Now is the best time in history to be a music fan. The era we live in is the first where music is available everywhere, all the time, for only a few bucks a month. You can use YouTube and enjoy millions of songs for free and artists STILL get paid. It’s incredible.
Despite the rise of streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, digital piracy has continued to be a thorn in the side of the entertainment industry. The amount of media pirated in 2016 was double the amount stolen in 2008, and it is expected to double again by 2020.
The majority of albums that leak ahead of their release date find their way online due to careless promotional tactics on the part of the artist or their team. Dozens, possibly even hundreds of copies of a record are shared with members of the press, radio, and industry at large before an album is released to the public. Somewhere along the line the album reaches someone who decides to share it with a third party, and that is all it takes for countless sales and streams to be lost forever.
In an age where artists can make money for every stream of their music across countless platforms there is no reason to risk the loss of a single penny to piracy. Protect your music and easily share it with the industry at large by joining Haulix today.
Haulix is a digital distribution platform built specifically to enable the advance promotion of new and unreleased music without the fear of piracy. Their platform makes it incredibly easy to upload, watermark, distribute, and track your new release.
Within a matter of minutes you can be sharing your music with fully customizable emails and promotional pages without having to worry whether or not someone will choose to leak your material online. You can try Haulix for free for the next 30 days by visiting their official website and choosing the subscription that best fits your needs.
The following article was created with assistance from the fine men of Whosah. If you don’t know about this amazing group and the unforgettable music they create, follow this link and get familiar before you’re caught looking like a fool.
Let’s face it- everybody who has run sound or a musician has at least a small handful of shameful war stories about how the other side has totally blown it at a gig:
“The sound guy didn’t know what he was doing and the mix sounded terrible.”
“The frontman cupped his hands around the mic and kept pointing it into the monitor.”
etc. etc etc.
The reality is, the relationship between the venue or headliner’s audio crew and the bands involved is the most important relationship in putting on a great show. You need each other. It doesn’t matter how well prepared the band is to perform, if they aren’t working well with the sound crew, the vision of the performance won’t translate to the audience with nearly the impact it could if the sound person and stage techs are completely on board with that vision.
Always assume you’re talking to someone who’s smarter than you- who’s a person who might surprise you when you get to know them.
I’ve stage-handed for 17,000+ attendee festivals, been the A1 at convention centers, and designed and installed AV systems in small Universities- but when I walk into a venue with skinny jeans and drum set, nobody I talk to knows what my background is. Conversely, how can I walk into a venue and assume to know the background (or lack thereof) of the guy standing across from me who’s running sound or stage teching that night? There have been times when after the show, I find out the guy mixing used to work for Journey, Steely Dan, or Prince. The stagehand could have just come off a tour with All Time Low or Hey Violet and be working this show as a favor for a friend. You never know what someone’s contacts are, and you never know what their chops are like until you actually interact with them. In this case as in any, always assume the best in the people around you.
Be friendly and personable.
Now, I can tell by their demeanor that many of these guys have been treated like crap over the years, but if I avoid the pitfall of being the stereotypical arrogant, diva musician, I may be surprised at the wealth of resource in front of me. I might even make a friend. Memorize their first name and use it regularly when speaking with them. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes that friend I make at the soundboard references me to a local band who just sold the place out last night or gives me the contact of a promoter who puts us on a sweet show next time we’re in town.
More than that, it’s just generally a sad and disappointing reality that many bands are disrespectful or dismissive of sound crew. I’ve met some of my closest friends through this industry- as a general trend sound guys are some of the most selfless, generous, and authentic dudes and ladies out there. If you lead with a friendly handshake and a smile, you might be surprised by the connection you inadvertently make.
Be accurate and specific in your rider.
You’ll make a bad impression early on if you don’t pass along your tech information or if you walk into the venue and the first thing you say is, “oh yea, that email was wrong. We actually also have….” Not only does this make the sound guy roll his eyes and probably not like you, but it will also take you twice as long to set up for your soundcheck and will have you playing catch up the rest of the night before doors. Not fun. Much better to plan ahead with specific information so that everyone’s on the same page. Make sure your technical rider is crisp, clear, as simple as possible, and up to date.
Leverage your gear so that processes are streamlined. The time it takes you to load onto stage and be ready for soundcheck should take no more than 5-8 minutes.
I’m a little bit of a fanatic on this. In order to avoid any need for a monitor guy and to significantly reduce stage volume, I built my band a custom in-ear-monitor rack controlled by everyone’s iPhones. This system contains 5 wireless in ear systems, a digital mixer, and a splitter for all the channels going to front of house for every show. Regardless of venue or stage size, this setup is pre-configured and tested fully at rehearsal. It has labels on everything, and has repeatable steps for assembly each time we set it up. Each person in the band has a rough aspect of this system he is primarily responsible for, but everyone is at least vaguely aware of how it all goes together so that during setup time we’re always ready to help each other out if one part needs more time than another.
Now, I recognize that not all bands are equipped financially or tech-minded to be able to have a system this robust, but the principles still apply to any band. Label all your equipment. Have general responsibilities on stage for who sets up what. Have labels (color coded if possible) for all your cables and other common equipment so you can quickly glance at a pile of gear and know which one is yours. Preset as much of each member’s equipment as possible off-stage before your allotted setup time, so that when it’s your turn, all you’ll need to do is lift your rig onstage in 1-2 trips and patch into the system.
There’s are several huge wins you’ll earn for your band if you take on this mentality. First, it’s never a bad thing to be thought of as “easy to work with”. For sidemen and sound dudes, this is the best way to earn a positive regional rep. Second, it makes you an easy book as support for a big show- if they know you aren’t a lot of work and you have a professional changeover time, you’re more likely to be asked back. Third, being a quick setup means you’ll have more time at the show to interact with your fans and meet new people, which is still the number 1 way bands build a following. The faster and simpler your setup is, the more time you’ll have for this critical face-to-face interaction.
Always be explicitly thankful and grateful.
Not only is this just a good rule of thumb for how to do life, but it is a simple, unassuming way you can breathe life into the day of the guy running sound. It’s one of the most thankless industries to work in, and one in which the people slave away on crazy hours for often very low pay. While these types of folks might typically come off as a little gruff and weathered, a simple, non threatening way to meaningfully “see” them is to just thank them explicitly and behaviorally throughout the gig. Truly, your fans experience of your show would not be even possible without them, and when human beings feel valued and appreciated, they always produce their best work.
The following post is a continuation of our ongoing content collaboration with the fine folks at SonicBids. If you ever need advice on the industry and cannot find it on our blog, try theirs. Seriously.
If you want to become a successful musician, the only way to achieve that goal is through regimented practice. It’s no easy feat – for most people who pick up an instrument the activity stays a hobby, or a dusty Stratocaster in the corner of a room. Undoubtedly, the biggest factor in this is whether you’re truly willing to put in the work to become a proficient musician, but knowing how to practice can lead you to better results faster.
Research has shown that developing a skill is nothing like cramming for an exam. It’s a capability that slowly blossoms to maturity through consistent use, like working out a muscle in your body. That means, despite what your spam folder may tell you, there’s no cheating your way to the top. This statement is true no matter what your specific goal is regarding your instrument. It may not be as straightforward as nailing a solo or achieving a certain level of proficiency; you may strive to be a more expressive musician or bring out a certain stylistic component of your playing.
No matter whether you’re practicing your sweep-picking or your skills at a digital audio workstation, your level of success will depend on the practice that you put into your skill, even more so than innate talent. By practicing efficiently and using tried-and-true methods, you can stack the odds in your favor to reach success in your field. Cultivate these practice habits exhibited by all successful musicians to play your best and achieve your goals.
1. Operate on a schedule
Charlie Parker saw the level he wanted to play at and famously practiced upwards of 12 hours a day to reach that level. Now, you don’t have to practice for that many hours a day, but you do need to apply the same kind of structure and discipline. To reach maximum potential, keep a structured schedule and stick to it. Successful musicians set their goals in stone and don’t quit until they’ve been reached.
2. Break goals into manageable chunks
The most effective way to achieve your goals is to break them down into small, manageable, actionable steps. Did you ever take piano lessons and receive stickers for each completed exercise until you completed the whole book, a feat that previously seemed impossible? Surprise! Your teacher was training you how to become a successful musician. Next time you decide to practice, don’t just wander. Set a path.
3. Warm up every time
This is an easy one! If you jump right into a grueling workout, it’s likely you could hit a snag and walk away frustrated. Every athlete has a warm-up, something to get not just their body, but also their mind, in the zone. They do it at the beginning of every practice, and you should, too!
4. Record yourself
No great musician ever shied from his or her shortcomings. Quite the opposite. These are the areas you patch up to become an air-tight, sight-reading, pitch-perfect, musicianship machine, and the best way to find these areas of imperfection is to record yourself playing. Your recordings will clearly lay out your progress so you can hear your every note as many times as you want. Recording yourself will not only show you your shortcomings, but you’ll be able to fully appreciate the fruits of your labor as you progress as a musician and your skills grow.
5. Sing your part
If you feel that your progress is becoming stagnant, an extremely useful technique is to put down your instrument and sing your part. This will remove any instrumental inhibition you may have and take you straight to the music. You’ll actually have to feel the pitches firsthand instead of just pushing through them. Plus, you’ll never know when you have to bust out those singing chops!
6. Switch up your techniques
Don’t waste your time on mediocre results, and don’t get completely stuck in dated methods. You’re a developing musician and your regime should develop with you. The biggest, most successful companies – even those that seemingly couldn’t operate any more efficiently – are constantly pouring resources into improving their processes. Lean on proven successors, but never become completely content. Periodically reevaluate your methods, and in doing so, you’ll continue to learn about yourself.
7. Keep a clear head
Above all else, the goal of practice is to improve a skill by addressing and correcting mistakes in an effective nature. Using the above techniques, you can lay out clear goals with methods tailored to your own skill set and give it your all. When you’re in the middle of a grueling practice session for a big performance, the most important thing in that moment can often be remembering to take a deep breath and remain calm. Once your have your path laid out, all that’s left is to keep a clear head and focus.
As explained by world famous cellist Yo Yo Ma, you’ll find that after you’ve taken care of all the logistics and organization, you’ll reach a higher level of focus than previously thought to be possible. This is the state where you achieve greatness – where successful musicians live. Great practice habits all aim to minimize interference, to drive your progress towards your goal on as straight a path as possible.
Don’t be afraid to set a big goal. Find the techniques that work best for you, work hard, and implement what may be the most important secret of them all… enjoy yourself!
Say what you will about how the age of streaming has decluttered the life of music fans by doing away with the need for physical releases, but ask someone to use those same services to learn the lyrics of their new favorite song and your question will be met with silence. Between Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Rdio, and Tidal there is not a single platform that allows users to follow along with a song by reading the track’s lyrics. Those wishing to do that music first open an internet browser, Google a few keywords, and then-9 times out of 10-they will find a non-artist owned site to read from. Any ad money generated from this activity goes to the owner of the site that posted the lyrics and not the artists who wrote the lyrics in the first place.
This was rarely the case when CDs were popular. People talk about holding the album in their hands and how the presence of a physical product gave more value to the fact money was being spent, but for me the best part of owning any record was pouring over the lyrics contained within the meticulously crafted booklet included with each album. When I bought a record and no words were within, I was upset. With enough spins you can learn the words to pretty much any song, but there is something far more meaningful about being able to read and understand them from the first or second listen. It frees the mind to focus more on the music as a whole, allowing listening the chance to properly experience each rise and fall as the artist intended, which in turn gives more meaning to the lyrics.
Regardless of how famous or unknown they may be, every artist should make it a point to post their lyrics online through a site or page they control. If not for the sake of controlling the conversation around your content online, then for the sake of fans new and old. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve discovered a promising new band online, only to become instantly discouraged when there was no place for me to read and decipher the content of their music. Fans want to be able to sing along with the songs they love, regardless of whether or not the words are easy to learn (I’m looking at you, Korean Migos), and when artists do not take the responsibility to educate fans about their art it either gets posted by a third party who then profits for no good reason, or it goes uncovered, as is the case for many smaller bands.
Platforms like Purevolume and Bandcamp offer the ability to add lyrics to streams. They understand that part of the music discovery experience is learning to sing along. They know that once someone finds an artist they feel a connection to they will immediately want to know everything they can about that talent, starting with the words behind the music. They want to see what it is about the words that connect with their life, or what it is about the hook that makes them feel inspired. When no lyrics are immediately available, there is a high risk of quick burnout from new new listeners. An artist’s music may be strong, but in an age as flooded with quality artist as today’s music market it requires a lot more than sheer talent to hold the attention the average music consumer. There needs to be a real emotional connection, and while that may begin with the music, it’s often sealed with the words themselves.
Start today. Don’t wait another minute. Chances are high if you’re an artist reading this now you already have some, if not all of your lyrics stored somewhere on your computer or mobile device. Log onto you numerous streaming accounts, as well as your personal website, and post those lyrics as soon as you are able. Afterwards, promote the presence of these lyrics and invite fans to learn the words before your next show. You can also use this approach for regional marketing, challenging various cities to sing along to singles louder than other cities, or simply encouraging a quick refresher of what’s in store before your big show. Whatever you do, get those lyrics online. Please.
We have written at length about Snapchat and the way its ability to instantaneously share messages that will self-destruct moments later can be leveraged by artists to grow their fan base, but like all good companies with a heart for music the social application is still finding new ways to help artists engage with their followers. Good on them.
This week, Snapchat unveiled plans to begin working with musicians from all walks of life to help expose their talent to the world through the platform’s recently-launched ‘Discovery’ effort. The first group to be featured is Goldroom, who will release four music videos on Snapchat, each made with the company’s involvement and shot in a way that takes advantage of how people hold their phones. This means the videos will not be shot like classic TV shows or movies using widescreen framing, but instead each clip will make use of vertical, or ‘portrait’ format. You know, like all those live videos on YouTube you hate to watch because you can only see 1/10 of what is going on.
If that name Goldroom rings a bell, it may be due to the fact Snapchat collaborated with the same band nearly two years ago in order to rollout the company’s ‘stories’ feature. Here’s a quick refresher:
The first clip for this campaign, “Embrace,” will be released next Tuesday, May 26, followed by another clip each day through Friday.
Josh Deutsch, CEO and co-founder of Downtown Records speaks highly of the partnership saying:
“Snapchat is a powerful content distribution platform and we are excited to partner and share these beautifully shot videos, designed mobile first, with fans around the world. As music discovery has become more fragmented, the Snap Channel takeover is an innovative way for us to introduce Goldroom to a young, engaged audience.”
The New York Timeswrote at length about Snapchat’s decision to dive into the world of music videos earlier this week, and in their article there is some discussion about what this move, as well as the launch of the company’s ‘discover’ tool back in January, may mean for the future of content consumption:
In January, Snapchat introduced its Discover feature, offering bite-size content from major media partners like Warner Music, Vice and ESPN. Peter Hamby, a CNN correspondent, announced last month that he wasjoining Snapchat in a journalistic capacity, and even the television star Sofía Vergara recently said she would do a reality show on the platform.
All of that, analysts say, suggests that Snapchat has landed on a formula that it believes can help media companies capture the attention of fickle young viewers.
“We’re living in a world where consumers feel they can get online content anytime, anyplace,” said Richard Greenfield, a media analyst at BTIG Research, “but what Snapchat has done is create urgency with content that only lasts 24 hours.”
Snapchat, based in Venice, Calif., has become one of the hottest technology companies, raising more than half a billion dollars and last valued by its investors at more than $15 billion.
We have been talking a lot at HQ about the decision to premiere videos via Snapchat, and I think the one question we all have is how exactly the company plans to scale this tool in a way that will have a meaningful impact. If everyone can upload a music video, then the platform will be just as crowded as ever. At the same time, if Snapchat only allows this features to be used by artists directly collaborating with the platform the question becomes whether or not the company will be open to all types of artists or only those that play well with their brand/image. An artist like Goldroom is buzzworthy enough to make the company seem like it cares about developing talent, but whether or not they will continue to work with mid-level artists remains to be seen.
Like anyone working in music today, we welcome any business that wants to put time, money, and effort into promoting great talent. That said, we also want to see the focus of those companies remain with developing acts, and so far Snapchat hasn’t been all that transparent with their plans moving forward. A tool like this could easily become something embraced by artists on the same level as 5 Seconds Of Summer or Nicki Minaj, but can we say the same about someone like The Wonder Years? Only time will tell.
Hello, everyone! I know we took a little time off yesterday without warning, but a close friend of the Haulix family passed away and we needed some time to mourn. Fortunately, many of our close friends in the industry reached out to help us continue our content creation efforts while we reflect on our recently deceased friend. The piece you’re about to read was created by Seth Werkheiser, and it offers insight that could help bands and artists of all sizes improve their digital marketing efforts.
This blog exists to promote the future of the entertainment industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your entertainment-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
I’ve talked to a handful of musicians and bands lately about the subject of “social media.” I usually steer the conversation towards email marketing, and explain how it converts better than the “social media flavor of the week.”
“But I don’t want to just email out our tour dates,” they usually say, explaining that they don’t like those emails.
There’s a simple solution: don’t be like the lazy bands who do just that.
Copying and pasting your tour dates into an email is very boring. An unpaid intern could do it. In their sleep.
Instead, try this: out of the 34 photos you posted to Instagram and Facebook during the course of your last few shows, or tours, pick a handful that “clicked well.” What dose that mean? That means the photos that got the most "likes,” or shares. Take those, and put a few of them into your next email.
Now, here’s the part where an unpaid intern can’t do what you do.
You write the back story. The location. Explain what happened. You lived it, bled it, slept in it. You drove all those hours, got sick, met an amazing character in a small town, hung out with coolest people.
Everyone loves a good story, and as a traveling musician you’ve got stories to tell, so stop “blasting” your tour dates every five minutes like every other hack band out there.
As Betabrand founder Chris Lindland says, “the assumption is that not everybody wants to shop every single time they get a newsletter.”
Think about that for a second: not everyone is ready buy tickets to your next show or watch your new music video (they might be watching Netflix at the moment). But if you tell a story about how cops nearly shut down your video shoot, you might distract them from ‘Orange is the New Black’ long enough to at least get a click!
For example, there’ a new video out from the Cancer Bats, for their song ‘Satellites.’ In the video they shoot fireworks at their drummer in a field the whole time.
Wait, they what?
How did they not get arrested shooting that video? Did anyone get burned? How much did they spend on fireworks? Who came up with that idea of shooting fireworks at their drummer?
Their YouTube description field? "SATELLITES!! Hope you like it!” Snooze.
So don’t do that with your own email newsletter. Get creative. Just because every other band out there sends a list of tour dates and nothing more doesn’t mean you have to do the same.
Share some photos, stories from the road, and then paste your tour dates at the bottom of the email. Heck, list the mileage between stops, or the tourist destination you’re planning on visiting. Ask your fans for suggestions on places to check out, the best food stops in town. Invite a few out for pre-show pizza.
These are the people who might may to come see you, right? Maybe buy a CD or shirt?
Remind your fans what you’re about, not just where you’ll be two months from now.
Seth Werkheiser is the quiz master of metal trivia at Skulltoaster. He’s also the founder of some music sites you may have heard of, including Noise Creep (2009) + Buzzgrinder (2001). He’s anti-Facebook, anti-clickbait, and anti-growth hacking. You should most definitely follow him on Twitter. Yes, right now.
Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for finding a little bit of time in your day to spend with us discussing the current state of the music industry. We have been trying to up the amount of content we share with all of you, and to accomplish we have turned to our friends in the industry to help provide additional features. The one you’re about to enjoy was written by Seth Werkheiser for the Novelty And Nonsense email newsletter. If you enjoy what you read, click here to sign up for all future Novelty And Nonsense messages.
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Q. Should you tell people in your email newsletters to follow you on Twitter, Facebook, etc.?
A. I say “no.” Here’s why:
If a person has opened your email, you deserve a gold star. A medal. A plaque of radness.
To get anyone to do anything on the internet is a damn miracle.
And now you want to send them away with your brightly colored social media buttons? No!
Hand them over to a third party, board-member driven website? No! You have them there (like you, reading this)! They’re reading your words. They saw your email in their inbox, read your subject line, and decided, “I am going to read this.”
You’re a genius!
However, if you’re only giving “BUY / LISTEN / WATCH / ORDER / RSVP” – things that usually take place outside of the email – you’re hoping that the people reading want to “BUY / LISTEN / WATCH / ORDER / RSVP” at that moment.
Ponder for 0.232 seconds that not everyone who opens your email is in a position to do the thing you want.
This ain’t about you!
They’re in a meeting. Standing in line at the bank. Checking email quick before their boss catches them.
Yes, it’s tempting to shout with glee about your new song, your new video, your new product; some people just might not be ready to click buy.
Then might not want to click play because they might be listening to something else.
They don’t want to watch your video because they’re watching ‘The Daily Show.’
So don’t make your whole email an all or nothing proposition. Avoid “DO THIS THING I WANT” or “CLOSE THE EMAIL.”
For everyone not ready to click, what can you give them?
Promoting a song? A photo of the recording process, along with a paragraph of what the song is about.
Got a new sale? Photo of a person with your product, and the story about where the design came from.
Big event coming up? Give a photo from the last time you did the event, and the story you always tell.
Tell stories, and don’t lead with offers. Radiohead giving away an album is a story, but you’re not Radiohead. And you’re not McDonalds giving away free coffee.
Social media has its place, but in the very moment that someone opens your email, it’s not about Twitter or Pinterest. An opened email is a miracle in the 24/7, animated GIF, Top 35 listicle world we live in.
Don’t blow it.
This post was written by Seth Werkheiser, a seasoned music industry veteran with years of experience helping bands better understand the world of self-promotion. He founded Buzzgrinder in 2001, and Noise Creep for AOL music in 2009. Since 2011 I’ve been writing metal trivia and nightly newsletters for Skull Toaster. Follow him on Twitter.
Hello again, everyone. Welcome to the latest edition of our ongoing Advice series. This column is dedicated to the world of Snapchat and how it’s quickly becoming a social media platform that every artist should have a presence on. We do not claim to be experts at using that particular service, but we do know enough to understand that power it gives those with a developed audience (if they know how to use it).
This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Earlier this month, a new report was released that brought out attention to an alarming trend: Smartphone using teens and young adults (18-34) are spending more time on Snapchat than Twitter. Facebook and Instagram are still the titans of social media, but Snapchat is quickly gaining on the latter and shows no signs of slowing in the near future. You may have been told Snapchat was a place for the taking and sending of nudes, but there is so much more to it than that, and if you’re willing to put in the effort there is a good chance the latest tech trend could help your following grow in ways you never imagined.
I am not going to sit here and proclaim that I am a master of Snapchat. In fact, prior to realizing the potential such a service could provide artists I never even made a real effort to understand everything the platform had to offer. Now that I do it’s clear there is plenty of room for brands and bands alike to not only engage, but also further develop their audience with a surprisingly small amount of effort. It’s work nonetheless, but if your audience is already on board with the app then half of the work is done for you.
BEFORE WE BEGIN: It is absolutely critical that you ask yourself, and even your fans if you desire, whether or not your audience uses Snapchat on a regular basis. If your music caters to adults, especially the over 35 crowd, there may be little to no benefit from adding another social network to your marketing efforts. On the flip side, if your audience spends their summer dreading the fall because it means school will begin again then you have every reason to add this little ghost icon to your phone/tablet:
Make an Exclusive Announcement
The people who will follow you on Snapchat are going to be diehard fans, bloggers looking for exclusives, and friends you’ve made along the way. With the possible exception of the digital press, these are the people who are willing and waiting to help you promote, so why not give them an opportunity to do just that? Through mass messaging, you can share an exclusive announcement with followers on Snapchat before your news to the rest of the world. You can even build awareness for your efforts on Snapchat by first teasing the announcement across all other channels, pointing people who want to be ‘in the know’ to connect on Snapchat.
Give Fans Behind The Scenes Access Using ‘Stories’
Snapchat makes it incredibly simple to share photos and short videos with followers, but late last year they took their efforts a step further by debuting new feature called Stories. Snapchat Stories add Snaps together to create a narrative. When you add a Snap to your Story it lives for 24 hours before it disappears, making room for the new. Your Story always plays forward, because it makes sense to share moments in the order you experience them.
An example of a good application of Snapchat Stories would be any situation where you and/or your band play a festival. Throughout the day you can capture exclusive moments for followers on Snapchat, then when things wind down you can string them together and create a story for followers to enjoy in one sitting. This allows everyone to enjoy your efforts at their own chosen pace, and if there is one thing every consumer loves it is the ability to make their own decisions.
Share Snippets Of New/Unreleased Content
Snapchat made its name with photos, but the short video clips users are allowed to share can make a world of difference in your next single/video/album promotion. By sharing short clips with fans you are able to tease your latest release without ruining, or even downplaying the importance of the official premiere in any way.
Additionally, you can use the previewing of new material to engage with fans. Ask them to send back their reaction to your latest clip as a photo or video response and see what happens! It may even make for a good contest, which brings up the next point I wanted to make…
Run Contests, Including Scavenger Hunts
Having the ability to share media instantaneously with thousands of fans at once offers a unique opportunity for contests that other platforms cannot provide. This can be as simple as a request for the best reaction photo/video to a certain preview, or as complex as a city-wide scavenger hunt. Each idea comes with its own set of pros and cons, but we don’t really have time or space to run through all of that in this post. The best advice we can offer is to listen to your audience and figure out what method of giveaway is most effective. Whatever works for you is exactly what you should do. That may sound simple enough, but it bares repeating.
Everyone Loves A Good Sale
Remember how we discussed why sharing exclusives with Snapchat followers is a good idea? As a way to boost your follower count, as well as give back to those who promote your efforts, it’s a good idea to consider hosting a spontaneous merch sale promoted exclusively through the media-sharing platform. This provides further justification for people to seek you out on Snapchat, and also allows for a nice bit of personal engagement with those who have been following since day one.
ABOVE ALL ELSE:
Snapchat is a social network just like any other, and it has the power to do great things for your career as long as you know what you’re doing. Be personal, welcome fans into your world and make it known you appreciate them for welcoming you into theirs. Success is music is built atop a two-way street where fans support the artists they love and artists give back with creativity and anything else they can muster. Snapchat provides a number of unique engagement opportunities, and with proper preparation can provide a bounty of benefits, including a more dedicated (and sizable) following.
The last few editions of our Haulix Advice column have focused on making introductions and getting your music in front of people who will [hopefully] share it with their readers. Today we’re focusing on selling what lies behind the music: Yourself.
Once your music begins getting traction online, the time will come when you desire to setup additional features for your band with notable publications. Interviews are always a great route to go, but all too often the bigger outlets do not have the free time needed to execute a face-to-face feature with rising acts and an email interview (sometimes referred to as a form interview) may have to suffice suffice. This may seem like a negative, as everyone tends to express themselves better through conversation than statement, but with careful thought and consideration fill-in-the-blank questionnaires can be a gateway to a deeper relationship with your fans, as well as an effective marketing tool. After all, any opportunity for exposure is better than none, and rarely will you come across an opportunity as customizable as this.
For everything a form interview lacks in terms of human interaction it more than makes up for in the endless freedom offered to the artist. The questions outlined should be viewed as starting points for conversation with the reader rather than individual bullet points. Make your introductions quick and be sure to answer everything clearly, but keep in mind every response is another opportunity to connect with listeners on a deeper level. They want the details (that’s why you’re being asked you questions), so make sure you take your time to answer everything in full. That may sound fairly obvious, but having spent last half decade in journalism I cannot count the number of one-word or single sentence responses I’ve received from artists of all sizes. It’s not engaging or entertaining to read. Ever.
In terms of reaching new listeners, form interviews offer you the opportunity to discuss elements of your art that may pull in the casual webzine reader. In depth information regarding your inspiration, goals, antics on stage and behind-the-scenes, views on music, and the like can offer the publications printing the article an angle to sell, and with the right hook you’ll be reeling in new listeners in no time (pun unfortunately intended).
To offer additional insight on how artists can make the most out of email interviews and the reasoning behind why it’s important, I turned to a few notable members of the music world for advice. You can read their insight below. If you have additional tips for artists reading this column, please feel free to comment at the end of this post and add your two cents.
“I think the short responses in interviews via email are not because the artist or musician doesn’t care, it’s because either: 1) The artist feels as sense of entitlement because someone cares enough about their art to interview them about it. OR 2) They aren’t viewing their art as a business. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to act professional. no one wants to work with unprofessional artists who are flakey and don’t care about their perception to the public. – Mike Sacchetti, Bad News Bears
In the unfortunate event that an interviewer is left with no other option but to send out an e-mail interview as opposed to doing a phoner or in-person, it’s important that the artist(s) being questioned elaborate on their answers to make for an interesting and insightful read. There is generally no way for the interviewer to anticipate how the artist(s) will respond so more often than not, an e-mail interview will not flow as well as an in-person or phone interview would, as the interviewer doesn’t have the opportunity to ask follow-up questions in regards to the artists’ answers.
I would suggest that the interviewee read all of the questions before they begin answering because it has been my experience that the artist will answer with similar responses multiple times throughout the interview due to the order of the questions. Many times, the artist(s) will answer a question as well as a succeeding one at the same time which isn’t always necessarily a good thing in terms of length and an engrossing read. This also falls into the responsibility of the interviewer to ask engaging and unique questions to hopefully get the most out of the interviewee, in way of in-depth responses.
In some instances, an artist will be cooperative enough to allow you to send some follow-up questions if you’re unclear on something they answered or you feel that you need to expand on something that could ultimately make for more piquant content. It would be nice if all artists offered this option knowing that an e-mail will typically need a little more life than what is breathed into it in the initial transaction. – Brian Lion, Under The Gun Review
When filling out digital interviews, every band should take the time to make sure they not only hand in thoughtful answers, but responses that are professional. Time and time again, I read and put together interviews where artists don’t take the time to even run spell check over their answers, which can reflect poorly on your band. Put in a few extra minutes, look over your answers and make sure what you’re saying is representative of how you want your band to be perceived. – Tyler Osborne, ToZ Productions
We talk a lot about ensuring your first interaction with a potential listener is the best it can possibly be, and in doing so have discovered an area that frustrates more people than it ever aides: Buzzwords.
We’ve all been there: You want to know more about an artist or product, but every description and review you read seems to sounds exactly the same. No part of Non-descriptive words and phrases like “awesome” or “game-changing” inform the consumer about what it is you are trying to sell them and after all, that is what you’re trying to accomplish at the end of the day. You want them to want your product and you want to stand out from every other competitor vying for their attention, so why limit yourself to the same tired terminology your grandfather used when presenting against Don Draper back in 60s?
Once our list of ‘Social Media No-nos’ went live, a number of clients and media friends began reaching out to express their recommendations for future columns. One of the most requested was, by far, a list of buzz word and phrases that should never be used when attempting to pitch your band or release. Some of them are probably painfully familiar, while others may simply be too vague to offer much, if any, insight. Either way, make a note today to erase the following words and phrases from your press kits moving forward.
Game-changing
Genre-defying
A breath of fresh air
______ put on a killer/awesome live show
Reinventing the wheel/genre
world-class musicianship
Taking _____ to the next level
Modern icon(s)
Punk rock pioneers
Unleash pure/raw ______ fury
Groundbreaking
Innovative
On the cutting edge
Unprecedented
Jaw-dropping
Viral hit/sensation
Pushing the limits
A change of pace
Stepping/stepped it up
We’re certain there are many more words and phrases that could be added to this list. If you think of any we missed comment below and we’ll update the post! Be sure to follow Haulix on Twitter to ensure you never miss another update, announcement, or blog.
