How to pitch your music to gain maximum exposure
No matter how great your music is, one of the biggest challenges in this industry is to gain the right exposure for your work, and ensure that your audience is being maximized. Here are a few simple tips which can really help your work to reach the masses, and in turn, help grow your audience, your fanbase, and your following.
Consistency
With so much material being released every day, or in Spotify’s case, week (New Music Friday, Release Radar etc) it’s hard to be noticed just by one song, especially if you are an independent artist. An album can also be a big step to take. So rather, produce a 2 track EP and then another one 2 months down the line. Releasing music in a “little by little” method is the new way of making it as an artist. By releasing smaller doses, you can use any profits of that album (if any) to apply to the next release and/or recording session.
Album art
As much as everyone loves music, it’s not all about the music for companies like Apple, Spotify, Amazon, etc. They want to be able to feature a product that looks amazing on their website. Obtaining real estate on their website through a featured placement will enhance your exposure, give you credibility among other top quality acts and may impact sales positively as well. Make sure your album art is bold and visually striking.
Be social
Your social platforms, websites, and photos should all be cohesive. The likes of iTunes, Beatport, and other stores and streaming platforms do their research and there is a chance that they will support someone that has more of a social presence and a well-branded social presence. You must have a logo or professional press photo as well as a well-designed Facebook cover picture.
Online networking
There are a ton of blogs out there that are completely user-driven. They are dependent on emails from record labels and artists to keep their brand up to date with some of the latest and greatest music. Build yourself an email list but don’t spam them – try and engage in an organic conversation with each and every potential blog you contact and remember to start small. Set yourself up and produce free remixes or songs and send them out to smaller blogs. Once one posts it, go on to the next one and so on until you are at the point that a major publication will consider posting.
Tell people where to buy your music
Where do people buy your music? Make sure to always communicate effectively and make it simple for your fans. Give them the direct link to your product so that they don’t have to waste time searching. iTunes is the leader in Digital Sales and they have a handy online Link-Maker. One other fun tool is to do a “Countdown” for your release, perhaps 14 days before it actually drops. Start doing something each day for your fans to keep them engaged right before the release so that when the release drops, it’s as if they have achieved victory and reached an award for being a dedicated fan.
Merchandise yourself
You may perform a set at which you absolutely kill it but don’t expect anyone to remember your name or the songs you played unless you give them something that they can physically hold in their hands. Give fans a free download for attending your show, or something that feels ‘exclusive.’ Don’t expect to make a profit off your merchandise unless you’ve started to get some solid and consistent dates locked in but do expect that your fans will appreciate the offerings very much – thus potentially creating you more fans through word of mouth and social media.
Work closely with a record label
By doing so, these people have connections that they will use to get your music to the forefront of stores such as iTunes, Beatport, and Amazon to feature you. Once you have established your name via the use of a record label, you can think about starting your own label in future. It’s a path that has been walked numerous times before by even the biggest artists in the world. For example, when Dutch DJ Oliver Heldens released his 2014 UK #1 ‘Gecko’, the release arrived on Musical Freedom, the label of his countryman, Tiësto. Using Tijs’ name to generate maximum exposure, the single sold millions worldwide, before Oliver decided to use this as a future platform, going away to set up his own ‘Heldeep’ label, which now houses releases from the likes of WILL K, BROHUG, and Chocolate Puma.
As an artist, we understand the frustrations you may have of creating brilliant music, only to see your promotion fall flat through a smaller audience than you would like getting hold of it. By following the above tips, you can maximize your output, and watch your music, as well as your brand – and career – grow limitlessly.