it a good idea?

Let’s explore.

When Did Surprise Albums and Songs Become a Thing?

Not surprisingly, music without an announcement wasn’t really a thing until the internet became intricately interwoven into our lives.

In the past, if an artist dropped a new song, they would advertise it on the radio and drop hints. Then, the song might debut on the radio before going for sale in music stores.

The grandfather of the surprise release is Radiohead, who experimented with our instant satisfaction cravings by releasing the album In Rainbows just 10 days after it was announced.

Of course, the tactic was massively successful, and musicians like Kanye West and Beyonce have followed suit.

Now, dropping surprise music on your unsuspecting audience is standard practice.

So let’s take a look at why that is.

Dropping Surprise Music Saves You Time on PR

If you drop a surprise album, you don’t have to do PR and promotion of it before the album. Instead, you rely on word of mouth and the internet’s ability to retweet you until you’re on top.

Many artists spend weeks or months teasing their fans about their new albums by dropping hints and doing promo videos and shoots. Instead, you can skip all of that and go right to the branding and promotions phase.

Bigger artists will have everyone’s tongues wagging, and media outlets will be clamoring for performances and interviews.

But, even if you’re a smaller artist with a dedicated fan base, it can still save you some time on PR, as you don’t have to do as much of a run-up to the release.

Don’t Attempt It If You Don’t Have a Dedicated Fan Base

You don’t have to be Ariana Grande or Beyonce to drop a surprise song or album. But you do have to have a fan base who is going to care that you just dropped music.

One thing this trend relies on is hashtags, retweets and all of the buzz that comes from social media. Not long after, the press will get wind of it and pick it up, earning the musician even more publicity.

But if you don’t have fans who regularly use your hashtags, follow your social media or are in groups dedicated to you or your band, the surprise hit will just totally flop.

Instead, wait until you have at least a core base to try it.

Don’t Do It Habitually

If you release surprise music all of the time, it will become something that your fans expect. In the future, it might be the way everyone releases music, but at the moment, it’s still a bit of a novelty.

So, rely on the old trappings of PR and advertising your music for most of your music. But, once you’ve been around the block a few times, try your hand at releasing some music without any announcements.

Releasing a Surprise Album or Song Can Be a Test of Your Team

Truthfully, it takes a lot of work to release a surprise album. And it takes a lot of people keeping their mouths shut. From the sound guy to the studio mixer to the interns getting coffee, everyone needs to stay tight-lipped.

And for artists as big as Beyonce or Ariana Grande or Ed Sheeran, all of which have released surprise albums, it takes a village.

A couple of artists have had their surprise albums accidentally leaked, which likely led to someone losing their job for causing it.

You can’t really release surprise music unless you make adequate preparations. And although to your fans it seems like it’s last minute, you’ll need to be getting things ready for months before you even step into a recording studio.

You’ll have to draft and sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to keep everyone legally bound to keeping mum. If you have a dedicated fan base, you’ll have to ensure people don’t see you trudging to the studio each day to get ready for your big moment.

But on the bright side, it can help you figure out who on your team really needs to go. If they can’t keep a secret like that, they need to be pulled from your team immediately. And it’ll be time for a replacement.

Doing It Right

Since releasing surprise music is still a relatively new concept, it’ll take a delicate balance to do it right. But, if your team is on board and you know to plan it for months in advance, you’ll be golden.

Ready to have some help promoting your next surprise album, or planning for it? Sign up for our services now. It only takes a few minutes!

Music marketing is a huge topic. It often overwhelms people, but there’s no need to panic. Here’s 4 different ways to get your tracks heard.

Use Reddit

Reddit has a huge user base and is the perfect place to promote your music across. At current it has 33 million uses, 852,000 subreddits and 140,000 active communities. Remember subreddits have certain rules which have to be abided to but I am sure out of the 852,000 it will not be difficult to find a couple to post new music across regularly. Reddit has a unique up scoring system and if scored high enough, your new tracks might reach the front page. Out of the 3.3 million user base a few of them will like your music.

Post music on Instagram

Instagram is another must for music promotion. At current posts with the location attached of 79% more engagement. You could post clip if you are new music track but also tag the location of your next show. This will help build and awareness about your brand. Remember to utilise stories to increase awareness and to keep your fans interested. Do not forget select your music on Spotify and add it to your story to help promote your brand, record label or music.

Start an email list

Email lists are just as important. You may think it’s an outdated method however this is a direct way of reaching your audience without having to pay or rely on another network. To build a successful list you all need mailing list software and a landing page where your recipient will input that email address.  There’s plenty of cost effective solutions to start sending music. Get creative with subject lines to get people get a high open rate. If the recipient has already gave permission to email them you have passed the initial hurdle.

Burn a CD

Sending a CD. Yes one of a those round plastic things we used to burn music to. These days most music promotion is done by sending digital files out of convenience. If you want to make an impact, send somebody something they cannot miss. If you try to get hold of an important influencer, you may have to think outside the box. I am sure if you received a mysterious CD for the post you would most likely check its contents. Remember branding, artwork and appearance is equally important as to the music.

Conclusion

Come up with a consistent social media posting strategy. Have a look at your Facebook page and check out the statistics. Will display the busiest days when off and engage more with your content. Use these days to post the most valuable content as you will reach more people. Use the less busy days to post evergreen content and keep the consistency high. Use a social media application to help you keep on top of your post and schedule. Set a date every week and schedule your posts for the remaining days. This will boost productivity and means you do not have to lock into Facebook every day. Win.

If you think creating your first album or EP was a challenge, get ready for your next steps into promotion.

Carving out a spot for yourself or your band in the music industry is no small feat. The competition is thick, and standing out from the crowd takes a significant amount of effort.

Thankfully, you have a mighty tool at your fingertips. Digital promotion is huge for pitching music. In fact, streaming has become the industry’s largest source of revenue as it makes up 41.1% of it across a whopping 176 million users.

But how do you tap into that? First, you need to get noticed. Below are some essential steps for pitching music to well-read blogs covering your genre’s niche.

4 Steps for Pitching Music Features to Popular Music Blog

If you’re serious about getting your music covered by influential voices in the blogosphere, here four steps to help you make it happen.

Step One: Research Content Creators

Before submitting music to blogs, you have to do some background research. Look into what blogs are trending in the music industry. There is more out there than just Stereogum and HipHopDX.

Make a point to find online publications relevant to your genre, as well as writers relevant to your genre. Most quality blogs have multiple contributors writing for their website.

Don’t just email them right off the bat. Take the time to follow them and read their work. Get to know the publication or writer you are planning to send your pitch.

Doing this may take more time than you anticipated, but your odds of success will be greater. Establishing a personal connection goes far in increasing your odds and getting future exposure on new projects.

Step Two: Tempt The Publisher with a First Look When Pitching

There is nothing better than an exclusive in the publishing world. Any time you can offer exclusive content, such as a new, unreleased song, do it. Aim for publications with influence and tempt them with the first look.

This will create a sense of urgency as they aim to be first to publish. If you already have a strong audience for your music, this is a great piece of bait for scoring an interview while debuting a new single.

Step Three: Avoid Mentioning the Blog’s Competition

Bringing up a competitor blog is like referencing someone’s ex in the middle of an introduction. Avoid planting bad vibes by leaving out any references to features or content covered by “the other guys”.

Instead, focus on other moments of merit, such as spotlights you’ve had on other forms of media or recent awards. Remember our advice about serving up exclusives that give the blog you’re pitching to a leg-up on their competition.

Step Four: Be Clear About What You Want

Don’t beat around the bush when pitching music. Make it a point to state what you want early and clearly. Whether that’s an interview, a feature, or a review, make sure you make your request specific.

Simply saying, “Hey, check out this music!” isn’t enough. Remember, this blog or writer probably receives an overwhelming amount of emails and requests. If you wait on them to think of a way to use the content you sent them, you’re losing leads.

Also, don’t be vague. Add whatever information you can to your pitch, including any press kits or audio that is relevant to your request. They may not have time to schedule an interview, but if you provide everything upfront they may reward you with a quick write-up.

Those who aren’t used to reaching out and asking for press may feel rude using a no-nonsense approach. However, busy writers and blogs love it when you reach out prepared and get to the point. It makes their job easier.

How to Draft a Short and Compelling Pitch

Now that you know how to approach today’s hottest music blogs, you need to craft a compelling pitch. We’ve broken down three main tips below in order to help you put together a strong request.

A Brief Message Gets Read

Time is a commodity in the journalism or blogging industry. You are one of the numerous requests the publication or writer must sort through on a daily basis. The odds are slim they’re going to do more than skim what you have to say.

Keep your message brief. You can attach or link to more information if your pitch hooks them. However, your call-to-action and your pitch should be within the first two sentences.

Think about what it is you’re offering the publication. What’s in it for them? Why would they say “yes” to your request?

Tempt them enough to make them want to know more, then give them the means to get that information.

Be Creative in Your Approach

“Hey, how are you? We are a band with a new album…” is not a unique pitch. New albums release every single week from musicians of all stages of experience and popularity.

What sets you apart? How is your pitch unique? Use creativity to sell it in a way that tells a story worth reading.

It doesn’t have to be paragraphs of poetry, but a few lines resonating the unique flavour of your music can be enough to give the reader pause and consider what you have to say.

Keep Your Quality Top-Knotch

Creativity is great, but don’t forget to apply some good old-fashioned quality control before you hit send. Poor grammar and typos convey the message that whoever you’re emailing wasn’t worth the time to edit and craft an original message.

Check your hyperlinks and make sure nothing is broken and make sure your tone is that of someone doing business. Using slang in your email isn’t going to win you any cool points. Be creative, but keep it professional.

Are You Ready for Your Music to Be Heard?

If you’re serious about pitching music, getting exposure, and hearing what people have to say about it, then it’s time you tap into our digital promotion tools. Here at Promo.ly, we make creating and managing campaigns a breeze.

Take a look at our packages to discover how easy and affordable it is to get your music out there. Sometimes the right move is just an e-mail away.

How do you get noticed in the digital music marketplace? That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? The irony of the internet is that, while it’s never been easier to release music, it’s become harder and harder to get noticed.

Gone are the days when a major label would dump millions into promising young acts. Radio exposure doesn’t carry the same weight it did. And how long has it been since MTV was known for playing music videos?

That doesn’t mean that aren’t ways to stand out. It just means that you have to consider your approach a little more carefully. Keep reading for eight actionable record label marketing tips.

Record Label Promotion:

1. Define Your Brand

While it can be fluid, you should establish what your act is. Using the music as inspiration, build a visual motif that supports your themes. Decide on a logo and a colour scheme that will reinforce the music. Good music branding is vital, so ensure you take the time and consider it carefully.

This can develop as the band or artist does, but it’s helpful to build an identity that goes beyond the music. It’s something that the fans can latch onto. It also lends itself to merchandise and artwork for releases.

2. Know Your Audience

This may seem obvious, but that’s only because it’s so important. The better you understand your audience, the better you can reach them.

If you’re just getting started, it can be difficult if your fanbase is still in its infancy. Instead, look to similar artists and learn who their audience is. As you build an audience, continue to monitor their interests and habits.

As you start to utilize paid advertising, apply the data you’ve gathered about your target audience. The better you can target them, the further you can stretch your ad dollars.

3. Collect Email Addresses

The power of an email list is often overlooked and should be included in your marketing plan. It may seem quaint to some, with direct messages and texts being the preferred way to communicate. However, if you’re in the business of digital marketing, email is king.

There are many different free email list managers that will help you with this. Sign-up for one and put it to use. Collect emails at any point of fan interaction. You can use download gates that require fans to enter their email before downloading your music.

4. Build a Release Schedule

It’s not important that you release music but that you release it consistently.

If you look at it as a curve, any song will attract immediate interest which will then taper off. If you have enough material, post another track a few weeks later, just as interest in the first song wanes.

This helps you ride the momentum your songs build. You want to keep offering new material when you know people are still interested.

5. Free Downloads

This was touched on above, but releasing free music is a great way to garner interest within your music genre. People are always searching for new music, so providing them tracks for free is an excellent opportunity. Placing it behind a download gate makes sure you get something in return. Like an email address.

It’s fine if you have music that you don’t want to give away. Save it for a proper release. Instead, offer demos or cover songs. Not only does this build awareness, but it develops your acts personality in the eyes of the fans.

6. Make Music Videos

Know where most music fans find their music? That’s right: YouTube. The video-sharing platform has become an integral part of many indie label marketing plans.

If you have a phone, you have a video camera. There are many different approaches you can take, from a performance-based video to something more abstract. Lyric videos are another great option.

7. Run Contests

One of the most powerful parts of being in a band is the relationship you develop with your fans. Any time you can include them in a project, you’re deepening this relationship.

Ask your fans to help spread your music. Invite video ideas and t-shirt designs. If you incentivize these projects, you can utilize the collective power of your supporters.

As effective as a marketing campaign can be, nothing matches the power of word of mouth. Having fans that will tell others on your behalf carries a level of credibility that money can’t buy.

Just be sure to properly reward the support you get. This can be access to limited releases or behind the scenes videos. Whatever it is, it should make the fans feel even closer to the acts.

8. Find the Right Partners

Social media offers so many new opportunities. The ability to partner with the right people and businesses is one of it’s greatest.

The most immediate benefit is getting your artists exposed to a new audience. This reason alone makes this a no-brainer.

But there’s more benefit than just that. It allows you to further develop your brand.

If you’re a label with an interest in social justice, find activist organizations that reflect your ideas. If you’re more into sports and athletics, find a team or apparel company that matches what you’re offering.

The important thing is to find the right partners. Not only do you want ones that reflect your interests but ones that have an audience that would be interested in the acts you represent. There’s no point in approaching an energy drink brand if your label releases classical music.

Record Label Marketing Made Easy

The need for a record label isn’t as pronounced as it once was. The ability to record and release music has never been easier.

Instead, what you can offer as a label is the insight into effective marketing practices. Record label marketing incorporates a few key tasks applied correctly. If you can prove that you can practice these effectively, you can offer real value to bands and artists.

This frees the talent to focus on what they do best. Knowing that they have the support of a record label that can get results is incredibly empowering. It’s also to the benefit of both them and you as the label.

What You Should Know about Email Marketing for Musicians

Musicians choose their career because they have a passion for music and they want to share it with the world. Then they find out just how difficult that sharing can be.

One of the greatest promotional strategies for musicians is email marketing. After all, what better way to make your music heard than to deliver it right to someone’s inbox?

The key to successful email marketing for musicians is in the execution. These tips can help you launch a great strategy.

Tips for Email Marketing for Musicians

To make the most of your emails in your music marketing strategy, use these tips.

1. Don’t Underestimate Piracy Protection

Email marketing is a great way to announce your latest tracks or pursue record deals. The problem, though, is that it’s easy for someone to steal your music that way.

Make sure you use an email service that provides piracy protection. This is especially important if you’re sending unreleased music.

As much as you may trust the people on your contact list, it’s not a good idea to gamble your career on it.

2. Manage Multiple Email Lists

You should use marketing emails for different purposes. Maintaining a few different email lists for those purposes will make your communications more productive.

For example, if you’re seeking a record deal, have one email list for people in the industry you want to pitch. Have another list for fans in the general public so you can promote your music independently as well.

3. Always Plan Your Next Step

The key to great email marketing is driving people to the next step of the process. To do that, you need a clear and compelling call-to-action.

For every email, determine the next step you want the readers to take. It could be purchasing a download or calling you to schedule a meeting. Whatever it may be, guide readers to it and make it as convenient as possible for them.

4. Give People a Reason to Scroll

There’s a common myth that people rarely scroll on websites and emails. You might think all the pertinent information needs to be “above the fold,” or on the part of the screen they see right away.

That may have been true in the Internet’s early days, but today people are willing to explore more. You just have to give them a reason to scroll by telling them what type of compelling content awaits.

5. Put Serious Thought into Your Subject Line

The subject line may be the most underrated part of a marketing email. After all, the only information your viewer has to determine if they want to open an email is the subject line and your name.

Overall, the average open rate for email newsletters is just under 23 percent. If you want to make the cut, your subject line needs to be unique and inviting.

Building Your Music Career with Email Marketing

Email marketing for musicians is a great way to start spreading the word about your music career. It’s also a powerful tool for successful musicians who are trying to keep the momentum they’ve built.

No matter where you are in your career, the tips above will help.

To get started on your email marketing campaign today, find out more about promo.ly!