Original post from Live Unsigned Blog
A lot of artists are looking to get someone else to take over the business side of things allowing them get on with the music. Often they want a manager to “take them to the next level”, but this isn’t really how it works. It is useful to have a manager in the sense of someone speaking on your behalf, to help push your career through interactions with the industry, but only if they are the right one. You only need a manager once you are ready, when your product is good enough and you are a great band with a decent fan base. You still need to be hard working and interacting with your audience through social media, this is expected of all musicians now.
The way to get a good manager is to keep doing what you are doing, building a grass routes fan base online and through playing gigs (promoted on Live Unsigned). Building an audience one person at a time. Eventually you will hit the point where you will be approached, as long as your name is in the right blogs and print press and you are playing the right gigs. Try and keep doing as much as possible yourself for as long as you can, the more well known you are and the larger your fan base the more chance you have of getting decent management.
....Read more here...
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Monday, 21 February 2011
Is YouTube Destroying or Saving Music?
By Alan Lastufka. Original Post by Music Think Tank
A few weeks ago Wired posed the question “Is YouTube Bad for Music?”. Their article asks if music fans’ access to almost limitless free music via YouTube is hurting revenue for artists by undercutting premium streaming services, and of course, iTunes/CD sales.
Later on, YouTube responded, stating that “Free Music Can Pay As Well As Paid Music”. YouTube retorted that their monetized views via AdSense and In-Video ads were putting millions of dollars into musicians’ pockets every month. (well, more accurately, into the record label exec’s pockets, but that’s a discussion for another article).
The more interesting debates seemed to happen on various music industry blogs who weighed in on the discussion with their own oped pieces.
This is not another one of those opinion pieces, this is a fact piece.
The Facts.
I am a musician. I am also a YouTuber. I upload and monetize all of my music and music videos on YouTube. I’m by no means a super star, but my videos have been viewed millions of times on YouTube, and I’ve earned thousands of dollars from YouTube against ads on those views. In fact, I’ve earned just as much from YouTube as I have from my music CD and download sales.
YouTube currently brings in half of my income from music. And as the owner of an online music label that works exclusively with YouTube musicians, I can tell you the same is true for everyone on my label.
YouTube is an amazing promotional tool when used properly. The sheer size of the site in content and visitors is astounding. Now before you trail off into a rant about cat videos and skateboarding dogs, know this: 8 out of the top 10 most viewed videos of all time on YouTube… are music videos. Music fans are there and they are gobbling up any videos they can find related to artists and genres they like.
5 Tips for Gaining Fans (and Money) on YouTube:
So here are a few tips for musicians looking to turn YouTube from a negative into a positive for their careers:
1) Don’t just sing, talk. Every music blog for the past decade has droned on about connecting with fans. What better way to do that than to sit down for a face-to-face conversation? Well, okay, face-to-screen conversation, but vlogging in between posting music videos is not only a fantastic way to engage your fans, but it means more content being uploaded to your channel, which means your name and face stay fresh in your fans’ subscription boxes.
2) Views equal dollars. The more videos you upload, the more repeat viewers you will have. If someone subscribes to your channel, every time you upload a new video, it shows up on their YouTube homepage. Don’t be annoying about it, but find creative ways to split up your content between multiple videos. For one example of how I personally did this, read my article here on Video LPs.
3) Collaborate with other musicians on YouTube. You might hear a lot of old time rockers reminiscing about the time their band opened for KISS or Led Zeppelin. Tapping into more popular bands’ fans is a great way to make a name for yourself. When I released my last album, I called in a few favors from some of my musician friends and had a different artist cover every single song on my album before release day. I was able to tap into the audience of ten different artists (some smaller, but most much bigger than myself) and their fans got to hear one of my songs being performed by an artist they already enjoyed. That kind of recommendation is priceless, and all it really cost me was a few emails.
4) Join, don’t just distribute. I see companies making this mistake all the time on YouTube. YouTube is a community. If you simply treat it as another distribution channel, you’ve already lost. Use the same practices on YouTube that you do on twitter and facebook; answer comments, reply to messages, watch other people’s videos and interact with them, blah blah blah. What starts off as a “marketing plan” will hopefully turn into more. Every musician I work with on YouTube has become my friend. We have conversations outside of sales stats and trends. And they’ve enriched my life beyond YouTube AdSense dollars.
5) And finally, include a Call to Action. If you’re going to bother building an audience and making videos, make sure that audience knows what you want from them. Include calls to action at the end of your videos, in video descriptions, and in the branding materials of which YouTube Partners get to take advantage.
Only YouTube.
Why should you listen to what I have to say?
In less than two years’ time, my record label sold over $1,000,000 of music using YouTube as our ONLY source of promotion. No radio, no music blogs, no nation-wide tours and no marketing department. Our artists simply made videos on YouTube.
Some about music, some not. And things aren’t slowing down, our latest release, “This Is Me” by Charlie McDonnell, sold over 3,000 physical CDs on preorder alone, and had iTunes sales to match.
Were it not for YouTube, we’d still be a bunch of kids playing ukeleles in our bedrooms, working day jobs.
A few weeks ago Wired posed the question “Is YouTube Bad for Music?”. Their article asks if music fans’ access to almost limitless free music via YouTube is hurting revenue for artists by undercutting premium streaming services, and of course, iTunes/CD sales.
Later on, YouTube responded, stating that “Free Music Can Pay As Well As Paid Music”. YouTube retorted that their monetized views via AdSense and In-Video ads were putting millions of dollars into musicians’ pockets every month. (well, more accurately, into the record label exec’s pockets, but that’s a discussion for another article).
The more interesting debates seemed to happen on various music industry blogs who weighed in on the discussion with their own oped pieces.
This is not another one of those opinion pieces, this is a fact piece.
The Facts.
I am a musician. I am also a YouTuber. I upload and monetize all of my music and music videos on YouTube. I’m by no means a super star, but my videos have been viewed millions of times on YouTube, and I’ve earned thousands of dollars from YouTube against ads on those views. In fact, I’ve earned just as much from YouTube as I have from my music CD and download sales.
YouTube currently brings in half of my income from music. And as the owner of an online music label that works exclusively with YouTube musicians, I can tell you the same is true for everyone on my label.
YouTube is an amazing promotional tool when used properly. The sheer size of the site in content and visitors is astounding. Now before you trail off into a rant about cat videos and skateboarding dogs, know this: 8 out of the top 10 most viewed videos of all time on YouTube… are music videos. Music fans are there and they are gobbling up any videos they can find related to artists and genres they like.
5 Tips for Gaining Fans (and Money) on YouTube:
So here are a few tips for musicians looking to turn YouTube from a negative into a positive for their careers:
1) Don’t just sing, talk. Every music blog for the past decade has droned on about connecting with fans. What better way to do that than to sit down for a face-to-face conversation? Well, okay, face-to-screen conversation, but vlogging in between posting music videos is not only a fantastic way to engage your fans, but it means more content being uploaded to your channel, which means your name and face stay fresh in your fans’ subscription boxes.
2) Views equal dollars. The more videos you upload, the more repeat viewers you will have. If someone subscribes to your channel, every time you upload a new video, it shows up on their YouTube homepage. Don’t be annoying about it, but find creative ways to split up your content between multiple videos. For one example of how I personally did this, read my article here on Video LPs.
3) Collaborate with other musicians on YouTube. You might hear a lot of old time rockers reminiscing about the time their band opened for KISS or Led Zeppelin. Tapping into more popular bands’ fans is a great way to make a name for yourself. When I released my last album, I called in a few favors from some of my musician friends and had a different artist cover every single song on my album before release day. I was able to tap into the audience of ten different artists (some smaller, but most much bigger than myself) and their fans got to hear one of my songs being performed by an artist they already enjoyed. That kind of recommendation is priceless, and all it really cost me was a few emails.
4) Join, don’t just distribute. I see companies making this mistake all the time on YouTube. YouTube is a community. If you simply treat it as another distribution channel, you’ve already lost. Use the same practices on YouTube that you do on twitter and facebook; answer comments, reply to messages, watch other people’s videos and interact with them, blah blah blah. What starts off as a “marketing plan” will hopefully turn into more. Every musician I work with on YouTube has become my friend. We have conversations outside of sales stats and trends. And they’ve enriched my life beyond YouTube AdSense dollars.
5) And finally, include a Call to Action. If you’re going to bother building an audience and making videos, make sure that audience knows what you want from them. Include calls to action at the end of your videos, in video descriptions, and in the branding materials of which YouTube Partners get to take advantage.
Only YouTube.
Why should you listen to what I have to say?
In less than two years’ time, my record label sold over $1,000,000 of music using YouTube as our ONLY source of promotion. No radio, no music blogs, no nation-wide tours and no marketing department. Our artists simply made videos on YouTube.
Some about music, some not. And things aren’t slowing down, our latest release, “This Is Me” by Charlie McDonnell, sold over 3,000 physical CDs on preorder alone, and had iTunes sales to match.
Were it not for YouTube, we’d still be a bunch of kids playing ukeleles in our bedrooms, working day jobs.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Everyday is Valentine's day for you and your fans
Original post from MusicMarketing.com
February 14, was the official Valentine's Day, but you should be celebrating it today, tomorrow, the next day, and every day when it comes to the relationship you have with your fans. Every day, all day.
Way too many bands think of their relationship with fans as a one-way thing-- them broadcasting a certain message to the fans. For a long time, that was great. It worked because doing things any other way wasn't a viable option, fans knew it, and they put up with it, even though they wanted more.
But now, communication is instant. You post a message on Twitter and it goes out to hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people instantly...and they can reply...instantly. Same for posting something on a blog or Facebook.
What are you doing with all the messages that come your way? If you're not using them to build long-lasting, two-way relationships with your fans, you're leaving money on the table.
Communicating with fans is easier than it ever has been. There is no excuse for you to avoid it.
Don't know what to say? The first thing I suggest is letting your fans know how important they are to you...
Here are five ideas you can implement right now to do just that:
Free Show - Send out a free ticket for your next show to everybody on your list, letting them know you appreciate that they signed up. Most people travel in groups, so anybody who comes will likely bring a paying customer with them. This will get people talking about your gig to their friends and start the conversation about how great you are, fill your next show, and make you more money.
Free Drink - Similar to above, but send out a certificate that can be redeemed for a drink ticket at your next gig. Let's say the show is $10. Even if the drink costs you $10, which it won't, that's money going to the bar, which will make the club staff happy and give you a better chance of coming back again.
Meet and Greet - You're a rock star, so act like it. Rock stars have a "meet and greet" to connect with fans. It doesn't have to be formal. Just let people know you'll be at the club a little early, hanging out before the show. This doesn't cost you anything, has a high perceived value, and will help fan loyalty for years to come.
A variation of this is to combine your meet and greet with a free drink. That will really nail down the relationship and loyalty you get from fans.
Free Music - Exclusive "Fan Club" CD? You should be doing several of these per year. The most people consume your music on a regular basis, the more likely they are to support you. Again, something to combine with a meet and greet.
Exclusive Merchandise - People love stuff that not everybody can get. Giving fans a limited edition t-shirt with a design now available anywhere else gives them bragging rights and you'll get some great free promotion from it.
There are a million variations of this idea... A favorite of mine is designing something you throw out from the stage, just to people on the front row who make a lot of noise. This lets everybody know it exists, which makes something rare even more valuable, encourages audience participation, and gives attention to the t-shirt recipient, before the shirt is even worn.
Bottom line here is to let your fans know you appreciate them and to do it often. There is no way to mess this up, so just do something!
February 14, was the official Valentine's Day, but you should be celebrating it today, tomorrow, the next day, and every day when it comes to the relationship you have with your fans. Every day, all day.
Way too many bands think of their relationship with fans as a one-way thing-- them broadcasting a certain message to the fans. For a long time, that was great. It worked because doing things any other way wasn't a viable option, fans knew it, and they put up with it, even though they wanted more.
But now, communication is instant. You post a message on Twitter and it goes out to hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people instantly...and they can reply...instantly. Same for posting something on a blog or Facebook.
What are you doing with all the messages that come your way? If you're not using them to build long-lasting, two-way relationships with your fans, you're leaving money on the table.
Communicating with fans is easier than it ever has been. There is no excuse for you to avoid it.
Don't know what to say? The first thing I suggest is letting your fans know how important they are to you...
Here are five ideas you can implement right now to do just that:
Free Show - Send out a free ticket for your next show to everybody on your list, letting them know you appreciate that they signed up. Most people travel in groups, so anybody who comes will likely bring a paying customer with them. This will get people talking about your gig to their friends and start the conversation about how great you are, fill your next show, and make you more money.
Free Drink - Similar to above, but send out a certificate that can be redeemed for a drink ticket at your next gig. Let's say the show is $10. Even if the drink costs you $10, which it won't, that's money going to the bar, which will make the club staff happy and give you a better chance of coming back again.
Meet and Greet - You're a rock star, so act like it. Rock stars have a "meet and greet" to connect with fans. It doesn't have to be formal. Just let people know you'll be at the club a little early, hanging out before the show. This doesn't cost you anything, has a high perceived value, and will help fan loyalty for years to come.
A variation of this is to combine your meet and greet with a free drink. That will really nail down the relationship and loyalty you get from fans.
Free Music - Exclusive "Fan Club" CD? You should be doing several of these per year. The most people consume your music on a regular basis, the more likely they are to support you. Again, something to combine with a meet and greet.
Exclusive Merchandise - People love stuff that not everybody can get. Giving fans a limited edition t-shirt with a design now available anywhere else gives them bragging rights and you'll get some great free promotion from it.
There are a million variations of this idea... A favorite of mine is designing something you throw out from the stage, just to people on the front row who make a lot of noise. This lets everybody know it exists, which makes something rare even more valuable, encourages audience participation, and gives attention to the t-shirt recipient, before the shirt is even worn.
Bottom line here is to let your fans know you appreciate them and to do it often. There is no way to mess this up, so just do something!
Friday, 11 February 2011
10 Things Every Musician Should Do Online Every Day
By: Michael Brandvold. Original post from Music Think Tank
Do you or your band have a daily online routine? You better. At the speed this world moves you can’t afford to miss even one day of what is happening. Your competition is not sitting still, so you better be out there. But as a band you have to find a balance that is not going to hinder your ability to be a band. You need to write, rehearse, record, perform… if you don’t do any of those things, being online won’t mean much.
So I thought I would take a look at my daily online routine and maybe you can apply to it your routine.
1. Quick Email Scan – When you wakeup, you’re a band, so whatever time of the day this might be is fine. Grab your iPhone or smartphone and do a quick scan of your email for anything important or urgent. Respond to those very urgent emails right away. You will know what they are when you see them.
2. Clean out garbage email – Get out of bed, get yourself some coffee, breakfast, whatever you need to get going. Sit down and open your laptop, clean out all the garbage email you received overnight. Even with spam control all our inboxes get filled with crap. Get rid of it now so you only have real messages to deal with.
3. Review all new Twitter followers – Twitter will send you a email for every new follower you receive. Do a five second scan of those new followers. No profile picture, no website link, no profile description, nobody follows them; delete the email and go on to the next one. If they have these items go check their profile in Twitter. Do a quick three second scan of their tweets, if it interests you follow them back. If they are clearly a music fan, a fan of your band, a fan of your style of music, a fan of similar bands… follow them back and send them a quick Direct Message thanking them for following you. Do this for everyone who is following you.
Do you or your band have a daily online routine? You better. At the speed this world moves you can’t afford to miss even one day of what is happening. Your competition is not sitting still, so you better be out there. But as a band you have to find a balance that is not going to hinder your ability to be a band. You need to write, rehearse, record, perform… if you don’t do any of those things, being online won’t mean much.
So I thought I would take a look at my daily online routine and maybe you can apply to it your routine.
1. Quick Email Scan – When you wakeup, you’re a band, so whatever time of the day this might be is fine. Grab your iPhone or smartphone and do a quick scan of your email for anything important or urgent. Respond to those very urgent emails right away. You will know what they are when you see them.
2. Clean out garbage email – Get out of bed, get yourself some coffee, breakfast, whatever you need to get going. Sit down and open your laptop, clean out all the garbage email you received overnight. Even with spam control all our inboxes get filled with crap. Get rid of it now so you only have real messages to deal with.
3. Review all new Twitter followers – Twitter will send you a email for every new follower you receive. Do a five second scan of those new followers. No profile picture, no website link, no profile description, nobody follows them; delete the email and go on to the next one. If they have these items go check their profile in Twitter. Do a quick three second scan of their tweets, if it interests you follow them back. If they are clearly a music fan, a fan of your band, a fan of your style of music, a fan of similar bands… follow them back and send them a quick Direct Message thanking them for following you. Do this for everyone who is following you.
Friday, 21 January 2011
10 Ways to Trade a Song for an Email Address
By: Brian Hazard. Original post from Music Think Tank / Passive Promotion
I measure my success as a recording artist by the growth of my mailing list. The best way to get someone to subscribe is to offer something in return, and a great song is a powerful incentive. Here are ten techniques to negotiate that delicate exchange:
1. The classic squeeze page. You’ve probably stumbled onto one of these before: a fine-tuned infomercial-style pitch with a clear call to action and no exit links. The sole goal of the site, often just a single page, is to generate conversions. In our case, a conversion means “squeezing” an email address out of a potential fan. Seamus Anthony describes the method here and demonstrates it using his own music here. It may do the trick for first-time visitors, but returning fans have no clear path to explore the rest of your content.
2. The homepage squeeze. Identical to the classic squeeze page, except for a small link that takes you to the rest of the site. Returning fans are forced to opt out every visit - an annoying speed bump. Then again, if the free song is rotated often enough, it may encourage repeat visits. Theoretically, a site could use cookies to bypass the squeeze page for return visitors, but I don’t know of any service or WordPress plugin that does it.
3. The “free mp3 download” page. This is my current strategy, but there’s definitely room for improvement. An SEO friendly “yourbandname.com/free-mp3-download” URL and clever use of keywords can pull in traffic from Google searchers trying to freeload your music. While a simple “free mp3s” link in your site’s navigation isn’t distracting for repeat visitors, it’s easy to overlook. Still, I’m not going to force my fans to jump through hoops every time they want to post a comment.
I measure my success as a recording artist by the growth of my mailing list. The best way to get someone to subscribe is to offer something in return, and a great song is a powerful incentive. Here are ten techniques to negotiate that delicate exchange:
1. The classic squeeze page. You’ve probably stumbled onto one of these before: a fine-tuned infomercial-style pitch with a clear call to action and no exit links. The sole goal of the site, often just a single page, is to generate conversions. In our case, a conversion means “squeezing” an email address out of a potential fan. Seamus Anthony describes the method here and demonstrates it using his own music here. It may do the trick for first-time visitors, but returning fans have no clear path to explore the rest of your content.
2. The homepage squeeze. Identical to the classic squeeze page, except for a small link that takes you to the rest of the site. Returning fans are forced to opt out every visit - an annoying speed bump. Then again, if the free song is rotated often enough, it may encourage repeat visits. Theoretically, a site could use cookies to bypass the squeeze page for return visitors, but I don’t know of any service or WordPress plugin that does it.
3. The “free mp3 download” page. This is my current strategy, but there’s definitely room for improvement. An SEO friendly “yourbandname.com/free-mp3-download” URL and clever use of keywords can pull in traffic from Google searchers trying to freeload your music. While a simple “free mp3s” link in your site’s navigation isn’t distracting for repeat visitors, it’s easy to overlook. Still, I’m not going to force my fans to jump through hoops every time they want to post a comment.
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