Marketing your music is a complex challenge. What works for one listener or fan could fall flat with another, and artists will often jump through hoops and try all kinds of schemes as they fight against anonymity. While it's good to try a variety of marketing tricks, there's one every artist should steer clear of.
_____________________________
Guest post by James Shotwell of Haulix
The internet has created countless avenues to promote their music, so why would anyone invest money in people who are not crazy about their songs?
Music marketing is a tricky business. What works for one person may work for others, but there are no guarantees. You could write the best song anyone has ever heard, gain tons of engagement online, and still remain anonymous to the masses. It’s chaos.
If you are trying to promote your music right now you may feel desperate. You may feel like you would give anything to get the attention and promotion that only influencers can create. You may spend hours on Google looking up articles like this one seeking a solution.
If that is where you find yourself right now, I’m sorry. It shouldn’t be as hard to get the attention of music fans as it is, but that is life. You can curse the sky and copy the tricks of others, but there is one avenue for music promotion that should be avoided at all costs.
Never, under any circumstances, should you pay for press coverage. Ignore blogs and podcasts and video makers who claim they can make you a star in exchange for a small investment in their business. It is a hoax that has been perpetuated by numerous people since the dawn of music journalism, and it is increasingly prevalent in the digital age.
There are countless avenues for exposure today, and there are people in positions of influence who will take interest in your music. It may take time to find them, but they do exist. Influencers asking for money in exchange for promotion do not care about you, and there is a high likelihood that they never will. Why would you want to give that person money to spread a lie?