GIVING AWAY GAME: How to Market Yourself As An Artist

Whether you are starting as a musician while in quarantine, or just found the time to really start honing your skills, marketing yourself as an artist is the most important thing you can do if you want to make it big. Don’t be discouraged if you’re still under strict lockdown—you can always market yourself, even if COVID-19 threw a wrench in your plans!

What You Can Do In Quarantine

Determine your target market

Who are your fans? Are they teenagers, mostly male, and in your area? How did they discover your music? Once you answer all these questions, you can develop a targeted and specific marketing strategy that will allow you to reach people that you can be certain will like your music.

Create a unique brand

Brand consistency is crucial, as listeners can be put off by someone creating contradictory posts or music. It is imperative that you develop your “voice”—not your singing voice, per se, but your online persona. Are you light-hearted, serious, or sarcastic? Do you constantly use proper grammar and punctuation in your status updates, or are you comfortable using slang? Whatever you choose, again, remember to stay consistent across all your social media platforms.

Take advantage of social media

For countless musicians, Instagram is optimal for garnering attention. If you’re trying to

make it big through Instagram, here are some things to keep in mind:

● Nothing is more important than easy access to your music. If someone comes

across your Instagram page, and doesn’t see a way to listen to your music directly, they

won’t go out of their way to listen to you. It’s best if you show off your music in accessible

ways: have story highlights dedicated to snippets of songs, and put a link to your

Bandcamp, Spotify, etc. directly in your bio.

● Be personable. Always try to respond to comments and Direct Messages—your

followers will feel more connected to you and your music if they feel they have a

relationship with you.

● Don’t forget the power of your existing fanbase. People’s devotion to emerging

artists is typically high. Take advantage of what visibility you already have!

What You Can Do After Quarantine

Cold-call concert venues

Ask local concert venues or bars what it’s like to host a gig there, or if they have any open

nights that still need an act. Don’t get discouraged if they say no—although this may be a long and arduous process, they may call you up a few months later when they have an open night.

Hang up flyers in local businesses

Ask coffeeshops, bars, bookstores, and other places if you can hang up promotional flyers.

Make sure that the people that frequent these places are people that would actually listen to and enjoy your music; for example, if you’re an aspiring rapper, it would be a waste of resources to hang up your flyer in a country-themed bar.

Make business cards

Make business cards, and keep them on you at all times. Have a succinct and effective

“elevator pitch” prepared for if anyone asks you what kind of music you make. You never know who you could run into, whether at someone else’s show, or your own!

Get to know other musicians in your area

Whether you are in the same genre or not, local musicians often share the same pool of

resources. It is best to have local artists on your side, so if they meet someone that can help

you (or vice versa!), you don’t miss an opportunity. They may even be willing to help you out on a track, or even perform with you!

Don’t let COVID-19 destroy your dream of becoming a successful artist. Make good music,

market yourself effectively, and work hard, and anything can happen!

Subscribe to our website and get a chance at our Music Marketing e-book releasing later this month!