You’ve just reached a crucial milestone in your career as an emerging artist: you’ve recorded and produced a new album. Congratulations! But the journey is not over just yet, because there’s another important part of the process you need to go through, and one that could make or break the success of your latest release. We’re talking about promoting your new single, EP, or LP, making sure that it reaches the masses so that all your hard work finally pays off.
After going through all the hassle of writing, composing, arranging, recording, mixing, producing, and mastering your new release, you can’t take a break now. If you want to have a chance to bring your new songs in front of your target audience, you’ll need to invest just as much time and effort into promoting your album as you did recording and producing it. So, what does this part of the process entail, and more importantly, just how much is it going to cost you?
Promoting your music on social media
In this digital age, there’s no question that any aspiring musician or producer needs to have a strong online presence in order to grow their career in the industry. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube - this is where the fans are spending their time, and how they’re discovering new artists, viral videos, and emerging talent. So, naturally, it’s where you want to be.
You can devise an organic social media strategy to boost exposure and promote your new album release, by engaging with fans, setting up live events and livestreams, posting on groups and fan pages, responding to comments and messages, and so on. These are steps you can take to grow your online fanbase organically, and they will not cost you anything. Consistency is key here, so it’s important to be active and post frequently, uploading new music, videos, behind-the-scenes footage, and just testing out different types of content.
The more active and engaged you are on these platforms, the more chances you’ll have to become visible and have your music discovered by new fans. However, with so much competition and short attention spans on social media, it’s important to also make use of the paid marketing tools these platforms have to offer. You can set up sponsored posts or paid campaigns on Google, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to drive streams and gain followers, and the good news is that budgets are quite flexible, so you won’t have to invest a whole lot. You can start small with a couple of hundred dollars and see how it goes, and you can pivot as you find out what works and what doesn’t.
Making use of available streaming platforms
It goes without saying that you’ll need an artist profile on one or more major streaming platforms, like Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Tidal, or Amazon Music. You can research the best streaming platforms available to you and figure out which one suits your style, your genre, your budget, and your preferences best, and take some time to set up a comprehensive artist profile. After that, you can start uploading your songs and start engaging with fans and listeners to drive streams. You can also pitch and submit songs to be featured on popular editorial playlists on these platforms, which can have a significant impact and help you gain followers in no time. Last but not least, you can opt for paid marketing tools, like Spotify Marquee or Showcase, but the costs can add up, starting at a minimum of $100 for a basic campaign.
Direct outreach
A cost-effective option of getting your music out there for people to discover is to try reaching out directly to bloggers, journalists, radio hosts and DJs, and anyone else who can help you spread the word about your new release. However, this will take time, because you’ll need to do thorough research to find the right contacts to reach out to, then follow up, find alternative contacts if needed, and so on. And the success of this method is not guaranteed, because music journalists and radio hosts get a lot of similar emails in their inbox, so you’ll need to keep trying or come up with something very original to catch their attention. This is where you might benefit from working with a marketing team or PR agency that can do all that groundwork for you.
Working with a marketing team
If you don’t have the time to sit and research contacts in the music business and send out emails and pitches to radio hosts and editors, you might want to collaborate with a specialized marketing agency to help you out. These experienced teams have researchers, contacts databases, and industry connections that can help get your name and your music in front of the right journalists, editors, radio hosts, bloggers, and influencers.
Of course, this is going to cost you, and depending on the size and reputation of the marketing agency you pick, the costs can really add up. However, they usually know what they’re doing, so your chances at getting some pickups and media mentions are quite high if you take this route. Not to mention that it will free up your time, time that you can spend engaging with your fans on social media and promoting your new music organically.
Working with influencers
Collaborating with influencers in the music community is another good way of promoting your music and expanding your reach in a natural and organic way. You can tap into an influencer’s follower base to get your music and your artistic brand discovered by people who might have otherwise not have interacted with your work.
These collaborations can help artists introduce their songs to new demographics and untapped audiences, all while promoting these songs in creative ways, from viral videos to remixes, live streams, or duets. This way of promoting music can also cost you, however; some influencers have a very wide reach and thus enlisting their help could cost you a pretty penny. It’s important to do your research and find people that you resonate with, people that mesh with your style and your genre, to ensure authenticity in your collaboration and establish yourself as a true and committed professional, and not someone who will work with any influencer for promotional purposes. Try to foster a long-term partnership with influencers who are on the same wavelength as you, otherwise your efforts might not pay off and audiences will be able to tell your relationship and interaction is not genuine.
Adding it all up
Promoting your music can cost you as little as a few hundred bucks to thousands of dollars, depending on your available budget, the avenues and channels you choose, and whether you want to enlist the help of a marketing agency or PR specialists to help you out. The main point to understand is that you should aim for a mix of organic and paid marketing campaigns, because simply fueling money into Google Ads or Facebook Ads isn’t sustainable in the long run.
Organic efforts like social media interactions, off-page SEO, and engaging with fans on digital platforms will bring you exposure, streams, and followers over time, gradually, and establish trustworthiness and professionalism. Paid campaigns are a way of boosting your organic efforts to increase exposure and visibility and get your name and music out there for people to discover. After that, it’s up to you to keep them engaged and interested in what you’re doing.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend to promote an album?
The budget for promoting an album can vary widely depending on factors such as the artist's existing fan base, genre, target audience, and marketing goals. However, as a general guideline, allocating a budget of at least a few thousand dollars to several tens of thousands can be reasonable. This budget could cover expenses such as social media advertising, influencer partnerships, public relations efforts, music videos, tour promotion, and other promotional activities aimed at increasing visibility, engagement, and ultimately, album sales or streams. It's essential to allocate funds strategically based on the most effective channels for reaching and engaging with your target audience while also considering the potential return on investment.
How can I promote my album for free?
Promoting your album for free involves leveraging organic channels and grassroots tactics to maximize visibility without spending money on advertising. Utilize social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok to share behind-the-scenes content, teasers, and updates about your album. Engage with your existing fan base and build relationships with potential fans by interacting with comments, responding to messages, and participating in relevant online communities. Collaborate with other artists for cross-promotion, submit your music to playlists on streaming platforms, reach out to music blogs or local radio stations for potential coverage, and consider hosting virtual events or live streams to connect directly with your audience. Additionally, encourage word-of-mouth promotion by offering incentives such as exclusive content or merchandise for fans who share your music with their networks.
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