For many contemporary bands and artists, success has become closely dependent on being able to successfully build an online fanbase, to which they can then market themselves. Here we look at six tips for turning your band into a brand.
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Guest Post by Ohad Bolotin, head of Wix Music at Wix.com
In days gone by, making music was about just that – making music. When bands hit the stage or studio, nothing else mattered but today, the difference between a successful album release or a sell-out tour has more to do with finding new fans on social media and building digital buzz than signing with a label. Today’s artists can build their own fan base, promote to huge global audiences, sell records, tickets, and even merchandise direct to fans, from their mobile device.
In today’s industry, turning musical notes into monetary ones means that bands need to become marketers, advertisers, community managers and digital planners. They also need to create a market position and even find a catchy name that’s Google and Twitter friendly. Simply put, they need to be brand driven and digitally aware.
So, for artists on the up, or those looking for insights on how to take their music to the new audiences, here are six tips on turning your band into a brand.
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Get your online presence up to scratch
It sounds obvious but so often bands just haven’t grasped the opportunity available digitally. They may have built their site a few years ago and it’s simply not optimised to take advantage of the latest advances in technology, particularly mobile. Make sure you’ve created your online presence with your audience in mind. Take your new fan from interested to “bought the T-shirt” in a few simple clicks. Stream your music and list your gigs on your site. For example, the Wix Music toolkit fully supports Songkick and Bandsintown: two powerful apps that make promoting and selling your concert tickets a much easier task. You want your fans to purchase tickets while playing your music, browsing your merchandising and checking out more about your band.
Let new audiences find your band on social media
Social media is where music fans turn to find their next obsession, therefore finding a community that resonates with your music and building a strong network can easily translate into an army of fans. The trick is to find the right social network for you, not every network is suited to your music and like any branding element, your social media presence should fall in line with your unique personality and reflect your music, but also the audience you are going after. For instance, if you want to engage millennials you should probably consider Snapchat or Instagram.
Consider streaming services
Online music consumption has changed drastically in the last few years. Fans used to purchase individual audio files, now they buy monthly music streaming subscriptions and streaming services such as Tidal, Apple Music and Spotify are the new normal. As a musician you must be wondering whether streaming services still have the potential to breed profit for artists in the same way that radio has in the past. Profitability for artists can remain solid, after all, what the average music fan would pay for the price of 2 CDs, they now spend of their favourite music service, resulting in a mutually worthwhile investment in the long run.
Easily sell your merchandise
Offering your own branded merchandise is an easy up-sell and a great way to turn your fans into genuine ambassadors of your music. Make sure you can turn your website into an eCommerce powerhouse that makes all your content shoppable, just look for the services where you don’t have to pay for commission.
Fill up your next gig
Posters are a thing of the past. Today’s flyers are targeted social media posts (especially on Facebook), getting your next show in front of a much bigger group of potential fans. You’ll need to invest a little bit to achieve your desired reach, but the results, both in tickets sold and social media feedback, will be worth it. Why not consider email marketing, a proven marketing tool that can create wonders for your ticket sales? For instance, Wix ShoutOut, offers an email marketing solution, that helps to create beautiful newsletters, promotions, invitations and more.
Bands & brands have much in common
Brand partnerships offer a great cross-promotion opportunity. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little help from a partner to support, sponsor and back your shows. But before pairing up with just any business, ask yourself: does the brand relate to the band? If your proposed partner fits the bill, odds are you’re both looking for similar things: growth, become recognised and above all paying your bills.
These are simple steps that can help you turn your band into a recognised brand, making the most out of your passion for music, whilst creating a revenue stream.