On at about 06:52:12 AM, The complete guide to selling your music online was updated.
Read Article » The complete guide to selling your music online; you'll want to have a plan in place to optimize your music sales, whether you're releasing a new album, EP, or a stunning single.
You may be wondering, "Where and when do I sell my music on the internet?" There are so many choices that it can be daunting to sort through them all.
We'll break things down into digestible bits in our thorough guide on selling your music online. The idea is to develop a strategy for engaging your fans, sell music online using a variety of platforms, and then focus on your website and mailing list to optimize earnings.
The complete guide to selling your music online—It takes time and effort to create new songs. If you put the same effort into selling your music online as you did in making it, the passion you put into it will shine through, resulting in increased sales from your followers.
Let's get started!
Where to sell your music online
You'll want to sell your music in one of two areas online. This includes your own website and online stores like Bandcamp and Apple Music.
Your own website
Sure, you require your own website, and yes, it is an excellent platform for selling your music. Uploading your music, maintaining your narrative, and advertising your pages may appear to be a lot of work. But it's well worth it for several reasons.
A website allows you to own and control a small piece of the internet. Your followers will always be able to locate a dedicated music page on your own website, regardless of which social media sites come and go.
With the rise of streaming, having your own music website is more crucial than ever. Fans who want to show their support for you can buy directly from your website store, which means you'll make more money (all sales through Bandzoogle are commission-free).
More significantly, you will retain ownership of the data and emails collected as a result of your website's sales. This is critical for your career's long-term success, as you'll utilize those emails to communicate with (and sell songs to) your fans.
Online music stores
While having your own website is vital, you'll also want to make your music available to as many people as possible. Consider this when deciding where to market your music.
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is a free website that allows you to sell your music to your listeners directly while also collecting data and email addresses. They do take a 15% share of sales, but they also place a strong emphasis on music discovery. Through its blog, app, and the Bandcamp Weekly podcast, Bandcamp actively recommends music to fans. Furthermore, many music aficionados flock there to discover new music.
You may use the Bandcamp connection to embed and sell your music on your Bandzoogle website in addition to selling it directly through Bandcamp.
Music download sites: iTunes, Google Play, Amazon
Although streaming services are becoming increasingly popular as a means of consuming music, you should also consider selling your music through digital shops such as iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.
Many music enthusiasts may prefer to purchase new music from a store they are familiar with and trust, where they already have a credit card on file and are certain that the platform will work with their existing music library.
Upload your songs to a digital distributor like CD Baby or TuneCore to make things easier. They'll handle the heavy labour for you, distributing your music to over 150 download and streaming sites around the world. This includes iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon, among others. People will be able to find and listen to your music in their preferred format this way.
Streaming platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music
Many music enthusiasts will only listen to music through streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music. While the amount of money an artist can make from streaming is typically tiny, these outlets should not be overlooked. When it comes to music discovery, they can be really useful. Getting your song on a Spotify playlist can help you launch a DIY career and increase your sales in the long run.
SoundCloud
Because SoundCloud has such a wide community of users and curators, putting your music on the platform can help your song get greater exposure. Despite the fact that it is not a sales platform, Pro users can alter or add a 'Buy' link to track metadata to allow fans to purchase the track from another website.
When to sell your music online
Once your music is complete, the next step is to make your tracks available for purchase online. The actual challenge is devising a strategy that includes when to sell your music online and which technologies to employ in order to optimize profits.
Create a strategy before we get into the specifics of how to market your music. This way, when your music is finished, you'll have something to do.
Decide on a few phases for selling your album or single to make things a little easier. You'll want to develop an excitement for your new music while also strengthening your relationship with your fans and raising funds. This is what it might look like:
- Engage fans
- Launch a crowdfunding campaign
- Set up a pre-order
- Album or single release
- Music sales follow-up
Prepare all of the messages, images, and videos as best you can after you've sketched everything out. Things will begin to move rapidly, and organization will be essential to ensuring that you get the most out of your release.
Phase 1: Engaging your fans
From the start, you'll want to engage your audience. You probably already have the song in your brain or have demos ready to record. This is the moment to start letting folks know you'll be releasing music soon. It's the start of a trip they can and should embark on with you.
Do some study on how to advertise your music online, and make sure to incorporate some promotional ideas that highlight your new tracks. Post bits of video and teasers on Facebook and Instagram, and send images to your fans on a regular basis to capture the process.
Phase 2: Launch a crowdfunding campaign
Consider crowdfunding to be the pinnacle of pre-ordering. Directly on your website, start a crowdfunding campaign (so you keep 100 per cent of the crowdfunding pledges sales). Including bonuses not only helps you fund your album, but also offers you a solid indication of how many CDs or other goods you'll need to make. It will also bring your community together in support of your approaching release.
Phase 3: Pre-orders
Whether you've crowdfunded or not, setting up a presale for your album in the weeks preceding up to its release is an excellent idea. This will allow you to make another announcement ("record available for pre-order in these stores") and welcome fans who did not participate in the crowdfunding campaign to purchase.
On your website, you can create a basic pre-order option. These sales will be reported to SoundScan (Pro users), and email addresses will be collected for your mailing list.
Drive pre-sale purchases to sites where you can not only optimize your income but also collect email addresses, while you're still engaging your biggest fans (like with your own website or Bandcamp). You make less money with iTunes, for example, and they don't share critical data and customer emails with you.
Other things to consider during the pre-release stage include releasing your music early on Spotify or employing a service like Show. co to make Spotify pre-save or audio advertising. Look into a few different approaches to release a single and see what works best for you.
Phase 4: Album or single release
When your album or single is finished, send it out to those who pre-ordered it. Then sell it on your website, as well as infamous online retailers and streaming platforms.
This should be timed to go together with a series of email newsletters, social media posts, and other music promotion strategies. Add each of your new songs to your YouTube channel so that people may find them (music videos, or even simple lyric videos, with a buy link leading to your website in the description).
Even if your record will be accessible in popular online stores, you should still direct your followers to your website to purchase it.
Make sure your homepage is up to date with information about your new songs. Offer a direct-to-fan purchase option in the centre of your Music page, then give links underneath for where to buy and/or listen on other platforms.
Step 5: Music sales follow-up
Take a breather after the dust has settled from your release. Then get right back into the final stage of selling your music: follow up.
Schedule social media postings and email newsletters to bring visitors back to your website to keep your music in front of your listeners' minds.
You can achieve this by commemorating significant events (your album has been out for a month, you fulfilled all of your pledges, and so on). Then you can generate excitement by bundling things and offering discount codes for your entire music library.
How to sell your music online
You'll want to use as many resources as possible to spread the news about your music as you go through the process of making, distributing, and selling it to the rest of the world. When your new music is ready to buy, utilize the same techniques to spread the news and increase sales.
Mailing list
Your email list is the most critical sales tool you have. Email lists are more valuable than ever before, even if it sounds a little dated.
One of the main reasons for this is that you own the fan database. You may always get your email address list, regardless of the mailing list program you use.
The majority of individuals check their email every day, reading, clicking, or at the very least sorting it.
If they've previously opted into your mailing list, either to get news or to download music, chances are they'd appreciate the chance to help you out.
In contrast, not everyone uses social media on a daily basis, and even if they do, poor organic reach may mean they never see your postings.
You should definitely post about your album's release on social media, but the first thing you should do is send a customized email blast to your fan list with a link to purchase the record.
Social media
Utilize your social media networks to develop material that will entice people to purchase your songs. Driving them back to your website is best (you'll make the most money and they'll be able to look for merch or other things), but you may also redirect them to any of their preferred platforms to make a purchase.
What will you do if those are your two key methods for increasing sales? This will depend on your musical style and if you're selling an album or a single. The main thing is to make sure that fans of all levels have options.
Follow up after you've sent out initial blasts to ensure your followers are aware of and able to purchase your music. Continue to offer incentives as time goes on to encourage more people to purchase your songs. Here are a few e-commerce possibilities to consider to help you boost your sales.
Pay-what-you-want pricing on songs
Consider implementing a pay-what-you-want pricing approach for your tunes. Some individuals may be prepared to take the music for next to nothing, but why not let those who are willing to pay more do so?
If someone is truly enthralled by your music, they may be willing to pay considerably more than the customary $1 per song or $10 per album. You can use Bandzoogle's music players to let fans pay whatever they wish, with a minimum price set.
Offer physical and digital bundles
If you decide to produce a CD or vinyl version of your record, make sure to include a digital version in your online store as well.
Other goods, as well as past records, can be combined with a digital download of your current album to assist boost overall sales.
Digital back catalogue deal
Consider offering a discount on your old catalogue of albums after you release your new album online. Let your followers know that they can get your whole discography in a package offer when they're on your store page ready to buy.
Sale pricing and discount codes
Offer cheaper pricing for a limited time after your new song has been out for a while. You may also hold a sale on your earlier records and merchandise to coincide with the debut of your new song.
You can use Bandzoogle's sale pricing option, or you can send a note to new subscribers to your email list with a coupon code to use in your store.
Set up fan subscriptions
You might set up fan memberships on your website if you plan to generate new music or provide new content on a regular basis. You may debut your subscriptions area at the same time as your new record, though it's a different sales model than selling outright. Then, in exchange for a monthly membership fee, follow up on your new release with regular updates and material.
Final thoughts
Make sure you have a strategy in place for each of these music-selling prospects. To stay on track, create a spreadsheet or make a list on a whiteboard. Keep working on unique perspectives and stagger your marketing to avoid oversaturating your audience by begging them to buy your music every day.
Selling your music on the internet is a long-term process that requires patience and care. The following are the most crucial points to keep in mind:
- Engage your fans right from the start of the creation of your album
- Focus on owned properties like your website and your mailing list to maximize revenues
- Use a mix of all services so that every type of fan, from superfan to casual, can pay for your music
It will help you develop your relationship with your fans, drive more sales, and earn money so you can create more music in the future if done correctly.
Find DJ More Music NG to be useful? Click here to give us five stars rating!
META TAGS