Effectively marketing your band isn’t always easy, especially if you’re new to the music scene. In fact, even bands who have been in the industry for years can often struggle to get their marketing right. To help you get your band heard, we’re going to look at 6 Effective Ways to Market Your Band in 2019.
Marketing is an ever-evolving discipline. Just over a decade ago, all a new band needed to do to pull a crowd was to put flyers under the windscreen wipers of cars near the venue they were going to be playing at.
The problem with the flyer approach is that you’re not guaranteed to reach your target audience. So what could you do instead?
1) Social Media
In reaction to the information leaks and scandals, Facebook updated its security and its News Feed Algorithm. These updates have much it much more difficult to get your content in front of your audience. This has led some marketers to believe that Facebook is dead.
The truth is, however, a little for nuanced than that. While marketing on Facebook has become more difficult, there is still value to it. If you want some in-depth insights into marketing on Facebook, read this article we wrote on making your event stand out on Facebook. Many of the same principals apply for making your Facebook page stand out.
It is also important to remember that while Facebook might be the giant of social media, they are not the only platform. The rule of social media is to be where your audience is. In other words, if your audience is on Instagram, have an Instagram account.
And as a musician, it is imperative that you have a presence on YouTube.
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2) Merchandise
Merchandising is about more than slapping your logo on some t-shirts and beach balls. Sure, that’s one element, but it doesn’t paint the full picture.
If you don’t already, you need to think of your band as if it was a brand. A big part of any brand is to establish your brand identity. What colours represent your band? How do you want your logo displayed? Is your band political?
Once you’ve figured out your band identity, then you can consider what merchandise would be most effective. Everyone makes t-shirts for their band (and so should you), but you should also try to stand out with your merch.
Does your band want to send an environmentally friendly message? Make some canvas bags. If you’re in a college rock band, get some branded bottle openers. Corporate cover bands could make some pens. The important thing is to understand your niche and to manufacture merchandise that represents your band.
3) Email
Email marketing is still one of the most effective marketing techniques in your arsenal. If you post something on Facebook, only about 4-8% of your audience will see what you post
If you email your audience, 35-45% of people who receive the email will open it.
The toughest part of email marketing is getting the email addresses of your audience. To grow your list, ensure that you have a signup sheet at all your events, and ask whoever is at the door to get signups for you. You could even incentivise the signups with free shots.
From there, head over to an email marketing platform, and set up an account. If you want a tool that is both free and easy to use, try out MailChimp.
4) Website
Over 80% of people turn to Google whenever they want to know something. If you do not have a well built, SEO optimised website, people will struggle to find your band.
Even if you’re not too worried about people finding your band on Google, having a website should be the centre point of your digital marketing efforts. On your website you can list all your upcoming shows and tours, have a gear rundown of what each band member uses (this might help you to get sponsored), and very importantly, your website can host a signup form for your mailing list.
If you’ve never built a website before, it can seem like a daunting task. Fortunately, with tools like WordPress or Wix, you can create a great looking website in just a few hours.
5) Reviews
Nowadays, more and more people are turning to online reviews before making a purchase. One study found that people trust online reviews as much as they trust reviews from their closest friends!
To build trust with new people, encourage your existing audience to leave reviews. You can host reviews on your Facebook page, your website, and even third-party platforms.
One of the questions that often comes up is, “How do I get reviews?”. The answer is simple; ask for them.
Reach out to everyone who knows your music, and ask them nicely to leave a review. While many people will ignore you, a few of your fans are bound to leave something.
6) Live Streaming
Faster, cheaper internet has dramatically increased the popularity of live streaming. If you want to get your music out there, why not play to people at home.
Not only will your audience save some money since they won’t need to buy expensive drinks, but they won’t need to worry about parking, or designated drivers, or making their way after the show.
You can even earn money from live streaming from Twitch tips, or by setting up a Patreon account and asking for donations.
Another advantage of live streaming is that you are no longer limited to a local audience. By hosting live streaming shows, you can reach people from all over the country, and even overseas. Here is a list of the 10 best live streaming platforms.
What is your band doing in 2019 to stand out? Let us know in the comments below
