Creating an online portfolio is crucial for today's musicians. Whether you're looking to highlight the work you've done or showcase the training you've received, a website is not only the first step, it's the most budget-friendly way to market yourself.
Creating an online profile that represents who you are as a person, as a musician, and shows potential employers how to contact you should be the first thing you do when you start to pursue your musical career seriously.
Find an affordable option that suits your level of experience with creating and managing a website. You don't have to be an expert to build and maintain your own site as there are plenty of options to help you as much or as little as you need. Go Daddy offers everything from do-it-yourself options to managed services. If you choose a host and a platform that will also let you change your plan as you grow and learn how to handle tasks yourself then you can choose a price point now and reduce the amount of expenses over time.
That might sound like a strange concept but you are now managing your musical career like a small business, which means your musical career is your brand. Managing that brand is crucial to furthering your career. Choose images for your website that portray who you are as a brand. If you're a jazz musician who plays smokey bars and festivals, choose images of you playing to a delighted crowd. If you're a classical musician who plays with the local symphony, choose images of you on stage playing beautiful music. The point is don't choose images of you playing a jazz bar if you're a musician who wants to play with the symphony. Market yourself to the career you want to have, not the job you have now.
The reason you're creating this website is to find more work. This means these potential employers need to be able to contact you. Whatever your preferred method of contact, email or telephone, make sure that it's easy to find and accurate. This is not the place to have an accidental typo (so check and double check). Also, if you change telephone numbers or email addresses, update the information on your website.
If you're asking potential employers to contact you through this method, make sure you're checking any messages that come in. Respond to each message, even if you're not available, or the gig isn't for you. An unanswered email or voicemail message is not the impression you want to give to potential customers. Even if the gig doesn't work out this time, you want to be their first choice next time because of the impression you give them.
Keep it updated. If you are playing local gigs or music festivals let your website visitors know they can come and hear you play. In addition, include these essentials on your site. It may not lead to new jobs right away, but every potential job is worth being consider for, and if nothing else, it may mean you play to a bigger crowd this weekend than you expected.