In this article, ADAM 4 Artists tackles actions musicians can take to reach one million streams without selling a kidney.
As a musician, the ultimate goal is to share your music with the world and gain recognition. In today's digital age, music promotion is easier than ever before. There are numerous ways to promote music for free (or very inexpensively), and with the right tactics, patience and strategy artists can take a song from zero to one million streams.
Here are ten specific bullet-pointed actions to help you achieve this goal:
Use social media platforms: Social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram are great tools to promote your music. You can use these platforms to post teasers of your music, updates on upcoming shows or releases, and gain & engage with your fans. For instance, you can share behind-the-scenes footage of your recording process, or interact with fans by asking them to suggest titles & topic for your next song.
Leverage alternate music streaming services: Platforms like Twitch and SoundCloud are a great way to promote your music for free. By creating an account on these platforms, you can upload your music, create playlists, and share your music with fans worldwide. In fact, Gen Z counts SoundCloud as one of its main sources of music discovery. You can also submit your music to popular Spotify playlists, which can increase your visibility and attract new fans.
Collaborate with other artists: Collaborating with other artists is a great way to reach new audiences and promote your music. You can work with other musicians on a new track, or collaborate with a visual artist to create a music video. For instance, you could work with a local filmmaker to produce a music video for your latest single and then promote it through social media.
Utilize music blogs and websites: Music blogs and websites are always on the lookout for fresh content to share with their readers. You can submit your music to these sites for a chance to get featured. Make sure to research the blogs and websites that cover your genre of music and submit your music accordingly.
Attend local events: Attending local events and networking with other musicians and music industry professionals can help you gain exposure and connect with potential fans. You can perform at local open mic nights, participate in music festivals or attend music conferences.
Offer free downloads: Creating or joining a music focused website and then offering free downloads of your music is a great way to attract new fans and build a following. You can use platforms like Bandcamp to offer free downloads of your music. This can also help you collect email addresses and build a fan base that you can reach out to in the future.
Host giveaways: Hosting giveaways is another way to engage with your fans and promote your music. You can offer merchandise, concert tickets or exclusive content to your fans in exchange for sharing your music on social media or signing up for your mailing list.
Use email marketing: Email marketing is an effective way to stay in touch with your fans and promote your music. You can collect email addresses through your website or social media pages and send regular newsletters to keep your fans up to date on your latest releases, upcoming shows, and other news.
Utilize YouTube: YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, making it a powerful tool for promoting your music. You can create music videos or lyric videos for your songs and upload them to YouTube. Make sure to optimize your videos for search engines by using relevant keywords and tags.
Partner with brands: Partnering with brands can help you reach new audiences and promote your music. You can work with clothing brands, beverage companies, or lifestyle brands that align with your music and style. For instance, you could partner with a local brewery and perform at their events in exchange for promotion on their social media pages.
In conclusion, promoting your music for free is possible, but it requires time, effort and a solid strategy. By utilizing social media platforms, music streaming services, collaborating with other artists and more; artists can acquire a large fanbase and potentially gain a large number of streams before they spend significant sums of money on marketing and promotion. On the other hand, there are funding platforms that the artist can explore to help cover the investments associated with pushing their music.