MySpace and its ilk act as a one-stop band advert where one can upload anything desired: photos, songs, video, text and more. One should limit himself to two or three social networks though – he doesn’t want to spread himself too thinly. As good as MySpace and its mates are, having their own website too looks more professional. Websites are cheap to host and easy to build so there are no excuses. It should be remembered to be updated it as often as the social network profile though. It should be ensured that regular updates and news stories are posted. New photos are added frequently and generally the profile should be kept looking busy. That way one will be seen as a serious, enthusiastic, up-and-coming act. Regular profile/website updates will also keep things interesting for returning fans. An artist biog should be concise, informative and interesting. People don’t want to know that the band was formed “in the first year of university by songwriter Joe Bloggs and producer John Smith” – cut out the background and write something that’s a bit different. Top-notch imagery is crucial if desiring to be noticed online. One must try to present a uniform ‘look’ that fits with the music.
There are plenty of aspiring photographers about who will be willing to take press or live photos and/ or the band for little or no money. They should be taken advantage of. If being an independent act, the goal should be to get the music heard as much as possible. One should be aware that people are much more inclined to listen if he offers the occasional track for free. If it is decided not to give away the music then at least the streaming full-length versions of your tracks should be offered rather than short clips. Networking with other artists and bands by keeping in regular contact and giving feedback on their music means one is likely to find gig partners and be asked to play support slots. Musicians are also generally more interested as fans when it comes to independent music. Replying to mails and friend requests can sometimes be a chore but one must try to avoid blanket “thanks for the add” messages. If things are kept personal one is far more likely to be remembered and if the audience likes him, they’ll be predisposed to like his music.
While it’s important to keep in touch with fans, repeated spam is annoying, so it is pretty important to reserve mass messaging for special events. It’s far more effective to tailor the messages and gig invites to individuals or small groups of people – there’s no point telling someone from Land’s End that one’s gigging in Dundee. It can be tempting to add every person coming across, but when it comes to MySpace, high profile views is what makes everyone look good and not the friend count. It should be ensured to add only valuable friends who will like the music and visit the profile. The sad truth is that the quality of the music won’t always be enough to get one noticed. One must try doing a blog, a quiz, a gimmick – anything that will make his website or profile a bit different and interesting.
