3 Creative Ways To Market Your Next Music Release
When it comes to releasing new music,
it’s an exciting time. After all, you’ve been working on this new piece of art
for months or even years, and when it’s finally time to bring it to fruition
and show the world what you’re made of, it can be tempting to just throw it out
there, wait for the crowds, the press, the labels to jump on it and realize
your brilliance, and for fans to go nuts over it.
Of course, we know that’s not how it works. You need a plan, and
a strategy for executing that plan to make sure your music actually gets heard,
and doesn’t end up just another brilliant song that’s been forgotten.
That’s where this guide comes in. Today, I’m going to walk
you through a few creative ways you can market your next release. So no matter
where you are in your release journey, check this out and get brainstorming!
Fan-made content
By far one of the most interactive ways to involve your
fans and get the word out is to invite them to take part in fan-made content.
If you’re releasing a new song this might mean asking them to record themselves
playing the chords or singing and tagging you. If you’re releasing a video,
maybe this means asking them to submit pictures or videos of themselves that
match the theme of the song. Then, you can compile all that footage into one
fan-made video that your fans can enjoy and share with their loved ones. After
all, how cool will it be for them that they got to be a part of your work?
Or maybe you just ask them to create their own stories,
posters, artwork, dances, poems, etc all having to do with your next release.
Try to think about the message of the release and your
overall brand and then see how the two fit together, and how you can invite
fans to join in. The goal here is to make sure they feel a part of the process
and that at the end of the day they are just as integral a part as you. After
all, where would you be without your fans? This is a great way to show them how
much they mean to you and how important they are to your career and success.
This will show them how much you value them, give you the
chance to show them off, and in the process, create those bonds, and because
they’ve been a part of the process, they’re a lot more likely to share that
song/video with their friends.
5 Day Challenge
Why not run a challenge around your new release to amp up
some friendly competition and get the algorithm working in your favor prior to
release?
Think about it. If you run a challenge in a private group
or on your page for three to five days prior to release, what you’re doing is
inviting fans to come to that page every day and interact with you. The
algorithm is going to take favor to that because they see people going there
daily and interacting, and when at the end of the challenge you release your
video or song, the algorithm is a lot more likely to show it to more people because
it will see that people have been interacting with you a lot lately, it will
assume that means they’re interested in seeing more of your content, and so, it
will show it to more people.
A couple ideas for challenges:
- Best fan made video/poem/macaroni
art/recipe/tagline/logo/alternative song title
- 3-day challenge to get the video out to as
many friends as possible (this would be after the song is released)
- Songwriting or instrument challenge to write a
new song each day for 3 days. You provide the prompts. They join you to
collaborate.
- Something specific to your songs or video like
a 3-day easter egg challenge, scavenger hunt, etc
DIY Press Opps & Collaborations
Last but certainly not least, you’ve gotta make time for
some DIY press and collaborations! If you’re running your own PR this time
around, take the time to really get to know how to do it and how to do it well,
but also, add a bit of creative flair in there. For instance, don’t just
approach music outlets, think outside the box and consider the theme of your
song, video, and brand, and approach those outlets as well.
Search
ReverbNation Opportunities for potential record labels, publications, radio
plays, gigs, and much more.
For instance, if your song is all about social justice,
look for podcasts and blogs that cover that topic, in the depth that your song
does and approach them about a feature.
And don’t forget collaborations! Whether it’s doing an
interview swap where you and another band interview one another on social media
(for exposure to a new audience), collab with a nearby coffee shop to create a
playlist for them (that includes your song) or something entirely different,
having these press opportunities and collaborations can be the key difference
between getting your music seen and heard, and wondering why you’ve just
launched to crickets.
Which of these strategies will you try for your next release?
Angela Mastrogiacomo is the founder
and CEO of Muddy Paw PR and THRIVE mentorship community. Grab her workshop ‘How to Make Money Online in the Music Industry’ for
even more money-making strategies.
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