There have never been more opportunities in history to launch a music career without the support of record labels or a huge budget.
Although more and more young creators are making their own way, many artists simply don’t know where to start when it comes to reaching people.
Don’t worry, Wavezoo wants to make it easier for you to find new fans.
How to promote your music in 2022
It goes without saying, but the first and most important thing is to make good music. You can follow all these tips to the letter, but if your mix, your track or your album is not of good quality and not well produced, chances are that what we share below won’t do you much good.
With that said, let’s take a look at the best ways to promote your music independently in today’s music scene.
1. Use social media, but do it the right way
We can’t avoid the obvious: Social media is where everyone is. As an artist, if you’re not on Instagram, Twitter or even TikTok, it’s like you don’t exist.
However, you may not be using social media as you should to promote your music.
Social media is not a direct marketing platform. You should actually use it as the word-of-mouth of the pre-Internet era. Most of your posts should be fun and interesting, leaving a small percentage for sharing promotional material.
However, this doesn’t mean that making entertaining posts can’t be promotional. You just need to focus on the content to make it interesting. For example, if you are in the recording studio, try to share small updates on social networks. Tell an anecdote about your experience in the studio that day, share a photo of your mix or post a short video of a song. These actions aren’t promotional as such, but they will let fans interact and know what you’re up to.
On sites like Reddit, you can find people who are really looking for people like you. There are plenty of specific subreddits for different music styles or even places like r/listentothis where you can share your songs. In this case we recommend you to pay attention to how self-promotion is treated within each subreddit, as not all of them follow the same rules and your posts could be quickly deleted.
Whatever apps you choose, it is important to remember that social networks are not everything to promote your music. If you don’t manage them properly, they can become a huge waste of time that keeps you from what’s important: creating music.
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2. Make a website and create email lists
Although social media is an important place for artists, all musicians can benefit from having a website of their own. Everyone can get there from your social networks to learn about your work.
Your website can be a place to sell products like your songs, or to offer services like hosting private parties online.
Yes, building a website takes time and may require some outside help, but a good website can serve as a foothold for fans to learn more about you and your projects.
Although it may seem old-fashioned at first, email lists are also a great way to create direct connections with fans who really want to follow you. Through email and some CRM, you can promote your new songs by sending them directly to fans who have provided their email addresses.
3. Add your tracks to all kinds of playlists
Music playlists on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music are still the way to discover new tracks. These streaming platforms are like the record stores where millions of fans share all kinds of musical releases.
To promote your music, you should consider how to include your tracks in as many playlists as possible, that best fit your music genre or style.
We recommend looking for playlists with artists and genres similar to yours, as this will help you attract fans who are likely to continue consuming that genre of music.
4. Share your talent with people
Steve Aoki became known for throwing house parties, inviting his friends over and letting everything else happen naturally, learning to be a better DJ along the way.
In a post-COVID world, one might think that doing live concerts is something that will take a long time to return to normal, at least for quite a while.
But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Hosting live music shows is much easier than it was 20 years ago. There is no need to travel to the concert venue, set up all the equipment, perform and travel again.
One of the newest ways to promote your music is hosting streaming parties, where you can show off your musical skills from the comfort of your home (or wherever you want) and reach anybody, anywhere in the world.
This way, anyone can contact you and have fun without having to go anywhere. It’s a great way to interact with your followers directly, as followers who attend your shows can also promote your channel and social media accounts.
5. Submit your music to specialized blogs
Many, many years ago, before the arrival of the Internet, music magazines were the Instagram or Facebook of the time. World famous magazines like Billboard and Rolling Stone had the role of judging which music succeeded and which music didn’t.
Artists could send their albums to music critics at the magazines in hopes of getting a five-star review, just like a restaurant review on Google.
Today, online music blogs have taken over, although they function in much the same way. The most famous music blogs contribute significantly to promoting your latest hits, promoting your upcoming concerts and spreading your content to fans all over the world.
However, it is very important to be selective when submitting your music to blogs.
We recommend that you do some research and find music blogs that fit your style. If you can, find the email or contact (most likely on Twitter) of someone who writes on that website that you like, and send them a personal message along with your music.
If you don’t know any blogs, you can start researching some like Pitchfork, Aquarium Drunkard, The Fader, DatPiff, The A.V. Club, Stereogum or Consequence of Sound.
In short, make sure you boost that online presence as much as you can, and never be afraid to get creative. We are waiting for you at Wavezoo, to listen and share your music.