Tag: Music Promo

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We Tried A Cheap Promo Service So You Won’t [VIDEO]

Zire

Zire is one of many new services advertising cheap music promotion on social media, but are their claims too good to be true? We found out.

Every musician knows the experience of swiping through stories on Instagram and seeing advertisements for services they’ve never heard of promising impossible things. Some offer to ‘unlock’ an artist’s true potential with a course or livestream event. Others promise to help “maximize” reach or “get guaranteed” exposure in exchange for a small amount of money.

If you’re anything like us, then these advertisements are probably met with an eye-roll. You feel your gut warning you to keep scrolling because the claims in the ad seem too good to be true. After all, if meaningful success costs less than $100, wouldn’t everyone do it?

Sometimes things are different. Sometimes you stare at the ads and its slick animation, wondering if maybe the reason you haven’t heard of this service is because nobody you know has tried it yet. Perhaps you even tell yourself that the promises being made aren’t unrealistic. Maybe these companies do have all the answers, and you’re the only one whose thought to give them a try!

You should always trust your gut. If your instincts are telling you that something is too good to be true or someone is offering something you know cannot be delivered for next to nothing, then you are a fool to consider otherwise.

But on the off chance you’re still considering these companies, we went ahead and spent money for you. We found Zire, one of many companies promising cheap promotion on multiple high-profile websites and apps for a small amount of money, and we bought a one-week campaign. We partnered with the band You, Me, And Everyone We Know to see what would happen when their single, “F.I.N.E.,” was promoted on the service. The results are not shocking, but they are worth discussing.

In this Music Biz update, host James Shotwell walks through the Zire platform. He showcases the site’s slick animations, automated ad creation, and seemingly in-depth analytics. He also compares the result of a $40 promotion to the typical engagement You, Me, And Everyone We Know sees on their Spotify profile. Check it out:

Some highlights:

  • To their credit, Zire’s creation process is simple. Artists find a song, upload photos, connect social accounts, and set parameters for their ad.
  • Our one-week, $40 campaign included ads on Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Genius, Ultimate Classic Rock, and more.
  • Despite asking users to upload photos, Zire auto-generates dozens of ads using stock images that users have no choice in using. These images didn’t reflect the look or sound of the band.
  • The most impressions our ad received was on a website that has not been updated for over a year. Worse, the site had nothing to do with the style of music the band plays.
  • According to Zire, our one-week campaign generated over 27,000 impressions. Of those, less than 600 clicked through to a streaming service.
  • Based on Zire’s audience insight, most of our impressions were from advertisements shown to people ages 45-55, which is much higher than the band’s target demographic. Zire does not allow users to set age parameters during the ad creation process.
  • Ads were shown to people worldwide, including countries where the band has no footprint or any ability to visit in the foreseeable.
  • Compared to previous weeks, You, Me, And Everyone We Know saw no measurable change in consumption or followers.
  • Of the roughly 550 Spotify plays that the Zire ad potentially made possible, the band generated $2.20 in revenue.

In summary:

We spent $40 to make roughly $2.20 with ads that cast the widest net possible. Zire’s insights tell us there were nearly 30,000 impressions, but only about 600 got people to visit a streaming service. We have no way of knowing if those individuals actually listened to the band.

Music Biz is brought to you by Haulix, the music industry’s leading promotional distribution platform. Start your one-month free trial today and gain instant access to the same promotional tools used by BMG, Concord, Rise Records, Pure Noise Records, and hundreds more. Visit http://haulix.com/signup for details.

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Two Big Mistakes Musicians Make When Contacting Tastemakers

Overcoming the biggest hurdle in DIY music promotion requires a little thing called human decency. 

Music tastemakers are some of the busiest people in the entertainment industry. Even the smallest publications receive dozens of requests per day for coverage. Bigger outlets, as well as widely-recognized writers, may receive more than one-thousand emails any given week. The majority of the time, outlets and writers are busy dealing with established talent and music that is quickly gaining momentum online. Those able and willing to cover lesser-known acts only have a finite amount of time for discovery, which is why making a positive and immediate impact on anyone you pitch is essential for your success.

We write a lot of blogs offering advice for reaching tastemakers. We have even gone so far as to create contact lists to help people reach playlist curators. However, no matter how much we write and discuss music promotion, industry influencers continue to complain about up and coming artists’ lack of preparation and respect. People at all level of the industry often contact us with concerns that people are nowhere near as passionate about professionalism as they are becoming successful, and that — for most — is a huge red flag. 

With that in mind, here are the two complaints we receive most often, as well as advice on how to avoid further frustrating music writers, podcasters, and YouTubers in the future.

Know your audience.

Very few tastemakers have influence over every area of music. There are exceptions, such as The Needle Drop, but most critics and influences earn their positions in the industry by specializing in certain areas of music. 

The same goes for publications. Pitchfork may cover more music than anyone has time to listen to, but there isn’t one person doing all the work behind the scenes. Pitchforks, as well as most music publications, rely on teams of people — each with their own specialties — to curate content people should experience. 

Few things will get your pitch for coverage denied or overlooked faster than failing to understand what the person you’re contacting covers. This is especially with playlists, which can be extremely specific in terms of the music they’re looking to features. When artists begin flooding tastemakers with material outside their coverage area it only serves to frustrate influencers and lower their interest in music discovery altogether. 

It’s hard enough for up and coming artists to get attention today without having to compete with people who spam critics because they were too lazy to research the people they were contacting. Don’t contribute to the problem of over-saturation. Research every person and publication before reaching out. Be sure your email is going to someone or someplace that values the type of music you create. Otherwise, you’re just wasting everyone’s time, including your own.

Make it personal.

There is no Mr. Pitchfork or Ms. Rolling Stone. However, without fail, artists constantly spam inboxes of publications and writers without addressing the people on the receiving end. 

Worse still is the large number of artists who write a single draft of a pitch letter that they then copy and paste to all press contacts with zero personalization. 

A good rule of thumb for promoting your music is to make every piece of outreach as personal as the music you’re trying to share. Your songs mean everything to you. They are a representation of who you are what you wish to share with the world. Your promotional materials are an extension of that representation. 

It’s perfectly acceptable to create a pitch template for promoting your music that shares the same basic information with everyone you contact. However, that template should be a starting point for messages and not the entire message. Your outreach should aspire to make everyone feel as if you want them to hear your music more than anyone else in the world. Let them know you admire their work and that you understand what they are passionate about in music. Talk to them as if you’re trying to make a new best friend. 

Nobody wants to feel like they’re being asked for a favor by a stranger who has no interest in who they are, how they’re feeling, or what they’re trying to do with their own career. Make people feel special. 

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How to Throw Multiple Listening Parties for $100 or Less [VIDEO]

Listening parties can engage fans, grow your community, and raise awareness about your next release like nothing else in music.

There is no promotional event as incredible as a listening party. For an hour or more, fans gather together to experience the latest release from their favorite artist. The energy and excitement in these gatherings are electric. Everyone there is present because the artist’s catalog does something for them that nothing else in music or beyond can duplicate. Listening parties are a celebration of music’s power to move people, and you deserve to have them for your next release.

But there is a problem. Historically speaking, listening parties are often considered an expensive affair. You have to rent a space, be it a bar or venue, promote the event, create and distribute marketing materials, and perhaps pay for refreshments. Fans have often had to pay for the experience as well, be it through tickets or drinks.

We have a solution. For less than $100, you can plan and execute numerous listening parties all over the world on the same night. We can walk you through everything you need, but it’s up to you to find an audience. The plan below will only work if you have devoted fans who want to see you succeed. If you have those, then follow these steps to create an event no one will forget:

First off, you need to communicate with your fans. Whether this is accomplished through a newsletter or private Facebook group for key followers doesn’t really matter. Tell your audience you are seeking devoted fans willing and able to host small get together for your upcoming release. The only requirements they need to meet are a location for the event, the ability to host the event when you plan for it to take place, a computer, and speakers capable of playing music loud enough for everyone to hear your music. Be selective with your choices. The fans you choose will be representing you and your music for the duration of the event.

Haulix is the platform you will use to share your music with party hosts.

Next, you need a Haulix account. Haulix is the industry standard for music promotion, and right now they are offering one month of service free to everyone who signs up. Visit the Haulix website, pick a plan that works for you (we recommend Beast Mode to begin), and complete your registration. Haulix is the platform you will use to discreetly share your new music with listening party hosts. The service also allows you to control the number of times the music can be played, when people have access to music, and more.

The Promos screen is where you upload your music.

Once your Haulix account is activated, you will need to add your music to the service. Log in to your account and click the Promos tab at the top of the screen. Create a new promo with the music you plan to share through your listening parties. Be sure to add artwork, release information, and any other details you feel fans should know.

After your music is uploaded, begin creating introduction clips for your listening parties. Audio or video introductions are acceptable, but video content adds a personal touch. You may even want to make different videos for each event. That allows you the opportunity to specifically address each crowd by mentioning their cities or states, which again, helps create a connection with those in attendance. You can add the videos to your Haulix promo or upload them to YouTube (leaving them unlisted).

Promo invitations grant party hosts access to your music.

With all your materials complete, deliver the videos and event details to each listening party host with personalized messaging that reinforces dates, times, and any other particulars. Then you need to use Haulix to invite your hosts to engage with the materials you uploaded. You can find a step-by-step guide for sharing music on Haulix using the company’s help site.

After the event, be sure to send thank you notes to the hosts and any attendees. Personalize the messages to ensure people know you appreciate the work and time they dedicated to promoting your work. You should also consider revoking access to the materials through Haulix to ensure the album or single does not leak in advance of its release.

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The fastest way to improve your music PR efforts

Email is the name of the game when it comes to music PR, and when everyone is doing the same thing, it’s the details that make all the difference.

Everyone working in music receives a lot of emails all the time for a wide variety of reasons. Writers and music critics, for example, receive press releases from anyone with an artist or release to promote who is smart enough to find their email address. They also have messages from editors, personal contacts, and – in the case of blog editors – aspiring professionals looking for an opportunity. It’s overwhelming, and it is becoming increasingly hard for any message to stand out.

Many marketing blogs will tell you that an eye-catching subject line is all you need to get someone to open your message. That may be true in certain circumstances, but an open only brings a reader to your message – it does not make them engage with it.

If people don’t like what they see at first glance, then your email is no more successful than the messages that get trashed without an open. Grammar and structure aside, there is one thing that can grab the attention of a writer (or anyone) at first glance:

Use their name.

First or last or both, it doesn’t matter. Just use it.

That seems surprisingly simple, and it is, but the vast majority of publicists, artists, and others vying for attention these days do not take the few seconds needed to address the recipient of their emails adequately.

Here is a sampling of the most common, least engaging greetings used today:

  • Dear Music Blogger
  • Hello, Music Friends!
  • Dear [Wrong Name]
  • Media Friends:
  • To whom it may concern
  • Sir or Madam
  • ATTN:
  • [Name] <– This happens when they leave what should be automated forms blank, and it happens a lot.

Technology may make connecting with others easier than ever before, but it still lacks the personal touch of a traditional conversation. Even letters written by hand required something more tactile than a digital message can allow. Using someone’s name tells them you view them as something more than a faceless body existing in the void of the internet that you seek to use as means to ascend through the ranks of the entertainment industry. Using someone’s name, treating them like a professional should, is so simple, yet it can mean so much. It tells someone you see them and their work, which often is the result of great sacrifice, and it subconsciously makes them care a bit more for what you have to share.

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What promotional platforms offer artists that Soundcloud, Dropbox, etc. do not

Crowd at concert

Just because a service is free does not mean it’s right for your promotional needs.

Promotion is the name of the game in music today. As consumers spend less and less on physical media with each passing year, the need to promote music in a way that resonates with influencers and industry gatekeepers enough to produce coverage is greater than ever. The challenge of accomplishing this has never been harder either, as the competition for coverage has grown as quickly as consumers’ attention spans have diminished. 

The good news is, there have never been more avenues for music promotion and conversation. From traditional publications and music blogs to YouTube critics, playlist curators, Twitter feeds dedicated to music discussion, Instagram pages curating beautiful scenes from concerts, and countless other digital avenues, the paths to exposure in the modern age are limitless.

Getting the attention of influencers, radio, and journalists is where the battle for exposure begins. Fan support can go a long way, and it can certainly make an impact on the decision of these so-called gatekeepers to cover your music, but there remains a great value in getting exposure from people and companies that lie outside your already established circle of supporters.

Companies like Soundcloud and Dropbox are among the numerous platforms offering free or low-cost streaming and sharing of music. These services also offer private streams, which are usually protected by secret access links, as well as the ability to share that same material with the public if the artist desires to do so. The ease of access and friendly price point has made both, as well as their competitor Box, popular, but for artists and the people who represent them the benefits of using such services very minimal.

That is why most artists who succeed today, as well as labels who continue to thrive, rely on promotional distribution platforms such as Haulix to share new and upcoming releases. Haulix and its competitors match the offerings of Soundcloud or Dropbox, but they also give (much) more power and insight to artists and their teams.

Using Haulix as an example, here are just a few tools the service offers that free and low-cost streaming platforms do not:

  • Customizable landing pages complete with numerous branding opportunities.
  • Customizable messaging with branding opportunities.
  • Contact upload and contact list management.
  • In-depth analytics that reveals who is engaging with your music, how often they listen, and what songs are getting the most attention.
  • Sub-administrator accounts that allow for team interaction and company organization.

The two biggest advantages Haulix users have over those who choose to use Soundcloud or Dropbox is their ability to brand and to track individual user engagement. Soundcloud may tell you how many plays a song has, but how do you know who on your massive mailing list has been listening? Dropbox may make downloading material a breeze, but how can you showcase your brand and build name recognition when every download screen looks exactly the same?

Here’s a Haulix promo, which as you can see reinforces the artist’s name and the title of their record while conveying the aesthetic of the material.

Haulix is trusted by artists at every level of the music business to do everything from attracting press coverage to securing management, enticing promoters, developing material while members are recording in different locations, and more. You can find a list of clients currently relying on the system, including Chance The Rapper and Metallica, by visiting their official website.

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Music PR 101: Don’t pitch people via LinkedIn. If you already do, please stop.

We talk about a lot social media platforms and the various ways they can improve one’s position in the music industry both as an artist and as a professional. We’ve covered how Twitter and Facebook make constant engagement a breeze, as well as how emerging platforms like Snapchat and Periscope make your interactions with the world at large even more personal. What we haven’t covered, and what we honestly never thought we would have to cover, is the proper use of LinkedIn. However, after several weeks of strange messages and friend requests we have found there is no getting around the fact people still don’t know how this professional networking platform is meant to work, so here we are with a quick explanation.

LinkedIn was founded in 2002 and promoted as a business-oriented social networking service. The mission of the company has more or less remained the same since that time, though several new features and tools have been implemented along the way. I cannot speak with any authority as to what founders of the site thought might happen when musicians and music professionals joined their service, but given the way their site functions I highly doubt they ever anticipated LinkedIn being used as a platform to pitch journalists, label owners, booking agents, and the like on new music. Why would they? The vast majority of the service’s users, and by that I mean far more than 90% of those with an account, work outside of the entertainment industry. Of those that do work in entertainment, only a small fraction of people work in music, and only a tiny fraction of them have any reason to pitch someone about a new artist or album.

This math may have your mind spinning, but let’s cut right to the chase: There is never any reason to pitch someone about a band, album, or tour through LinkedIn. Doing so is the modern day equivalent to distributing your press releases through MySpace bulletins circa 2006. People might see them, but will they care? More importantly, will they act on them?

In the decade I have been active in the music business I have probably received dozens, if not over a hundred, friend requests on LinkedIn from bands and low budget (aka no budget) PR firms. You know when these requests come in because instead of receiving an email that reads “John Jones wants to connect” you receive something like “Death By Unicorn Blood wants to connect,” or “Rich Money PR wants to connect.” For the life of me I cannot think of a single reason anyone would ever accept these invitations. Unlike other social media platforms, which are built with brands in mind, LinkedIn and its users put very little value into the amount of connections someone has unless they’re matched by numerous endorsements for a particular person’s professionals skills. Simply having a large numbers of connections does not impress anyone, nor should it!

In that same time, and especially in the last several weeks, I have received numerous pitches asking for content in regards to records, signings, tours, and everything in between. The quality of these messages usually ranges from piss poor to only somewhat terrible, and since LinkedIn isn’t built with media-sharing in mind there is never much content to browse.  If anything, messages will end with a large amount of links asking you to do the leg work.

To further explain the types of messages that shouldn’t be sent, here’s an actual pitch that recently hit my LinkedIn account:

Hey James,

My name is [removed to protect identity] and I am the founder of [Anonymous PR firm]. I’ve got several great punk rock bands with new or recently released albums I want to tell you about. I see you used to work at Under The Gun Review, so I assume you still write about music somewhere. If you want to interview these artists or perhaps get a download of their music, just let me know and I will shoot you over a link. Also, can I have your email? I was going to call you, but I thought that might be a bit forward.

Here are the bands:

[Punk Band A] – This group rules! They just played a tour with [unknown band A] and [unknown band B] across Southern Arizona. The response was huge and we expect big things in the future.

[Punk Band B] – The pride of Alabama! This band has been playing music together since the members were 14. They just graduated high school, but they are quickly establishing themselves in the greater punk scene. The band has submitted their music to Warped Tour’s battle of the bands contest three years in a row, and each time they place fairly high.

Again, if there is ANYTHING you need at all, let me know.

Sincerely,

[A bad publicist]

There are a number of issues with this email. For starters, the person admits to knowing I don’t write about music for a certain publication before assuming that I still do write and that I would want to cover their bands. My LinkedIn profile clearly outlines where I work and what I do, so the opening sentence has already informed me that this person did very little research before contacting me. Secondly, they offer me free downloads of music without knowing a thing about me. What if I left my old job because I pirated a bunch of music? What if I run a leak blog on the side? Neither of these are true, of course, but the person contacting me doesn’t know that.

Furthermore, the publicist behind this email makes the assumption I not only check my LinkedIn messages regularly, but that I also do business through LinkedIn. While I cannot speak to what most people do with their LinkedIn account, it’s very unlikely that many view the service as a place to do actual business. At most, people use LinkedIn to connect with professionals they don’t know and then use that connection to find the proper avenues for contact. The publicist above did do that, but not until AFTER they decided to go ahead and pitch me. That’s what my dad would call “jumping the gun.”

At this risk of talking to much about what should really be a pretty straightforward factoid: STOP MISUSING LINKEDIN. If you want to connect with industry professionals who may be able to help get you a job or if you want to connect with someone so that you can learn how to properly send them pitches, fine, but every other topic of conversation you might message someone about should be reserved for other platforms and messaging services. Send an email or make a call. Heck, you might have a better chance of getting noticed and taken seriously through Twitter than LinkedIn. It’s all about presentation.

There are million ways to be discovered in music, but there are several million ways to waste time by promoting yourself in all the wrong places. LinkedIn, as it is today, is the wrong place to promote your new music. Just don’t do it.

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8 People Who Can Help Your Music Career Right Now

This post is the latest in our ongoing content collaboration with the fine folks at SonicBids. Enjoy!

You know the story: one fateful night at the local music hot spot, an up-and-coming local band is playing a show to a packed house. The place is going wild when suddenly, the crowd parts as a hot-shot record executive strolls in. The band plays their last song and starts packing when, out of nowhere, a sweaty, diamond-ring-encrusted hand is thrust into the face of the lead guitarist. It’s the hot-shot record executive, and he wants to offer the band a record deal. It could happen to you, right?

Don’t count on it!

The reality is, if your band isn’t very well known, there’s a slim chance of attracting a high-ranking record executive, producer, manager, agent, or any classic representative of the old music world. Instead of leaving your band’s success up to some fateful meeting, step back and think about who you already know or see often. If you’re an active musician working on making your presence known in your local scene, these eight people you probably already know can help you get your music into the right hands and keep your career in music rolling.

1. The barista at the local coffee shop

It doesn’t matter if you like coffee or coffee shops – the local coffee shop is going to attract local music lovers. There are probably lots of flyers for shows on the windows already. Next time you walk by or need a cup of coffee, introduce yourself to the baristas working. Mention your band, and ask if you can hang up flyers or leave a stack of CDs next time you stop in.

2. The DJ at your favorite college radio station or podcast

Spend a lot of time listening to college radio or podcasts? If they’re playing bands you like or similar-sounding bands to yours, stop listening and start communicating. The people DJing for college radio stations and podcasts are just like you: a fan of music. Find their contact info online and send them a short, polite message introducing yourself and your music. If they like what they hear, they might want to play you or introduce you to someone who can help you get your music heard.

3. The clerk at the music store

This might seem obvious, but it can be surprising how few musicians look to their local music stores for support. These people spend their lives buying, selling, sorting, and organizing music of all styles. If you need any sort of information, from cool bands or places to play to what’s happening this weekend, your local music store clerk probably knows more than he wishes he did!

4. The sound guy at the local venue

There might be no better resource for learning more about your local scene. If there’s a bar or club where you regularly see bands, chances are the sound guy has seen a hundred times more bands than you. Introduce yourself and your music, and the sound guy probably can point you to the venue’s talent buyer, introduce you to other similar bands, or just hip you to anything you might be interested in knowing about playing at that particular spot. All crucial info!

5. Your friend who runs an independent record label

Maybe you’re already out and about in the local music scene, and you happen to be friends with someone running his or her own independent label. You’d be surprised at how common this is! Whether or not the label puts out vinyl, CDs, cassettes, or even just digital, your friend might be willing to release your music if it fits the label’s style (and it’s good). It never hurts to ask. Even if your pal can’t or won’t release your stuff, he or she can point you towards other labels that might be interested and help you connect with other bands or musicians.

6. That Facebook friend who you know is a successful musician IRL

Facebook is breaking down more walls than ever, letting musicians connect with each other regardless of where they live in real life. If you’ve been on Facebook long enough, you’ve probably seen some well-known local musicians or even famous musicians come up in your feed as possible “friend” connections. Add them as friends and send them messages! Introduce yourself and your music, and let them know that you’re a fan of theirs. You might be amazed at the responses you get.

7. Your family

This might seem like a no-brainer (or totally embarrassing), but your family can be a surprising resource for advancing your music career. Keep them knowledgeable on your doings in the music world and invite them to performances, even if you know your dad won’t be moshing in a basement anytime soon. If you and your family have a decent relationship, they might mention you and your pursuits to someone who can help you down the line. Remember, you are being proactive. Swallow your pride and believe in your music!

8. People in the hallways at your rehearsal space

If you practice at a dedicated rehearsal space, chances are you aren’t alone. Next time you’re taking a break from your band or music, hang out in the halls and see who’s around and listen to what other bands are playing. Knock on the door after you hear some awesome band stop playing, and introduce yourself. Next time you talk to someone randomly as you walk to your space, politely let them know about you and your band.

Above all, don’t give up hope. For every person interested in your music, there might be 10 people that aren’t. Don’t worry about it. Keep spreading knowledge of your music, and keep meeting people. Sooner or later, someone who can help you will take notice.

Christopher DeArcangelis is an active musician and copywriter from Chicago. He writes songs, plays guitar, and sings vocals for the rock and roll band MAMA and is the founder of the creative agency Static Free Industries.

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