It might be easier to launch a career as an indie musician nowadays – but, in order to gain relevance, you need to understand music promotion. In the streaming era, you can distribute your music with little to no effort or cost. Still, that distribution will be ineffective if you don't promote yourself and reach for listeners. We do know, however, that marketing and propaganda are often costly expenses. And, let’s be frank, sometimes that’s a cost indie artists cannot bear! In this article, we will teach you how to promote music without money. Here you'll find free ways to:
- Distribute Your Music and Claim Your Spotify for Artists Account
- Promote Songs Through Spotify Playlists
- Conquer Listeners Through Social Media
- Create an EPK to Boost Your Career
- Use Email to Gain Popularity
Distribute Your Music Free of Charge
It's pointless to think about promoting your music if your work isn't out there yet. These days, it's fairly easy to distribute your art, and you can count on the help of trustworthy music distributors. Magroove is one of them. We make your music available on 40+ online stores and streaming platforms like Spotify, Tidal and Deezer. We also give you access to all your stats and analytics reports, which are helpful for your music promotion strategies. But one of our main merits is the access you will gain to Spotify for Artists. Spotify for Artists is the only way you’ll be able to pitch your songs to the platform’s curators and experts. This is certainly one of the best ways to promote your music without any money. Keep in mind that approximately 25% of music engagement worldwide comes from streaming subscription. So, needless to say that having your music featured on a Spotify playlist is a great way to gain listeners. Using Spotify for Artists, your pitched song will be included in your followers’ Release Radar as well. Now, learn how to make the perfect Spotify pitch and amaze curators with the following topic.Promote Your Music Without Money Through Spotify Pitches
Spotify is famous for its hyper specific playlists. The songs are carefully chosen by curators and experts to fit a specific genre or situation. In addition to this, many of these playlists are adjusted with the help of the algorithm to please each listener. In short, if a playlist is made specifically for you, it is very likely you’ll enjoy even the songs you’re not familiar with. So, getting your songs in these playlists can be a big deal to promote your music without money.
To get your song on a Spotify playlist, however, you have to write a perfect pitch. An adequate time to make your pitch is about four to five weeks before your song is released.
To pitch your track, enter Spotify for Artists and click on PITCH FROM NEXT RELEASE on the home page. Then, follow the instructions. The more information you give, the higher are your chances of getting your song featured on a Spotify playlist.
How to Write the Perfect Pitch
The first step is guaranteeing that you are bringing your best material. Choose your best song, the one that defines your art. This is especially important since you can only pitch one song at a time! So bring in your A game. It must sound amazing and be well produced. The branding and visuals should also be on point, so make sure it represents your work well and is aesthetically pleasing. The track and song title must also be inviting, don't risk anything too long. Then, it's time to describe your song in topics such as genres, cultures and moods. You can use tags, but be careful not to overdo it! Choose precisely the ones that you believe describe the best your work. By doing this, you're only helping yourself. Your song will be then best directed to a curator working on a playlist where it will fit best! The final step in the pitch process is to describe your song in 500 characters or less. But be sure to get as close to the limit as possible. Encapsulate your song by telling its story and describing it creatively. You can also add information about your trajectory as an artist and the things you've accomplished so far.
To increase your chances of getting a song on a Spotify playlist, be active on the app. Spotify likes it when users (that includes artists) use all of the features they offer. So write a biography, post high quality photos and link your socials! Make sure Spotify and your listeners know who you are.
Show Your Identity Through Social Media
Perhaps the most popular way to promote your music for free is through social media. It seems like an obvious option since everybody is online nowadays. Therefore, you should be as well: you'll be able to make yourself seen. However, no matter how obvious this style of promotion may seem, remember that it's always necessary to strategize! Think about what type of post will work better in each social network. Keep in mind that most of the platforms have different languages and goals, so you need to craft a different type of content for each one of them.Build your Artistic Identity
Before you start with your social media promotion, you need to develop your artistic identity. Think of yourself as a brand and build a visual identity for yourself. In addition to this, strategize your speech and behaviors in a way you believe represents you. Your social media should be cohesive and accurate of who you are as an artist. Not only as an artist, though. Social networks are a great space for showing your fanbase who you are as a person. By personifying yourself, you become more likable. You can also establish a direct channel between you and your fanbase through comments and messages in social media. This creates an organic social engagement that’ll help you reach many other people and connect more deeply with your listeners!Craft Content for Specific Social Platforms to Promote Your Music Without Money
Optimize the way you promote your music without money by crafting specific content for each social media channel. For example, Instagram is a great spot for direct communication with listeners. The app provides question boxes that you can answer in your stories. Now there's even the possibility of creating exclusive communication channels! By utilizing these tools, you become more accessible to your listeners. On the other hand, TikTok is great for short videos. You can post a preview of your next release, for instance. This will help build the hype around your music and artistic career. Tease your followers about what’s coming up next! It will leave them wanting more.
Tiktok is also a great space to gain visibility with a younger crowd. You can collab with already famous influencers and have them use your music in their videos. This is a huge opportunity for promotion! Don’t forget the huge possibility of a song going viral on TikTok. Remember those Spotify playlists we mentioned earlier on this article? They even have a “TikTok hits” one, which is super popular! TikTok nowadays has undeniably a huge influence on the music industry.
Last but not least, don't forget to be active. It's no use creating a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing feed if you're not communicating with your listeners on a daily basis. The most important thing is to be present in social media. This way, you'll be able to properly become more known and expand your music.
Use EPKs to Spread the Word
An Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is a digital resumé. The targeted audience here are people who work in the music industry and the press. Keep it short and cohesive. Make the EPK as attractive as possible. Don’t forget you’re trying to get industry professionals to work with you. You can host your EPK in platforms like Wix and WordPress, which permit you to build your own website for free. Wix even has some templates you can use if you do not want to build your EPK from scratch.What to Include in Your EPK
Since it's your resumé, it's very important to mention what you have accomplished so far! Write a short biography and pin some articles that have been written about your work if you have any. Positive reviews of your music are a great way to have someone other than yourself attest that your work is great, right? Also add a few high-quality photographs or videos that represent your artistic identity. This footage will be super helpful if the press is writing about you.
But what speaks best of your art if not your music in itself? Pick a few songs that showcase your work the best, make a playlist of them, and put it in your EPK. If you have a music video, include it as well. It makes for the perfect synthesis of your music and your visuals! Remember to also include in your EPK your contact information and a schedule of future concerts.