10 Reasons Musicians Fail On Social Media

This post was written by Joy Ike ​and originally appeared on the Bandzoogle Blog.​

Social media. Whether you hate it or love it, it’s there and it makes the world go round… at least the world of entertainment. And if you want to be on the same level as all those other artists, you have to use it to promote your music.

But, simply posting on social media isn’t good enough. Here are 10 reasons why some musicians are dropping the ball with their social media marketing.

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5 Tips To Increase Your Chances Of Getting Press

Most music writers will agree: we get way too many press emails to actually read every single one. In fact, some are never opened. What can you do to make sure yours is seen? How can your band stand out in so thick a swarm?

Honestly, there are tons upon overwhelming tons of unread emails from publicists in my inbox. My freelancing schedule falls somewhere between part- and full-time, and I always say I’ll make time to read every one – but there are days when the best I can do is skim the subject lines. It’s unfortunate; a lot of music I’d probably love is overlooked entirely or discovered too late to for a story to make sense.

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How To Successfully Promote Your Music

Before Facebook and the era of social media, it was estimated that the average person was exposed to some 2000 ads every day - billboards, television commercials, signs in grocery stores and storefronts, etc, etc.

Since then, that number has probably doubled. This makes promotion very tricky. How do you successfully promote your music when there is so much competition? Below are 6 things you must do to stand out in a sea of clutter, make a dent with your music, and continue to grow your fanbase.

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7 Promotional Stunts You Can Do With Your Leftover CDs

With the rise of the streaming convenience, chances are not a lot of people are buying your CDs at your live shows.

They’d rather know if they can find you on Spotify so they can look you up on their phone.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not because they don’t want to buy your merchandise. They might even be asking you that question at the same time they’re buying a t-shirt you’re selling for five times the price of your EP.

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What 'No Unsolicited Material' Means And Why You Should Take It Seriously

This article originally appeared on the Sonicbids Blog

Artists and songwriters have encountered this roadblock of a phrase many times before: “no unsolicited material.” The ominous slogan conjures up images of faceless label execs in black suits and ties with an arm out, palm forward in the universal gesture for, “Stop. We are untouchable. Your career goes no further.”

It can be the most infuriating thing for an eager artist to deal with. That’s especially true when youknow you have great material that aligns with the label’s brand and roster. I get you, buddy. I’ve been there, too. But “no unsolicited material” is actually not as scary and unapproachable of a term as it seems once you understand why labels use it in the first place.

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9 Reasonable Guidelines To Think About Before Promoting Your Music Through Websites

There are so many websites for musicians. Sometimes they look similar with each other. With so many choices, people are getting puzzled of so many music sites to look at. Of course websites like Soundcloud or Bandcamp are great, but what so many young talented musicians missed is why they should sign up for that kind of sites. *It’s not just because other people do it, then you should do it too. We know that music websites is only a tool for musicians.* But musicians are not tools. Every musician should think about how they will promote their music, what is their artwork gonna be and other things apart from the music itself.

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3 Tips For Promoting Your Mixtape In Hip Hop

Releasing mixtapes are an important part of your career. It’s one of the moment that your handwork and patience is put out in the world and into the hands of your fans. It’s exciting and for most artists it’s rewarding. However, with all of the excitement, it’s easy to only focus on your mixtape release and forget about promoting it.

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Five Things To Consider When Launching A New Single

Ready for the world to hear to hear your brand new track after spending hours in the studio recording it? Not sure exactly how to go about it? You’re not alone! Understanding the moving parts behind a release is half of the battle, and we’re here to help. Let’s honour the time you spent toiling over the tracking process and do this right. This checklist is meant to be used as a resource as you plan your next single release.

So how can you successfully launch your new single into the ether and ensure maximum impact?

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5 Solid Ways To Check If Your Music Really Is Good Enough To Release

Music appreciation is subjective. We all know this, and it’s one of the reasons why you can spend endless nights debating with your friends over whether the latest Flying Lotus release is really better than his production work with Thundercat or whether there is artistic merit in the Cloud Rap niche and how it might do better to integrate some of the sounds of drum & bass.

It’s rare to find someone who likes *exactly* the same kind of music as you, especially once you start delving a little deeper than “yeah, I guess I like to listen to all sorts of stuff”.

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4 Old-School Promotional Methods That Still Work

Step right up! Step right up! You don’t need to hire a carnival barker, but you shouldn’t spend your entire life online. 

We live in an age where fans receive hundreds of Facebook event invites, and artists see dozens of people click “going” only to perform to crowds that include very few of those people. Artists tweet links to events and send out e-flyers on Instagram, and while everything I’ve just mentioned is a free way of promoting an event or album, is it as effective as some of the tried-and-true ways of the past?

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8 Ways To Get People To Share Your Song

Does promotion often feel like pulling teeth?

Has it been hard for you to get people to share your music?

If so, continue reading. We’re about to clear things up for you.

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A Tribute To Another Unsung Hero Of The Music Business - The Artist Bio Writer - Fact Or Fiction?

Is there no greater work of fiction in the English language than the artist bio? You know, the three-page laudatory pronouncement of some new musical genius suddenly discovered and spotlighted. Or how about the one that signals the mid-career change of musical direction? Or the end-of-career, where-have-they-been, and what-now variety?

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Increase The Probability Of Getting Featured

As technology is growing and becoming much more accessible all over the world, more Record Labels and Artists are getting their Music Production hats on and releasing music to the world. The thrill of seeing the material out on stores such as Beatport, iTunes, Google Play, and others is a great feeling but then the artist and record label begin to realize there is not enough attention that is needed and begin to ask, how can I get featured and get a banner on Beatport or iTunes and others?

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6 Ways to Get More People to Your Shows

Do you sometimes feel that your band’s draw is languishing? Are you tired of seeing the same people at your shows and want to play to a new crowd, even in your hometown?

If you’re like most musicians, you know that you absolutely can do better, that you have more fans out there than who actually show up at at the venue, and despite always receiving positive feedback, you don’t know why more people aren’t showing up. Here are some tips on building some momentum back into your tour dates so you can increase your band’s draw:

1. Find a Different Angle for The Show: It’s easier to get more people to show up if it’s your band’s first show, when you’re releasing a new album, it’s a tour kick off, or when it’s your final gig. Obviously, it’s because your fans realize those as special occasions and want to be there.

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