So here we are, it’s the start of a new year which is usually a time for planning and preparation for the year ahead. With the internet playing such a huge role in how we connect with others and promote our work, I’d like to share some thoughts on the role your website will play in 2023. Releasing New Music: What role should your website play in promoting your new music in 2023? Your website should make it really easy for people to hear / buy / stream your latest release. Make sure you’re taking advantage of the streaming pre-save / pre-order features, and using Facebook pixels and ads to sen ..read more

When it comes to building your artist website, there are countless options out there. You can take the DIY route and use one of the many platforms out there that allow you to do it yourself, or you can hire a professional. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Doing it all yourself is certainly appealing from a cost-saving perspective, and the results are largely dependent on the time and skills you have available. Hiring a designer (especially the right designer!) can make the process easier, give you more time to focus on the music – and it should elevate the final result into somethin ..read more

There are sharks out there, but they can be avoided! I’ve been speaking with a lot of clients lately, both about the work we do together on their websites, and the bigger picture of their careers. A common thread that has been coming up in conversation is that around building a team, and the mixed experiences they’ve had around this. Many of the concerns that we’ve discussed recently have included: How to identify what roles you need to fill in your team, and how to find the RIGHT people to fill these roles The impacts of hiring people/companies who simply don’t deliver what they say they w ..read more

The following is a guest post from Francetta Evans-Anfom of Dats Muzik. Your artist biography (also could be called “about us”) is the most important aspect in elevating your brand, whether you use it for music streaming platforms (Spotify/ SoundCloud etc), social media (Instagram, Twitter etc), EPK (electronic press kit) and/ or your website. All that is needed is one biography, long enough that you can shorten it if need be, and you place it on all the sites that you’re on. This biography will elevate you brand (yourself or your band), let you tell your story and express your ethos througho ..read more

2020. What a year, huh? The music industry has been hit really hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with live music (and live entertainment in general) being especially affected. But rather than looking back on this year, that most of us would probably like to forget, I’d like to look forward to 2021 and share some thoughts on why I think your digital presence is going to be even more important in 2021. Booking Events & Live Shows: With the hopeful reopening of the live sector in spring/summer 2021, there’s likely going to be a lot of competition (and appetite) for live shows. If you’re reachin ..read more

Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels In early 2019, it was reported that music streaming, particularly from paid subscription services such as Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and Tidal, contributed to another double-digit revenue growth in the music industry in the United States in 2018. It’s the third consecutive year this has happened, so you can say streaming is really a big deal. However, not all is well and good for everyone involved in the music business when it comes to streaming. In a nutshell, artists aren’t happy with the royalty payments they get. Slash, known best for his guitar ..read more

Image credit: Pexels More and more people have discovered the joys of playing music in the last couple of months. So much so that guitar sales experienced an 80% bump between April to June. Now, many of these people may be looking to take the next step and may be considering recording their own music. This can be quite daunting especially if they don’t have any prior experience in recording. This is why we’ve put together a short list of studio essentials and tips on how to maximise them. So read on for a quick run-through of the things you will need to start recording from home! M ..read more

The following is a guest post from David “D4” Nguyen, freelance music marketer and content creator for D4 Music Marketing. In March of 2020, Patreon saw a 21% increase of new creators on their platform, their largest surge since they started in 2013. The music category specifically went up by 25% with over 3,000 new pages from musicians seeking some financial stability through the shut down of the live performance sector. A membership-based model can offer a much-needed financial safety net for musicians to sustain during times of uncertainty like in the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve seen it first ..read more

As an independent musician, you’ve probably been told that you need a website, but maybe don’t know the different roles your website plays to different people. As a designer who specialises in websites for musicians, I know how important it is to have a solid web presence, and I have many friends in the music business who can vouch for that, too. So, with this post, I wanted to get some insight from them on what they look for in an artist website, and how a good one can help THEM to help YOU in different areas of your career. In this post you’ll hear from publicists, radio pluggers, sync agen ..read more

Photo by Ray Tarantino It’s hard to believe that another decade is ending, and a new one is beginning. For me, it’s prompted me to look back at my business and think about all of the artists I’ve had the privilege of working with over the last 8 years. Thank you… I have so many thank yous to give – both to clients, and to others in the music industry who have offered words of guidance, referred other artists to me, and who have trusted me with their projects. I’m truly grateful to all of you, and I’m thankful that we’re able to help each other grow and prosper. When I first branched out into ..read more