These Industry Trends Will Change the Way You Approach Music Promotion In 2022
No doubt creating great music takes skill, but that’s where some musicians stop. Music promotion in 2022 is changing just as fast as the trends or algorithms on social media. Communicating with fans and promoting their music on social media is an excellent opportunity for bands and artists but there is more that you can do as well. Here are seven ways to promote your music and grow your social media following:
Create a Solid Strategy
Promoting yourself doesn’t have to be complicated. To maximize your potential, it helps to create a comprehensive marketing plan. Once you have a solid marketing strategy, you can optimize your efforts for the most significant success in the most effective way.
Find out which social platforms work for you
Not all social media platforms are the same. Some of us use Instagram and don’t seem to understand TikTok and vice versa. Therefore, it helps to divide and rule. If you can’t track a TikTok account, choose a platform(s) that you can follow.
Podcast
Securing an interview on a podcast, or having your music featured, is a great way to reach new music fans. Even a feature on a local podcast gives new audiences a deeper look at your music and who you are as a musician.
To promote your music online with a podcast, start your own and talk about your brand with regular episodes. You can also request an interview or have your songs heard on podcasts. Make sure to take some time and research podcasts that are a good fit for your music.
As a social media platform used by billions of people, Facebook has long been essential for promoting online music. While reaching fans organically in recent years has become increasingly challenging, it is still vital to use Facebook to promote your music.
If there’s an audience you want to reach, and you have a budget to work with, use Ads Manager to create and measure Facebook ad campaigns. As long as you spend some time testing and optimizing, Facebook ads can be one of the most affordable ways to promote your music online.
Between the grid, stories, IGTV, Instagram Live, and Reels, Instagram offers many opportunities to build your visual brand as a musician.
Try out the different options to see which you can leverage to drive organic Instagram traffic, from playing clips on your instrument with Reels to sharing behind-the-scenes stories for your fans. If you have a little cash to boost your presence, you can advertise and promote Instagram posts through Facebook Ads Manager the same way you would promote a Facebook post.
Twitter reigns supreme for real-time updates and quick interactions. If you’re familiar with this format, it can be a great way to find people talking about your music (or similar artists) and start a conversation with them.
To promote your music on Twitter, get fans involved by sharing ideas on relevant hot topics, hosting Q&As, posting playlists and selfies before the show, and more.
Snapchat
Snapchat is a casual social media app, and right now, it’s more about building and attracting a fan base than selling music. But it’s fun to engage with fans, especially if your target audience is younger.
It usually feels more personal than other social media platforms, which can lead to some unique marketing opportunities that don’t necessarily feel like “marketing.” So keep that in mind if you decide to promote your music through Snapchat.
Get Professional Photography
You can tell if an artist has tried to do their shoot, and we’re a big believer in using your equipment to create content, but when it comes to branding and images, you need to do it professionally. There are great photographers out there right now.
Provide value to your audience. Facebook videos are currently viewed more than 100 million hours daily.
Integrating visually appealing content into your social strategy is a great way to nurture relationships with your fanbase and drive loyalty and brand awareness. This allows you to offer an unlimited amount of content and also provides a way to connect with your fan base more intimately than ever before. Try micro documenting the process of recording or creating your music, live streaming your concerts and rehearsals, or even vlog your “day in the life” experiences. These are all tried and actual tactics and have worked for countless influencers.
Exciting times! But it can be exhausting to come up with original content ideas daily.
Sign Up For Artist Services
Most major music streaming services have platforms built specifically for artists. So if you’re releasing music, signing up is a no-brainer.
With these services, you can access various features and benefits within the platform, reserved exclusively for artists who use and release music on the forum.
For example, suppose you sign up for Spotify for Artists. In that case, you can add a profile picture, submit music to Spotify playlists (more on that below!), edit your Spotify artist biography, view streaming analytics, and access Spotify’s “Artist’s Choice.
But it’s not just Spotify that meets the needs of its artists. There’s also Apple Music for Artists, Amazon Music for Artists, Deezer for Creators, and YouTube for Artists, so if you haven’t already, sign up!
Create a Website And Email List
While social media is important for artists, all musicians can benefit from a dedicated website. A website is where audience members from all social media platforms come together.
It can be a place where artists sell merchandise and post upcoming events. A website can also be where artists announce new music releases.
Building a website takes time and may require some help, but a good website can be a central hub for fans to interact with or learn about an artist.
Email lists are another asset that may seem outdated, but they are direct connections to fans. Emails allow artists to promote their new songs by sending them directly to fans who have provided their email addresses.
Get Coverage In The Press And Blog
If your music is featured in music publications, be it mainstream magazines or niche blogs and web magazines, those placements can help build buzz and give you the credentials to take your music career to the next level.
Hiring a professional PR manager to handle your campaign is usually the best way to get good coverage. But this isn’t always affordable or possible for a new artist on a budget.
Do it yourself PR is an option for artists without a budget. But it is crucial to approach bloggers and journalists in the right way. First, you need to create an electronic press release. This should contain all the essential information about you and your music. The following resources offer tips for musicians looking to take public relations into their own hands.
Music Videos
An exciting and original music video has the potential to go viral online, even if the track isn’t a hit.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when creating a video for your latest release. Think of the kind of videos from acts like OK GO and Childish Gambino that have exploded thanks to online traction. There is something unique and intriguing about them, whether it’s a more profound underlying message or a quirky theme.
You may want to develop a standard music video or visuals based on live performances, which is fine. But by putting in the thought, time, and effort into your videos, you can pay off big.
