Outstanding Band Marketing Ideas to Gain More Exposure
Marketing is vital for every band or artist, it can bring you to the top and significantly showcase your identity and spread your message to thousands of people across the globe. Let’s show you some of the key steps you’ll need to know.
Outstanding Band Marketing Ideas to Gain More Exposure
We can repeat it a billion times, but marketing is TRULY vital for everybody nowadays. It can bring you to the top and significantly showcase your brand’s identity and spread your message to thousands of people across the globe.
There’s an extensive and effective list of best practices for marketing a band, including social media outreach, retail exposure, a strong publicity campaign. But sometimes it takes more than these efforts to cut through the clutter and put your band ahead of the rest.
#1 Know your brand
Presenting yourself is as crucial as anything else about any business. What’s unique about you? Which aspects of your story are the most compelling? What sets you apart from every other band out there? How will you present yourself consistently? What exactly do you want to deliver to the audience?
Once you’ve honed your brand, the specifics of your band marketing strategies and fan communication will flow from there.
#2 Create a website
Investing in a great band website is one of the most important things you can do to maximize your marketing efforts. A poorly designed or outdated website — or the absence of it at all — will hurt your credibility and give off the impression that you’re not serious about your music and fanbase.
#3 Collaborate
Collaborations are a fantastic and creative way to reach a new audience and produce something awesome to boot. Start with your friends, then think about local artists and musicians to approach. However, don’t collaborate with everybody — try to find artists and musicians who can enhance your music, expose your name to their audiences, and build a unique promotion around this.
#4 Work your email newsletter
Your email list is your most valuable direct line to your fans, and it’s by far the most advanced way to sell your music, tickets, and merch. You can frequently suffer from Facebook/Instagram algorithm but you can always use your newsletter to reach the people who want to hear from you.
#5 Create your band merchandise
Band merchandise can be a great way to finance your recordings and shows. First of all, you need to create your brand and establish it among your fans. Then, think about setting up an online store.
What kind of band merch can you offer? This may include signed albums and posters, stickers, vinyl versions of your album, phone cases, music lessons videos, online lyric books, t-shirts, and notebooks. If you can’t decide whether you need it or not, remember that having band merch allows your fans to support you and your music.
#6 Run contests
Running an occasional contest or giveaway is a great band marketing idea as you can benefit from the exposure, and fans can get something for free from a band they love.
You could do a simple social media giveaway or maybe host a virtual VIP listening party. Whatever you do, try to make it fun and thrilling so that people are incentivized to spread the word on your behalf.
#7 Support a cause you believe in
Social activism widely opens doors to other bands and artists supporting a similar cause and keeps a creative dialogue going. Generate ways to incorporate your cause into music, lyrics, and sales. In doing so, you’ll be speaking out and reaching a wider audience.
#8 Share your music on digital platforms
With the rise of digital technologies, it's become easier to reach your target audience. You can use Tidal, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music Unlimited.
However, you need to choose wisely which platform to use (but don’t limit yourself too much in any way, research!). First, think about your target audience, which you've probably successfully defined in your marketing plan. What platforms do they use? For example, Soundcloud is great for electronic music and remixes. So if you produce music in this genre, make sure you are there.
#9 Leverage the power of video
Video is a powerful medium for band marketing. By adding a visual layer to your artistry, you’re reinforcing your brand while allowing fans to connect with your music more deeply. You can do it on YouTube or TikTok, as an example. The most significant is to use video as much as you can to show your life as a band and behind the scenes.
#10 Look into sponsorships and partnerships
You can partner with local businesses and work out a deal that’s simple, authentic, and mutually beneficial. Do some research on companies that are already working with bands similar to where you are in your music career.
The bottom line
The music industry is indeed very competitive. But this doesn't mean that you cannot succeed. Overall, there isn’t a right or wrong creative marketing campaign that will break your band. The best strategies represent your music and who you are!