Top 5 Marketing and Promotion Tips For Independent Artists

Top 5 Marketing and Promotion Tips For Independent Artists

Top 5 Marketing and Promotion Tips For Independent Artists

A lot of artists these days are producing and releasing their music independently and deciding not going through the traditional record label route. Of course there are pros and cons to both being independent and signed, but in this blog we're going to look at the top 5 marketing and promotion tips for independent artists as it's such an important part of getting your music heard! After all, even if you're making and releasing amazing pieces of music independently, you need to promote it for it to get heard by new listeners, which in turn will grow your fan base and increase your revenue as an artist.

One of the pros of being signed to a record label is that they have a big reach and will promote your music on your behalf. That's why you need to get good at marketing and promoting yourself as an independent artist, as your music may end up falling on deaf ears otherwise. For some artists I know, it comes more naturally, but if you're anything like me it takes a lot of discipline and perseverance. I love making music but haven't always been as good as promoting it as effectively as others.

So let's take a look now at the top 5 marketing and promotion tips for independent artists which have been really effective for me personally as well.

1.Live Events:

This is one of the oldest forms of promotion and also still one of the most effective! Playing live gigs is crucial to getting yourself out there on the live circuit. Playing to new and regular audiences will help to build and maintain your fan base.

2.Post Regular Relevant Content Online:

As you probably know, social media is one of the biggest platforms for marketing and promoting music these days and although everyone is doing it, creating new and fresh content to post can help to get you seen and of course, heard!

However, don't constantly spam pictures on your socials, but instead post relevant content regularly to keep your fans and potential new fans engaged.

You can pay for sponsored posts on social media as well, to appeal to a wider audience than just your current followers. It's probably better if you can grow your fan base more organically though.

3.Network and Collaborate With Others:

Networking is another crucial part of growing as an independent artist. Go to networking events and network on social media to find others you can collaborate and work with to benefit each other mutually. Good communication skills are really important in these situations as well, so even if you practise or rehearse things to say beforehand this can really help. Networking with fellow students if you're studying music or music production is another great way to potentially grow and expand your contacts as an independent artist. Make the most of your time studying with other creatives! 

4. Involve Your Fans:

Social media engagement with your fans is so important to keep them interested in what you're doing, so talk to them and even ask them questions and post surveys to see what they want you to do next.

5. Learn More About Marketing and Promoting Music By Doing A Course:

There are plenty of courses you can do to learn about marketing and promotion in more depth. Here at CM we offer a foundation degree in Creative Music Production And Business which has modules on successfully creating your own music business as well as marketing and promotion. Check out our course page for more information.

Conclusion:

I really can't stress how important marketing and promotion is for an independent artist as it's THE way for your music to get heard in today's oversaturated music market! So if you're not doing so already, it's worth spending as much time as possible getting really good at it to grow your fan base and your revenue!