Promoting Your Music Online

By Taura Eruera

Promoting your music online has never been as easy as it is now. In 2008. And for fans and bands alike, this is incredibly exciting.

Why is music promotion easier now for the average musician, band and songwriter? Why was it hard before?

There are two key reasons why music promotion was hard before.

Firstly, music production and distribution was largely the domain of five big record companies.

Between them they controlled a catalogue of some 3.5 millions songs (2004). This catalogue of songs took over seven decades to compile. And they were only increasing their catalogue by a negligible 36,000 or so albums annually.

Secondly, their power was based on controlling an offline based, bricks and mortar music industry where fans purchased expensive CD’s from record shops.

How easy do you think it was to get your songs noticed, produced blockbuster-marketed in those times?

Why is it easier now?

Mark Vidler, of Go Home Productions in the UK, summarizes the benefits of the new music environment.

“You don’t need a distributor, because your distribution is the internet. You don’t need a record label, because it’s your bedroom, and you don’t need a recording studio, because that’s your computer. You do it all yourself.

In just 37 words, a musician has just told you what things have changed.

Internet marketing pioneer, Mark Joyner, observes on his Simpleology blog that “You don’t need a label. You don’t need an agent. You don’t even need a huge budget. Some people do this on a zero-dollar ad budget.

In just 27 words, a marketing maven has given you three success secrets for promoting your music online.

Let’s put the experts aside for a second and bring it back to you, the songwriter, the musician, looking to make music to share with fans.

In the beginning when you are holding down a day job, scores and hundreds of fans will make you feel famous.

When you have played to hundreds then you will want to play to thousands of fans. When thousands have viewed your videos or downloaded your music, then it will feel normal to shoot for millions of video views, downloads and sales.

And you know what? In the internet age, going for millions of fans is just that: normal.

Let’s look at just one specific internet development that underlines the new normal.

MySpace started in February 1999. In February 2008, MySpace has musician profiles numbering 13.4 millions. Musicians typically register for three profiles so 13.4 million profiles actually represents around 4.45 millions artists and bands.

That’s quite a few.

Each profile offers their visitor an average three songs to listen to. Which means that on MySpace.com alone, there are about 13.4 million songs posted.

That’s 13.4 million songs.

Did you notice what just happened? In nine years (less than one decade) MySpace has compiled more songs faster than the record companies.

Nearly four times more songs seven times faster!

What a record company nightmare. Worse, this is only one web site that’s buried them. What about all the other music websites?

iTunes for example, are up to a million paid music downloads. Daily.

Has the game changed or has the game changed?

Has promoting your music online just got easier or has it just got easier?

About the Author Taura Eruera

Taura Eruera is a New Zealand based musician, songwriter, broadcaster and author who, himself, is just coming to grips with music promotion online. He is also interested in music software development and has a long standing interest in online music search.

You can read more case studies and examples of ordinary musicians, who are marketing their music online with minimal budget yet achieving extraordinary results, in this article entitled promoting your music online.

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