Every musician dreams of selling their tunes. And if you’ve already whipped up some cool and catchy ones, why not share them with the world?
Sounds easy, right? But how do you even start?
It’s surely a baffling thing to think about. And if you don’t have any leads, you might end up running in circles. But don’t worry because in this article, we’ll share the best ways on how to market your music online.
Where to Begin?
It doesn’t matter who you are: a musician or someone who’s simply passionate about music. The first thing you have to do is come up with a master plan to sell the music you’ve created.
It’s important, vital even.
Making a plan guarantees you’re on the right track. Then eventually, it’ll help bring everyone to hear and support when your music’s out.
Market Your Music
You’re all set to offer your online music to everyone but where should you market these? This is the first part of the plan you should consider. That’s because it’s more than just uploading and praying that people will find and buy your music.
To start music marketing, you have to decide where you want to sell these. Think of the location of your fans and how they’ll likely listen to your tunes. Also, consider their demographics since it’s just as important.
Then, focus on areas that make sense for your music style and be realistic about the genre you’re going for. Once you’ve thought of these, get ready to bring your music to all the places they should be.
Now, let’s check out the most ideal places to market your music.
Your Website
Your own site is among the best places to market online music since you have full control over the experience. It’s also essential for building your musical identity, as well as reaching out to people.
Create a music website that best matches your brand as a musician. Then, bring the people from all your social and streaming platforms here.
Think about it: the website will be a more professional and permanent spot to establish your fan community. Plus, it’s also a space where you can generate online profit for your music and merchandise.
On Free Services
A lot of people listen to music via services like Apple Music and Spotify. Although the amount you can make from streaming won’t be that big, these spaces can help people discover your music.
Getting your song on, let’s say, a Spotify playlist, can help bring in new listeners. From there, you can connect with them and build that link beyond the first discovery.
Your goal is to build a group of genuine supporters who will want to keep up with your music. Once you’ve attracted and captured their attention, you can market music to them in the future.
Digital Music Stores
We mentioned earlier that a lot of people consume music through streaming platforms. But despite this, you shouldn’t forget to sell your music through digital music stores.
Releasing your works in as many places as possible will have a bigger chance for these to reach more listeners. A lot of people will opt to purchase new music from stores they frequently use and trust.
If you’re going this route, it’s best to use a good distributor. They’ll send your music to over 150 streaming and download sites, globally. Doing this will allow people to find and purchase your music in their conveniently preferred way.
How to Market Your Music
After coming up with a music marketing strategy to make your music available, be sure your fans will find these. Establish momentum for your tunes by calculating your efforts. Do this before lining up and arranging the timing prior to releasing these.
Find Distribution
Another music marketing plan is to sign with a distributor. They’ll help put your music on digital music stores and streaming services.
It’s good to note that smaller platforms allow you to easily upload your works. However, Spotify, Apple Music, and the like require distributors to accept music.
If you aren’t taking advantage of these services, you’re missing out. These are extremely vital since they provide a huge percentage of your possible audiences and fans.
Start a Fan Subscription
If you’re planning to create new music or release singles regularly, it’s best to start fan subscriptions on your site. This is one way to reach your fans better while selling music to them too.
Providing them with exclusive access to your content is an excellent way to increase involvement.
It’s basically a distinct sales model compared to just selling online music. However, you can start your subscriptions spot before offering new works.
From there, create momentum towards the release of your music with consistent updates and content. These will be in exchange for a monthly membership fee.
Digital Back Catalogue Deal
After releasing a new album, consider offering deals on your back catalogue. Let your followers know their perks, let them know they can purchase your discography in a package deal.
This would delight and urge them to buy a bundle that includes your unreleased music.
Offer Sale Prices and Discount Codes
Once your music has been out for a certain amount of time, offer limited discounts for your releases. You can also celebrate the release of your new music by offering sale prices on albums and merchandise.
Another option is to send a welcome note to new subscribers on your email list. Include this with a limited-time discount code so they can use it when shopping in your online music store.
Releasing Music Frequently
Music marketing is all about building momentum and gaining exponential growth. That means, you should release music frequently. How are you going to build a fanbase if you only provide content once a year?
Releasing one song without any idea when the next single will be out means you’re starting from scratch every time. This will cause your popularity to drop over time since you aren’t focusing on consistent growth.
For music marketing strategies to be effective, you’ll need to create songs of great quality and be consistent with it.
Always remember that you’re only one song away from completely changing your life. So, keep composing, writing, and releasing those creations.
Final Words
Selling music online requires time and care. To ensure you’re using each strategy and opportunity wisely, try making a spreadsheet or list everything to track your progress.
It’s also best to keep your audience interested by noting what works, and what you can do on your next releases. Plus, take advantage of various online music marketing platforms that suit your music style.
This will be a challenging yet exciting road ahead. And all these will definitely pay off once you gain followers who will support your work to sustain your career.