Unsigned Band Promotion's focus is on promoting bands' websites. We are not about graphics, design, sound or image, even though those elements are vital to a band's success on the Internet. If you're looking for a website designer, I recommend: Musician Sites [internet based] Aidan Curran and Quanta Webdesign [USA based] Denise Enck. Unsigned Band Promotion is about taking those beautiful websites that they create, and getting them discovered, because it's not only about being found. And by-the-way, I do it for FREE!
Below are some notes regarding an effective online promotion package for a musician or band:
The Online Promotion Package
- ...is a band's Internet marketing effort. Which is:
part of the band's overall marketing strategy
- Don't only look to the short term, plan for the long term too
Support
Keywords
- Use keywords to generate traffic from search engines
- If you use a keyword or keyword phrase that describes the band's genre, it may attract a few more visitors, but genre is a very competitive area. You need to be found for something else other than your band's name!
- Being found for something other than your band's name, is the point of online promotion. Develop new associations and relationships that will expand your keyword/interest list, i.e.. the arts, computers, film, gaming, health issues, local/regional, science, society, sport, world domination... it's a big list - maybe it's the venue your band plays at every month?
- Each webpage should target a keyword or keyword phrase, as well as the band's name
- Always use natural language, over optimised language reads horribly
- Keywords should be included in:
- Meta tags <TITLE> & <DESCRIPTION>
- Header tags <H1>
- Image ALT attributes
- Anchor text <A> and TITLE attributes
- Back-link text and TITLE attributes
- File names
- Body of textual content
- Create a keyword structure for the entire website
- Be fastidious with keywords as computers don't like ambiguity
- Don't over-do it with too many keywords on one webpage!
Analyse Your Competition
- Google Your Band's Name and see your position ranking
- Your band maybe #1 &/or the only one for YourBandName. Now try YourTownName YourBandName etc.
- Analyse why you are where you are
- Try: Alexa Web Search. Type their URL into the search bar
Analyse Your Website
The Website
- The opening page [index.html] could be an online version of the band's Press Pack
- If the band's website was made by someone who doesn't normally make websites, then try to afford a professional to create the band's press pack, and use it as your website's opening page
- The idea behind an online version of the press pack is:
- to deliver press information for the band and replace the printed version
- that it should be quick & easy to read, and quick & easy to update
- An online version of the band's press pack, can hit the spot for fans as well as music journalists
- Music journalists require information as it happens
- The online version of the press pack should include:
- All (and more) that's currently in the printed version
- Biography - shortened version with link to full version
- Press Release - Who are you? What are you doing? When are you doing it? Where are you doing it? Why is it newsworthy?
- Photos - full colour (use a professional/student photographer)
- The Demo and maybe The Video - 2 or 3 songs as MP3
- Copyright and Contact Information
- Maybe - how to get the printed version?
- Biography line up, background, milestones, genre and influences, forthcoming gigs / plans, short quotes from press
- Contact details include all band members and band workers
- Gig listings with venue and travel information. This page is great for being found for something else
- Blog band members online diary
- Reviews and Links
- Multimedia and Merchandise images, photos, music, mp3s, cds, lyrics, cards... There's a big list of merchandising products
- Site map search engines like site maps
- Each page should be able to stand on its own
Linking
- A band's website needs incoming links (back-links)
- Link Popularity - check to see what websites are linking to you
- Link popularity effects your Page Rank
- Encourage others to use keyword rich textual back-links
- Back-link to index.html from all your internal webpages
- Seek to get links from:
- very like minded, same genre websites
- blogs
- forums
- niche and/or genre specific directories
- fans homepages
- Linking should be natural, organic, friendly
Search Engine Submission
- Submit your website to the search engines and directories "by hand"
- Submit your website to the genre specific directories
- Additionally, submit your website by location
- Submit your website to the search engines Monthly (that's not a magazine!)
- Be prepared for a wait to get listed when first submitting
Website Launch
- Never launch the website before it is ready
- When launching on the Internet it can be difficult to calculate the lead-in time - unless you pay
- Distribution / news websites are always looking for interesting press releases and articles
- Ezines, Enews and Email can cause viral marketing when the conditions are right
- GET ON INTERNET RADIO - there's loads of stations
- Appoint an online promotion campaign co-ordinator
The Mailing List
- Essential, takes much effort to create and maintain - requires a dedicated worker
- A website is an ideal tool for collecting names and email addresses
- A well maintained mailing list is the one thing that will increase your audience numbers
- Compile a separate mailing list of label managers, A&R scouts and agents
- Protect your mailing list, it's pure gold
- NEVER SPAM see: CAN-SPAM act
Conventional Advertising
- A single mention of your band's name and URL with some editorial about your band in a national newspaper or music magazine could bring thousands of repeat visitors to your website
- Put your URL on everything
- Get some business cards printed with a tear-off strip for mailing list sign-up
- Press release to the local: cinema, press, radio, students union, television
- Conventional advertising is very valuable and can pay humungus dividends
The Promotion Budget
- You've got a promotion budget?! You're halfway there
- The cost of free online promotion is TIME
- It is difficult to calculate the promotion budget for an unsigned band as most unsigned bands have no money - how much can you afford?
- Earn additional money by merchandising & here are some ideas: Badges, Bumper Stickers, Caps, Hats and Visors, CDs and MP3s, Drum Sticks, Fake Tattoos, Frisbees, Greeting Cards, Guitar Picks, Imprinted Pens, Key-Rings, Lanyards, Lighters, Matchbooks, Mugs, Portfolio of Signed Pictures, Posters, Stickers, Sweatshirts, T-shirts, Wall Calendars, etc...
- Sell your music online - set up a music store
- Sign up with PayPal and start accepting credit card payments on your website instantly
Ideas
- Offer to include a track on your CD to another band that have the same target audience, they do the same in return
- MP3 swap with other bands - put them on myspace/website/CD
- Keep track of your stats with a free Statcounter
Find New Fans By Networking - Essential Visiting
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Online Promotion Package