The Basics Of Branding Your Music: Getting Social

Most artists who are just starting out, and even some who have been doing it forever, seem to have the common misconception that their natural-born talent is enough to not only attract a massive fanbase, but also catch the eye of the people who can essentially ‘seal the deal’.

Even I used to think that this was the way it worked as well, because that’s how it USED to be… boy, was I wrong!

So, what exactly does it take to get noticed, and reach ‘superstar’ status in today’s musical-world?

One word: branding.

Branding is simply creating, and maintaining a buzz, through actions such as marketing/promotion, exposure, social media popularity, and relentless hustle.

These things are absolutely critical if you want your music to be heard on a large scale. Period.

Unfortunately, if you can’t gain a significant following (or at least a few die-hard fans/advocates of your music), the people within the industry probably won’t even give you a chance… regardless of how epic is your music.

Don’t get discouraged or panic if you haven’t gotten to that point yet, because you’ve certainly come to right place to learn just how to do so!

Like everything else in life, the music industry is just another game… and I’m here today to let you in on the ULTIMATE cheat code ;).

FIRST STEPS

The first thing you must figure out is who exactly you want to be as an artist and, of course, what your stage name (aka ‘moniker’) will be.

There’s technically nothing wrong with using your actual name, but recent studies have shown that the catchier, more intriguing names are more memorable and effective.

Try creating a name that is equally parts unique and true to who you are; that balance is sure to make people connect with you and your name on a deeper level.

However, don’t make it too outrageous or random. It should reflect who you are  (musically), and hint at what we’re going to get by listening to you.

For instance, don’t give yourself the name ‘rock god/goddess,’ if you’re doing EDM or Pop music… it doesn’t accurately represent you, or your music and will just confuse people, which can turn them off of your music forever.

Just make sure that you’re totally happy with your name at the end of the day, because it’s going to be attached to everything you do and follow you around throughout your entire career.

Here’s an article that will show you many surprising facts about just how important your name truly is, and how it can affect your overall success rate (because everybody knows that changing your name mid-career can SERIOUSLY suck, and is pretty hard to do successfully): https://www.businessinsider.com/how-your-name-affects-your-success-2015-8

CREATING AN ONLINE PRESENCE

Do not underestimate the severity of having an active online presence!

This is the number one way that people are going to hear your music (and your music updates), be able to connect with/get to know you on a more personal level, and see the passion and dedication you have FOR your music; which makes them want to support what you’re doing even more.

Even if you don’t have any ‘finished’ content yet, you can still establish yourself online as a musician (artist, producer, DJ, etc.).

The sad truth is that most people will want to and see who exactly they’re listening to BEFORE they decide to click ‘play’.

In other words, they make the decision whether or not to listen to your music, based on the visual representation that you give them… use this to your advantage; the more compelling, captivating, and fascinating, the better!

So, make sure to provide images that truly embody you and your music. If you happen to make darker, more depressing music, don’t paint this picture-perfect picture (and vice versa).

Check out this article, which explains the importance that artwork has to do today with success:

pigeonsandplanes.com/in-depth/2017/04/should-we-still-care-about-cover-art

You must also create a fitting LOGO.

This is extremely important when setting up your various music profiles, and should remain constant across all platforms.

The goal is for people to immediately think of you when they see this unique symbol; it’s an essential part of the ‘branding’ process and will provide your fans with yet another way to personally connect with you, support you, and (eventually) represent you and your music.

CREATE A PROFILE ON EVERY MUSICAL SITE & GET YOUR MUSIC OUT THERE

The title of this step pretty much explains it… research what sites are the most popular today (in regards to getting people’s music heard/known), create a musical profile with said sites, and start getting your music out there!

At the moment, the leading sites for this would have to be either YouTube or SoundCloud, both of which you should definitely create profiles with ASAP.

Not only are these platforms free and amazing but, by putting your music on them, you’re majorly extending your reach; giving your current and future fans an easy way to listen to, comment on, and share your music… which is really what it’s all about!

Another great place for musicians to spread their music and connect with future fans/fellow musicians is Bandcamp; but it’s more for selling your music as opposed to gaining traction.

The ultimate goal is, of course, to make money off of your music. But, at first, it shouldn’t be all about selling your music, but rather giving your content away for free.

This might sound counterintuitive, but, doing this is a very smart, strategic way to get people interested in and excited about your music (in other words, a good way to get ‘clout’)… so don’t overlook this step!

Don’t worry – this is only part of the initial stages of your musical career and is a necessary part of building your brand. It won’t last forever.

Just remember, that if you keep at it, the money will eventually come… but don’t let the emotional attachment to your music trick you into thinking you MUST get money for blessing the world with it because, at first, you can’t afford to have that mindset.

SCAM ALERT: One thing to be aware of, is ‘view/play’ scams, which some people on most of these sites will offer. Basically, this means you can PAY for views or plays. Now, this may sound like a great idea… but it’s absolutely not.

You want REAL, authentic clicks; not some computer robots having your song play on repeat, or leaving you generic comments that don’t have anything to do with your specific content (and, which everybody can tell are fake, by the way).

Now, while YouTube and SoundCloud are certainly front-runners in this particular realm, they are certainly not the ONLY ones. Here’s an article with 14 alternatives, and I highly suggest you set up accounts with them as well (the more sites you’re actively a part of, the better): http://hiphopspeakeasy.com/2017/02/alternatives-soundcloud-ultimate-guide/

I also encourage you to check out these two helpful aids:

1. A free course from YouTube Academy about how to successfully get your music discovered: https://creatoracademy.youtube.com/page/lesson/music-discovery
2. A guide from Antidote Audio, all about how to get, increase, and maintain your SoundCloud following: https://www.antidoteaudio.com/how-to-promote-on-soundcloud

THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘SOCIAL MEDIA’

This may seem like a pretty obvious one, right? Well, you wouldn’t believe how many musicians don’t take full advantage of the power of social media; either because they think their music is so good they don’t NEED to be on social media (which is 100% incorrect), or because they don’t properly know how to go about doing it – do NOT be one of these people!

First thing’s first: create a profile on any and all free social media sites that can get you listeners/fans. It’s all about building that following and spreading your music across as many platforms as possible.

This includes (but is NOT limited to) sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Chances are, if they befriend you on one of these sites, it won’t be too long until they follow you on all the other ones, and every single person counts.

Which brings me to my next point – make sure all of your profiles are clearly linked to one another, but don’t include the same exact content; personalize each one to serve a specific purpose.

Make sure that each individual profile emphasizes how passionate you are about your music in some way, and where they can find it.

Also, make sure to connect with your growing fanbase. A message, comment back, or ‘like’ can have more of an impact than you can imagine; one of these simple actions can secure you a listener for LIFE.

People tend to have a bigger interest in an artist if they feel like they personally know them or have some kind of connection to them.

So, from here on out – don’t think of social media as simply a way to connect with friends, consider it an actual JOB… as you’re essentially ‘selling’ your music, and brand, to the your fans.   

-Share the knowledge, spread the music