Promoting Your Music: The Top 9 Best Promotion Tips for Indie Artists

Posted by Impact Artist Promotions, LLC on Friday, March 22, 2024

As an indie artist, you know that promoting your music can be a challenge. You don’t have the big budget of a major label, so you have to be creative in how you get your music out there. The good news is, there are many ways you can promote your music without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ll give you 9 tips on how to promote your music effectively. From using social media to submitting your music to blogs and podcasts, we’ll show you how to get your music out there and reach new fans.

Use social media

Social media is a great way to connect with your fans and get your music out there. It’s also free to use, which is a big plus if you’re on a tight budget. It’s a great way to build your audience and connect with new fans. Some of the best social media sites to promote your music are Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also try using platforms like TikTok, which is popular in Asia. When promoting your music on social media, make sure you’re using the right hashtags. You can find out which hashtags are most appropriate for your music by using a tool like Tweriod or Buzzsumo. These will tell you which hashtags get the most engagement, and which is the best way to get your music in front of new fans.

Create an electronic press kit

An electronic press kit is a great way to get your music into the hands of journalists, music blogs, club owners, and promoters. It’s also a great way to stand out from other artists and make your music promotion process a bit easier. You can create a simple press kit by collecting a few images of you and your band along with a short bio and music files, social media links, video links, press articles, and more.

A quality electronic press kit will allow you to quickly create an online presence that is professional and has everything that radio, clubs, promoters, and fans are looking for. The real beauty of an electronic press kit over a printed press kit is that the best electronic press kit always allows you to keep your information up to date live-time. Printed press kits are only accurate the day they are printed (and hopefully there were no typos). Even when you are on the road or at a gig, you can log in to your electronic press kit and update pertinent information, upload new photos from the event, or link a live video that you just recorded!

Sending an electronic press kit like myPPK™ - Power Press Kits™ is as easy as including the link in a personal email, text message, direct message, etc. Always include a personal note to the individual letting them know that your Power Press Kit has everything that they need including contact information, links to website and/or social media, past press articles, photos, videos, documents including hi-res headshot images, stage layout, tour rider requirements, schedule, and more. Also, of course, it includes your music for streaming or download if you choose. A Power Press Kit also provides the option of a Private Screening Room login page where you can set a unique password so that only the person or people you send the link to will be able to view your press kit and listen to / download your music. A Power Press Kit can also double as your official website, saving you money and time in updating multiple sites.

Submit your music to blogs and podcasts

Blogs and podcasts are great places to submit your music. Not only are they a good way to get your music heard, but they’re also a good way to get some editorial content for your website. Be sure to pick the right blogs and podcasts that are a good fit for your music. You can use a site like the Feed to find blogs and podcasts that accept music submissions. Once you’ve picked a few, reach out to the host and let them know about your music. Some blogs and podcasts will ask you to guest post or send in a track premiere. Others will just ask that you drop them a link to your music so they can play it on their show. If you can guest post or send in a track premiere, it’s a good idea to spend a few minutes writing a short post about your music. This will give a better impression to the host and will make your submission more appealing.

Perform at open mics and showcases

Hosting or attending open mics and showcases is a great way to meet other musicians and build a following in your local scene. You can also use these events to get your music out there and get fans engaging with your music. Open mics and showcases are a great place to find new fans and network with other musicians. Be sure to bring plenty of copies of your EP or single with you and try to get them into the hands of other musicians. You can also try handing them out to fans who are in the crowd. In the past, you would hand out burnt CDs. That was the past. A great unique idea is to print business cards with a QR code that loads your electronic press kit onto the user’s device! Place the cards on all of the tables in the room in advance of your performance and/or make a stack available beside your tip jar and mailing list signup sheet.

When performing at an open mic, be sure to connect with the host and introduce yourself before you start playing. Also, be sure to stay engaged with the crowd and try to get them to connect with your music. You might want to try writing some short lyrics on a notecard that you can hold up when you’re on stage so that people can connect with your music more. It’s also important to mix popular cover songs into your set that are similar to your style of music. Too many times independent artists are stubborn and insist on only performing their originals. Performing similar cover songs and adding your unique twist draws new listeners in and ultimately makes them pay more attention to and embrace your originals.

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Send your music to radio stations

You don’t have to be a huge artist to get your music played on the radio. You can send your music to select radio stations to get it heard by a wider audience. Be sure to look up local radio stations and see which ones play independent music. Many college radio stations will play your music as well. You can use a site like Radio Finder to find nearby radio stations. Also, seek out internet radio stations including those overseas. Our vast world is connected by the internet and many overseas cultures crave the music from your country. You should avoid emailing music files as attachments. Many email services will block them or send them to spam if not refuse them altogether due to excessive file size. Emailing or messaging radio stations the link to your electronic press kit where they can easily download your music and have all of your pertinent information at their fingertips is the best practice. When promoting your music to local radio stations, be sure to tailor your message to each station. Avoid generic copy-and-paste or mass-mail methods that lack personal sincerity. Work to establish genuine relationships built on kindness and respect.

Make use of online tools

There are many online tools that you can use to promote your music for free. These tools are a great way to boost your online presence and get your music out there. Some of the best online tools for promoting your music are SoundCloud, MixCloud, YouTube, and Power Press Kits. You can also try using tools like Hootsuite, PostPlanner , and Sprout to schedule your social posts and track your analytics. When using online tools, be sure to engage with your fans and Interact with them on social media. You can also try to start some online discussions and find ways to engage with your followers. For example, you can host a poll or ask your fans to reply to a certain question in the comments.

Collaborate with other artists

Collaborating with other artists is a great way to build relationships with other musicians. It can also be a great way to promote your music, especially if you collaborate with a bigger artist. You can find other artists through social media or by using a website like SoundBetter. You can also try reaching out to artists you admire and see if they’d be willing to collaborate with you. Be sure to be polite and professional when reaching out to musicians. Let them know that you admire their work and ask if they’d be interested in collaborating. When promoting your music through collaborations, be sure to include your song in the collaboration track. You can also try to get your name out there by wearing branded merchandise when you’re on stage with the other artists. Collaborations are a great way to get your music in front of a new audience and make new connections.

Offer freebies

Giving away a freebie is a great way to make a connection with your fans and get them engaging with your music. You can offer a free download of one of your songs, or you can create a mini-EP or album that you give away for free. You can also try giving away merch, tickets to your show, or even a handwritten letter to your fans. Once you’ve given your fans a freebie, be sure to ask them to leave a review on your music or share it with their friends. This will help your music get more exposure and push it up the charts. Giving away a freebie can be a bit risky, but it can help you to get some new fans if you do it right. Be sure to include a note letting your fans know that they’re getting a free download and be sure to ask them to leave you a review when they’re done with the download. You can use a site like User Review to collect reviews from your fans. Always make sure that you are collecting their email address to add to your mailing list.

Stay consistent

When promoting your music, it’s important to stay consistent. You can’t just promote your music once and forget about it. If you want your music to get noticed, you have to keep promoting it. You can do this by creating content on a consistent basis. You can create a mix, blog posts, a podcast, or even a YouTube series. You can also try to engage with your fans as much as possible and try to get them engaged with your music. Being consistent will help you to build a following and get your music out there.

Most importantly have fun! Stay creative and enjoy this life that you've been given by expressing it to the world through your music, and Promote with Passion!

Categories: Independent Musicians | Electronic Press Kits

Tagged: Independent Music, Electronic Press Kits, Music Promotion