5 music marketing trends to get you noticed in 2020
5 music marketing trends to get you noticed in 2020
The music industry faces so many changes in trends year-to-year. Try to remember how you accessed music back when you were a child. If you wanted to hear your favorite songs and artists, you would have to go to a record store that sold vinyl, tapes, or CDs (depending on your age) and pay at least $10 for just a few songs. Fast forward to today, as we are just weeks away from 2020, and you can pay $10 per month to a streaming service and hear all the music you want. The music industry didn’t change overnight, but each year there are new trends that are constantly shaping the music industry.
If you look at all the latest trends, the most important ones happen behind the scenes. Consider how that artist that no one knew about last year was on this year’s top music charts. It’s very unlikely fans just discovered this person overnight. Artists have to market themselves. Here are some of the strategies you can use to get discovered in 2020.
1.) Stand out from the crowd and find a niche
When it comes to promoting music, an obvious goal is to be reviewed by a music publication or played on the radio. If you can get on the radio, that’s great. But have you ever considered what happens when you do what everyone else is doing? You know for a fact that you’re not the only one trying to have your music played on the radio or have it be reviewed by a major publication. In fact, given that it’s incredibly difficult, this is perhaps one of the worst ways to market your music and should not be your sole aim. Here’s why.
Consider what it is like performing at a concert with hundreds, or thousands of attendees. All these fans are waving their hands trying to get noticed by the performer. Everyone is trying to get the artist’s attention, but from the stage, they all look the same. When you do what the rest of the artists are doing – rushing to get onto the radio, you become just another artist and it’s unlikely that your songs will stand out enough to achieve radio play.
Rather than focusing on the media, focus on your audience. Think about where your audience is and how you can target them. One way to do this for example, is through social media. The great thing about social media is you can easily identify a niche group, find and then target them. If your target audience begins to share your music via social media, you’ll be much more successful when it comes to getting noticed by more general audiences (such as on the radio).
2.) Utilize popular programs
Gone are the days where people listened to CDs and tapes. In fact, new cars don’t even have CD players, and cars are where people listen to music the most. Additionally, almost everyone uses their smartphone to play music. If you haven’t created an account with popular music app such as Spotify and SoundCloud, you’re already behind. When you use Spotify, all you have to do is create a login for artists and upload the music you want to submit. When you upload songs, be sure to fill out as much information as you can. The great thing about Spotify and other music programs is you can share the link to your profile. Combine these programs with social media networks and you are on your way to getting noticed.
3.) Play anywhere you can
If you think live music is dead, think again. Playing your music live for people to hear is an opportunity for you to get noticed. Tons of restaurants, bars and breweries love live music because it creates a certain ambiance. If a venue is willing to pay you, that is great, but if not, that’s great too! It’s your chance to get out there and build relationships with your listeners. Everyone has got to start somewhere. It might not be a performance at the top music festivals with thousands of people but you are well on your way by starting small. Taylor Swift for example, is one of the most well known artists of the generation and she got noticed by playing at every venue she could! Fast forward years later and she is consistently top of the charts!
4.) Get featured in blogs
Back in the day, it was huge to be featured in a magazine or newspaper. While it still is, if we’re being honest, when was the last time you purchased a magazine? As sad as we are to see print media go, artists have a great new opportunity with blogs. Blogs are an incredibly easy and affordable way to spread awareness about your music and if done correctly, it can get you noticed by the right people.
When you’re featured in a blog, your audience assumes your music is worth talking about, which will stir up some curiosity and interest. Start searching around for bloggers that would be interested in your music. Take a look at their audience and determine whether or not their audience is the right size and target for you. Then pitch that blog about why a guest article about you would provide value and interest to their readers. Once you’re shared, you’ll have some sort of social proof that you’re a legitimate artist as well.
5.) Master your social media
Social media is a must-have, but having social media accounts is not enough. Building a strong identity is vital for success. Brand identity is the same for marketing in all industries. For example, think of the biggest fast food chains out there. The voice and imagery they use for TV ads is similar to what they use for social media. Although music is a completely different industry than fast food, the rules for branding remain the same. The most important rule for creating a strong brand identity is to remain consistent. If your tone and content is constantly changing, it becomes hard to identify your name. When it comes to social media, be sure to maintain the same voice across all channels. Don’t be one person on Facebook and a completely different person on Instagram. When it comes to creating your name and URL keep it the same. By having the same name on all different channels, you’ll be easier for people to find.
Want to enhance your marketing in 2020 to get your music out there? Let Mirada Media help you! Artists and music businesses use Mirada Media One Sheet Creator to streamline their marketing efforts to promote artist brands and grow their audiences. Try the free trial to get started!