Independent artists have more opportunities than ever these days to launch their own careers. Even if you don’t have the backing of a major label or the big budget of one, you can still break into the charts.
This will only happen, however, if you actually know what you’re doing. You can make the best music in the world, and expanded your knowledge with a music production beginners course, but, if you have no idea how to release it, then you’ll struggle to get people to listen. With that in mind, here are six essential tips for self-releasing music.
Shoot A Music Video
A unique and interesting music video has the power to go viral online, whether your track is a hit or not. The video will give people something quick that they can watch to get a sense of your music. If they like the sound, look, or both, then they may want to listen to more of your music when it is released. People also tend to share videos online, which will increase your reach.
Engage On Social Media
The promotional power that comes with using social media definitely isn’t a secret. Like any other business, you need to develop and maintain a consistent and interesting presence across all of the social platforms to make it in the music industry. Make sure that you engage online throughout the entire production process, as well as the pre-release, to build your awareness.
Sort Out The Distribution
Having an album is useless if you have no way of getting it to your fans. Once you’ve sorted out the CD manufacturing, therefore, you must line up distribution. This may not be the most interesting of tasks, but it is critical. There are several digital distribution services that you might want to consider, so do plenty of research and choose the one that suits you best.
Work On The Website
All music artists, independent or not, should have a website of their own. If you don’t already, then you must work on this right away. Whether you’re building a new site or updating an old one, you should use elements from the new album design. This will give consistency to your visual branding. You will also want to update your biography and photos, as well as the music player.
Know How Search Engines Work
Once your website is up and running, you should start learning about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and optimize your pages with the right keywords. According to a recent study by Hubspot, 75% of online searchers never scroll past the first page of search results, so don’t make a mistake of not learning SEO. Even if you decide to hire someone to do SEO for you, it is also a good idea to be knowledgeable about the topic.
Get The Press Involved
Having your music featured by publications, whether they be mainstream magazines or niche blogs, can really help to build awareness. It also gives credibility to your music, which can help to further your career. Hiring professional PR help to handle your campaign is highly beneficial, but isn’t always affordable. Thankfully, it is possible to handle PR yourself with a little research.
Play A Live Show
Many upcoming artists focus their promotional efforts heavily on the digital space. While it is certainly important to engage on social media and get featured on blogs, you should never underestimate the power of performance. A gig allows you to connect with fans in a way you can’t do online. This makes playing at your album release party a very good idea.
Hopefully, with these tips, you’ll be able to release your own music successfully.
