Promoting online

[dirtyp]

What do you guys think the best way to promote online is?

I have like 20 myspace ,soundclick, etc places and whenever I make a new song I promote it on a bunch of forums. My page hits usualy double for 2-5 days after then its back to normal. But I end up selling close to nothing maybe for every 500-600 hits Ill sell a song.

Just walking around with a cd in hand I can sell 1 for every 10 people I ask, so thats the most effective way I found. Just want to know if its the same for you. I think sometimes there selling songs and not paying me.
Should I just abandon online sales?

 

[danny.guitar]

If the music's good enough then people will buy it. I wouldn't say ditch the online market, but if you are more successful with selling CDs to people in person then focus on that.

Give some to friends to give out too.

 

[mjr]

If the music's good enough then people will buy it. I wouldn't say ditch the online market, but if you are more successful with selling CDs to people in person then focus on that.

Give some to friends to give out too.

Another idea is to create a signature file that you use in all of your message board posts and music-related emails.

Something like:

DirtyP
(put a little saying about your music here, example: <music type> by DirtyP, <music type> to expand your mind...[or whatever]).
(put a couple of links to where to get your music here)

Also, you might want to check out www.musicbizacademy.com for some good articles on how to promote via the web.

 

[DavidK]

If the music's good enough then people will buy it..

I strongly disagree. Lots of killa CDs go unnoticed while pure crap sells because it was pushed down peoples throat. Advertising and marketing is EVERYTHING. Case in point:

The worst song EVER recorded was "London Bridge" by Fergie. It wasnt even a song. It was beyond horrible. And yet it sold because it was literally pushed down people's throats. It was on the front of every Itunes, Amazon, etc site, it was on every tv show. People bought it because they thought they were supposed to, the media made them think it was good. It wont sell NOW, because its beyond horrible and will have no staying power. 100% of sales were from marketing and 0% were from the music. It wasnt even music, it wasnt even rap. It was talking.

I have like 20 myspace ,soundclick, etc places and whenever I make a new song I promote it on a bunch of forums. My page hits usualy double for 2-5 days after then its back to normal. But I end up selling close to nothing maybe for every 500-600 hits Ill sell a song.

95% of people on myspace want something. THey want a date, a friend, or they want YOU to buy their crap CD. One out of 500 sounds about right. The people selling are probably reaching 10s of thousands. Its a lotta work, too much work for me. I dont have the time, which is unfortunate. I suppose hiring a PR firm might work if you had a few grand to blow.

 

[dirtyp]

Almost all the music thats on radio is garbage fergie had a few hits they all were corny come on love me long time my girlfriend wouldnt write that.

I didnt mean complely abandon the online thing, just focus more of my time person to person.

I dont expect to sell much thru myspace cuz its more of a dating site but soundclick, musicforte, Isounds, are made for that and everyone I talked to says the same thing about them.

I havent tried any pay sites like cdbaby cuz I thought they would be the same, Anyways I wanted to know how you go about promoting your music.
Like I said I had the most succes with forums and face to face.

 

[DavidK]

I havent tried any pay sites like cdbaby cuz I thought they would be the same, Anyways I wanted to know how you go about promoting your music.
Like I said I had the most succes with forums and face to face.

Well, I am a signed to an indie label that does mainly classical. My CD is kinda classical-fusion-new agey. They sent it to 200 classical radio stations. Some played it, a lot didnt. Some podcasts picked it up. I have a myspace, etc.

I have given some out, maybe 50. Word of mouth hopefully works or will work. I cannot perform live. Ummm, I cant play THIS CD live, I perform with the symphony and opera for a living, 200 shows a year. The label is not happy that I am not playing this fusion stuff live but I do not have the equipment, the dates or the interest.

 

[Mindset]

Almost all the music thats on radio is garbage fergie had a few hits they all were corny come on love me long time my girlfriend wouldnt write that.

I didnt mean complely abandon the online thing, just focus more of my time person to person.

I dont expect to sell much thru myspace cuz its more of a dating site but soundclick, musicforte, Isounds, are made for that and everyone I talked to says the same thing about them.

I havent tried any pay sites like cdbaby cuz I thought they would be the same, Anyways I wanted to know how you go about promoting your music.
Like I said I had the most succes with forums and face to face.

For one, you should be focusing more on the street before online promotions anyways. A lot of people make the mistake of promoting only online.

I usually print out a few thousand posters, flyers, and a few thousand CD's, and those are the ones I run around the street with a street team selling. Then I'll also manufacture 5-10K worth of CD's, and those end up in regional stores, and online stores, and sent out to stations. Don't drop either or. The best bet for you is to utilize both online & offline marketing schemes. Have someone you know market online for you while your out there hustling, or vis versa, or dedicate a section of your day to face to face, and another online. Online you can more leave alone than you can face to face. Personally I also advertise on my car, which I believe is one of the most effective ways of advertising on the streets. Every minute I'm on the road is someone seeing the words Mindset Entertainment. Every post I do on here, has a signature saying the same things. When I walk around and have my shirt/pants/hat on, they read Mindset Entertainment.

 

[Nate74]

Advertising and marketing is EVERYTHING.

I have to strongly agree with my left-leaning friend on this one. I'm guessing that when you say you walk around with a CD in your hand, you mean at a live show where you're performing. Isn't that really just another form of advertising? And it's to a better target audience. If they're in a club listening to a band, they've already not only expressed an interest in music, but they've shown a willingness to act on that interest (by paying a cover, leaving the house, etc.).

I have wonder about places like Myspace though. My last band had like 2000 friends and i'd say 1950 of them were other bands trying to do the same thing with their myspace page as we were. The other 50 were crazy hot chicks selling naughty stuff...

So yes Advertising and Marketing is everything, but the key to marketing is the research side. Find the right audience, THEN advertise/promote the crap out of yourself.