Bloggers who write about music are some of the most influential people in the modern music industry. Blogs come in many different styles. Some feature album reviews or talk about the trends in a specific genre. Others showcase up-and-coming bands or provide reviews of concerts and local shows.
The rise of blogging in the music industry is excellent news for independent artists and bands that are just getting started. It is much easier to get featured on a blog then it is to get an article published in a magazine or other official music-industry publication. Best of all, many of today’s music blogs have an incredible reach. If your band uses a PR company that utilises music blogs submission, like this one from SMVT and is featured by a well-known blogger, it gets your music out there in front of a huge audience of potential fans.
Bloggers who have developed a fan base usually have a lot of influence over their followers, simply because they have built a lot of trust with them over time. If a blogger writes about a certain artist or song, loyal followers will almost always listen to it to see what all the fuss is about.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most music blogs focus on a specific genre. As a result, all of the people that follow that blog probably like that style of music. If you get your band featured on a blog that writes about the type of music you play, you stand a really good chance of gaining new fans since the readers of the blog already enjoy that particular music style.
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Of course, before you can enjoy all of the benefits that music blogs have to offer, you first have to figure out how to get a prominent blogger to feature your music. While there is no cut-and-dry formula that works every time, there are some tips that can improve your chances of making a successful connection when you reach out to bloggers in the music industry.
When contacting bloggers, avoid using standard press releases. Instead, take a more casual, laid-back approach. Talk to them like you would talk to someone in person if you were telling them about your music. Before you reach out to them, learn more about the blogger including the style of music that they usually feature on their blog. Use their name in any of your communications and make sure that you mention why you think your music is a great fit for their readers.
Usually, it is best to start with blogs that are a little less well-known. As you refine your technique and as your music becomes more popular, you can then start reaching out to some of the larger blogs in the industry. Keep in mind, as well, that getting featured on one blog may open up the door to other opportunities by helping other bloggers discover your music.
After getting your music featured on a blog for the first time, you need to continue fostering that new relationship. You can drive traffic to the blog by actively sharing a link to the article through your social media accounts and by posting it on your website. If you are playing any live shows in the near future, make sure that the blogger knows about them so that they can attend. Offer to give them a sneak peek for any new releases. You may even want to think about providing them with an exclusive free download for their readers.
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For a great example of how to put this strategy into action, take a look at how Mirror Lady handled the 2012 release of their Roman Candles EP. Even though they were relatively unknown at the time, they managed to get a lot of bloggers to cover their new release. Granted, a lot of their success comes from the fact that they write good music. However, the fact that they got it featured online so prominently also played a role in their growth. Today, most people don’t find new bands by going to concerts. Instead, they typically stumble upon them online when reading some of their favorite blogs or websites.
Rather than spending a ton of money on a major tour, they focused their marketing efforts on making connections with bloggers. Over time, they fostered these relationships by keeping bloggers in the loop as to what was happening with their music.
Naturally, connecting with bloggers shouldn’t be your only marketing strategy. You also need to make sure that your website is well-designed, informative, and easy to navigate. Developing a strong social media presence is essential. You should also use email marketing to connect with your fans and followers and to keep them up-to-date on what is happening with your band. Taking a music marketing course like the New Artist Model course can dramatically improve your chances of success. By developing a marketing plan for your music, you can reach a lot more people, making it easier to build a solid fan base.
