{"id":7643,"date":"2023-01-10T20:39:45","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T20:39:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/"},"modified":"2023-01-10T20:39:45","modified_gmt":"2023-01-10T20:39:45","slug":"how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Release Music in 2023 Music Marketing Blog"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Relevant_music_releases_require_more_than_mechanics\" >Relevant music releases require more than mechanics!<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Mechanics_without_good_content_is_just_an_empty_process\" >Mechanics without good content is just an empty process.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#The_most_common_problems_with_rote_release_strategies\" >The most common problems with rote release strategies:<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#1_Frequency_doesnt_invent_demand\" >1. Frequency doesn\u2019t invent demand.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#2_The_GLUT\" >2. The GLUT!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#3_We_only_get_one_chance_to_make_an_impression\" >3. We only get one chance to make an impression.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#4_Theres_a_difference_between_capturing_and_KEEPING_attention\" >4. There\u2019s a difference between capturing and KEEPING attention.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#5_We_seek_the_WRONG_kinds_of_attention\" >5. We seek the WRONG kinds of attention.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#What_should_you_do_to_make_your_music_relevant_in_2023\" >What should you do to make your music relevant in 2023?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Build_proven_demand_BEFORE_you_release_new_music\" >Build proven demand BEFORE you release new music.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#How_one_indie_singersongwriter_built_demand_for_her_new_music\" >How one indie singer\/songwriter built demand for her new music:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Be_willing_to_experiment_with_the_mechanics_AND_content_as_you_go\" >Be willing to experiment with the mechanics AND content as you go.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Look_at_social_networks_differently\" >Look at social networks differently<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Always_define_yourself_as_an_artist_first\" >Always define yourself as an artist first<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Its_more_important_than_ever_to_understand_who_YOUR_audience_is\" >It\u2019s more important than ever to understand who YOUR audience is<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Build_anticipation_AND_participation\" >Build anticipation AND participation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Strip_away_distractions\" >Strip away distractions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#Own_your_audience_already\" >Own your audience already!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/10\/how-to-release-music-in-2023-music-marketing-blog-2\/#You_wont_be_able_to_do_it_all_so_do_the_most_important_stuff\" >You won\u2019t be able to do it all, so do the most important stuff.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Relevant_music_releases_require_more_than_mechanics\"><\/span>Relevant music releases require more than mechanics!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>On this blog and in our podcasts, we\u2019ve spent a fair amount of time discussing <strong>the basic mechanics of a successful music release.<\/strong> This includes things like:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/spotify-for-artists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Claiming your DSP artist profiles<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/10-strategies-for-releasing-a-single\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Starting with a single song<\/a><br \/>\nMaking a <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/spotify-canvas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Spotify Canvas<\/a><br \/>\nOpting in for all <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-rights\/youtube-monetization-musicians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">music monetization options<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/pitching-music-curated-playlists-spotify\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pitching your track to Spotify<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In fact, that stuff is so important to do that we built <a href=\"https:\/\/release.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Release Plan Generator. <\/a>It\u2019s a free tool that helps you stay organized and on-schedule whenever you release a new single or album.<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s be honest: That\u2019s all just\u2026 infrastructure. A series of tasks. And it\u2019s only HALF of any successful release strategy. Which is perhaps why marketing gurus and industry talking-heads lean towards discussing those mechanics. They\u2019re the easy part.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mechanics_without_good_content_is_just_an_empty_process\"><\/span>Mechanics without good content is just an empty process.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>So what\u2019s the OTHER half of releasing new music? The part that\u2019s often more difficult than mechanics? It\u2019s the part where you need to provide the magic, the story, the journey, the reason, the interest.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, great content without mechanics can get lost. You\u2019ve probably experienced this yourself. Posting a song or video you\u2019re really proud of, only to see it get 12 likes.<\/p>\n<p>But the flip-side is true as well. Proper mechanics without valuable, hooky, unique content \u2014 it\u2019s like sending an invitation to a house-warming when you don\u2019t have any furniture or snacks. <span>So today we\u2019re going to talk about why it\u2019s critical to consider<\/span> the MAGIC side of your messaging<span>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And just like any magic trick, it takes planning, practice, suspense, sequencing, and execution with a payoff (for both you and the audience). <\/span><span>In this article and the related episode of the DIY Musician Podcast, we\u2019ll talk through some examples of how to pull a rabbit out of a hat while marketing your new music. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>But first\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_most_common_problems_with_rote_release_strategies\"><\/span>The most common problems with rote release strategies:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Frequency_doesnt_invent_demand\"><\/span>1. Frequency doesn\u2019t invent demand.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Release strategies over the past five years have emphasized frequency over story. Creative habits over actual demand. <\/span>Yes, <strong>f<\/strong><span><strong>requency can lead to attention, but<\/strong> <\/span>only once you\u2019ve already built the demand.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_The_GLUT\"><\/span>2. The GLUT!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s so much music coming out every day. <strong>We can\u2019t rely on the release itself to capture attention<\/strong> simply because it exists.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_We_only_get_one_chance_to_make_an_impression\"><\/span><strong>3. We only get one chance to make an impression. <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Until a decade or two ago, the industry\u2019s primary goal was to motivate fans to part with a lot of cash \u2014 ticket sales, album sales, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>They did this through forms of repetition and blanket coverage: radio and mass media. This constant drumbeat allowed SOME people to get over their initial bias towards a piece of music they didn\u2019t like or understand. You know that feeling after hearing a song ten times when it finally clicks? (Or you\u2019ve been bludgeoned by it so many times you finally capitulate and say \u201cfine, it\u2019s catchy!\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Well today\u2019s challenge is different: The ask is relatively small \u2014 \u201cPress play\u2026 for free.\u201d But the competition is fierce, crowded, and constant. So we usually only have one shot to get new content in front of someone. Pressure is on, because <strong>we have to compensate for lack of repetition with exceptionally creative and quality songs, videos, and messaging.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Theres_a_difference_between_capturing_and_KEEPING_attention\"><\/span>4. There\u2019s a difference between capturing and KEEPING attention.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This is one of the most common struggles for indie artists: We make a huge upfront effort to get noticed, and then we\u2019re exhausted. We don\u2019t have the energy or commitment to follow through, so we squander all the attention we captured. Rinse, repeat.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a bad habit, and one that requires an extreme antidote: <strong>Do not do ANYTHING that asks for attention unless you know what you\u2019ll DO with that attention next<\/strong> (even if it\u2019s as simple as \u201cI want someone to leave a comment on this post, and then I\u2019ll reply and start a conversation.\u201d)<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_We_seek_the_WRONG_kinds_of_attention\"><\/span>5. We seek the WRONG kinds of attention.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You probably have a sense of this tendency, especially if you\u2019re active on social.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuccess\u201d metrics can be a huge distraction. Unless they\u2019re tied to our priority goal. Did you start off by sharing songs on TikTok, but then what drove a bunch of views was a silly skit? So now you spend all your time making skits and you haven\u2019t written a song in two years?<\/p>\n<p>Look for the <em>right<\/em> attention, even if it feels like you\u2019ll sacrifice reach and engagement. And always ask yourself: <strong>\u201cAm I working for social, or is social working for me?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_should_you_do_to_make_your_music_relevant_in_2023\"><\/span>What should you do to make your music relevant in 2023?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_proven_demand_BEFORE_you_release_new_music\"><\/span>Build proven demand BEFORE you release new music.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Again, with so much music being released now,<strong> there\u2019s little point in putting anything out until you know there are listeners who want your newest song(s)<\/strong>. That doesn\u2019t mean you need thousands of diehard fans before you release anything. But you should feel confident that there is SOME audience, even if it\u2019s only a dozen people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>This might sound contradictory to what we\u2019ve said in the past \u2014\u00a0 \u201crelease IS promotion\u201d \u2014 but if you listened to our advice then, it ALWAYS included an emphasis on STORY, JOURNEY, and AUDIENCE. Before your music can succeed, it needs to be relevant, meaning someone HEARS it and enjoys it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In the podcast episode above, I go into detail about how songwriter Alice Howe built an audience onramp ahead of her album launch and <strong>increased her Spotify streams by 4000%.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_one_indie_singersongwriter_built_demand_for_her_new_music\"><\/span>How one indie singer\/songwriter built demand for her new music:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>The short version is, she has an album she is excited to release this spring. But she didn\u2019t want to drop it into the void without knowing there were people already hungry to hear the music on streaming services. I worked with her to strategize an outreach campaign that introduced her to new fans, with a clear plan for follow-up that would drive the most engaged part of that new audience to her music on DSPs. Essentially, we needed to build and prove demand.<\/p>\n<p>We did this by first finding a good viral-ready performance video. Thankfully she already had one from a couple years prior that was perfect. It featured a charming live performance of a John Prine song, a great intro where she\u2019s laughing right at the start of the video, and her collaborator Freebo is playing tuba in the background. It\u2019s got everything you need to <strong>catch the eye of a stranger on social, draw them in both visually and sonically, and keep them watching<\/strong> with an amazing (and possibly already familiar) song by an Americana legend. The video has been seen more than a million times across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rather than rush these new viewers straight to her own original music, we decided she should record this cover song in the studio (but keep the same minimalist, charming arrangement the viewers had already fallen in love with). Not only could new fans follow along with the adventure of recording the tune, but they were practically gauranteed to want to hear the track once it was official released. And they did!<\/p>\n<p>This campaign helped her gain massive traction on social platforms, caused the related video to go viral, and 40X\u2019d her Spotify streams in a matter of weeks. And this is just some of the groundwork for her upcoming album.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Be_willing_to_experiment_with_the_mechanics_AND_content_as_you_go\"><\/span><strong>Be willing to experiment with the mechanics AND content as you go.<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>Part of what made Alice\u2019s introductory campaign successful is we adapted along the way. <\/span>She wasn\u2019t precious about everything needing to be about her original songs. She was willing to shoot funny videos, play a cover song, and try new things. She was even amenable to my suggestion that we run that older video (more than two years old at that point) as her primary outreach ad.<\/p>\n<p>Most artists would\u2019ve shot down both ideas: No to the cover song, and no to the old video. \u201cIt\u2019s gotta be about the art!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alice was confident, smart, and adaptable enough to realize there are multiple roads leading back to her own original music. <strong>We just let ourselves stumble upon the one that got the biggest engagement for the cheapest price.<\/strong> And, as I\u2019ll address more in the next section, we also weren\u2019t married to our assumptions about platforms either.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Look_at_social_networks_differently\"><\/span><strong>Look at social networks differently<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Artists always put emphasis on the newest, cool, shiny platform. And we have preconceptions about where we SHOULD be doing the best.<\/p>\n<p>I admit, I wanted to see Alice\u2019s video ads performing better on Instagram than Facebook. Why? Dumb reasons. Because Instagram and TikTok are supposed to be the hipper places to be.<\/p>\n<p>But her ad was killing it on Facebook. Massive views (actual views, not ThruPlays), comments, shares, and \u2014 most importantly for the purposes of our campaign \u2014 low-cost clicks to DSPs which drove algorithmic playlist pickup!<\/p>\n<p>So it\u2019s good to remember: <strong>Not every platform is the same, and each can have their own distinct use.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For Alice, TikTok seems to be a great place to get big organic reach that remains on-platform. Instagram is a place to present a more curated version of her career, brand, and image. And Facebook has been, hands down, the best place to advertise her music to strangers and get them off-platform.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Always_define_yourself_as_an_artist_first\"><\/span><strong>Always define yourself as an artist first<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Artists who define themselves, or at least \u201cbrand\u201d themselves, have a huge advantage. And if you want help with this, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/podcast.cdbaby.com\/2016\/10\/175-authentic-artist-branding-bootcamp-diy-musician-podcast-live\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Authentic Artist Branding Bootcamp.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>But what I want to stress in this point is more about CONSTANTLY defining who you when you communicate with your audience. <strong>Don\u2019t dilute what you do or confuse people.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As I warned earlier, if you chase metrics or lean too far towards gimmicks and trends, you may get that quick hit of attention, but the bulk of your audience won\u2019t care about your music when you need them to.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The social content you create needs to be about YOU and your personality, not just engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>This might mean you sacrifice views and follows and likes, but you\u2019ll be sacrificing them in favor of the RIGHT views and follows and likes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its_more_important_than_ever_to_understand_who_YOUR_audience_is\"><\/span><strong>It\u2019s more important than ever to understand who YOUR audience is<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>The music market has expanded and become far more nuanced than just \u201cmainstream\u201d versus a few dozen niche genres. Y<\/span>our average music fan today has diverse tastes AND listens to music in an array of mood and activity-based contexts. <span>So you\u2019ll want to understand more about them than simply the genre(s) and artists they enjoy. <\/span><span>This includes <strong>affinity, interest, and identity-based groups.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>What ELSE can you know about your audience? What do they do? Where do they go (IRL and online)? What are they looking for? How can you meet their needs? <\/span>Answering these questions will be a big help to your music marketing, and open up opportunities for discovery in places you might not have originally considered.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_anticipation_AND_participation\"><\/span><strong>Build anticipation AND participation<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>It\u2019s always been important to get your fans excited beforehand, but it\u2019s now equally important to make them feel included. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How can you leave room for the story of your music to unfold in real-time, or in ways that YOU didn\u2019t script?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span>Brittney Kellogg <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/grow-tiktok-following\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">built her following of 1,000,000 people on TikTok<\/a> by employing a tactic of both anticipation and participation. <\/span><span>She shared a video of her singing along to a demo. Questions and conversations followed in a number of subsequent videos: <\/span><em><span>Do you like it? Should I record it? Should I release it? Will you listen?\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span>This frequent interaction lead to a groundswell effect where the fans feel like they\u2019ve shaped the destiny of the artist and music, and so OF COURSE they want to go over to Spotify right this moment to hear the results!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Strip_away_distractions\"><\/span><strong>Strip away distractions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Attention is scarce. Our own, as well as our audience\u2019s. So it\u2019s time to streamline!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you prioritize a SINGLE goal for you new release?<\/strong> You should. Not because music can\u2019t achieve multiple things at once, but because that lazer focus will help you allocate attention and resources in the smartest way.<\/p>\n<p>For you audience, <strong>can you help them quickly consume and act upon your messaging?<\/strong> Put just ONE item in your email. Add just one call-to-action on your homepage. Tell your fans at a show about ONE merch item they can\u2019t go home without.<\/p>\n<p>If you only require people to grasp and DO one thing at a time, they\u2019re more likely to do it. This will also make it more likely that a sequence of messages (such as a marketing funnel) is more likely to have the desired (and measurable) outcome.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Own_your_audience_already\"><\/span><strong>Own your audience already!<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s time to stop giving all our time, talent, and attention away to platforms!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Instead of obsessing about TikTok (which could lose steam to a newer app, get banned in the USA, etc.), or worrying solely about your music\u2019s performance on Spotify (when your fans could also be on YouTube, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc.), we should learn from the past \u2014 and the steady churn of platforms \u2014 and prioritize OWNING our relationship with our audience.<\/p>\n<p>This means email and SMS captures via lead magnets that are WORTH the person\u2019s contact info \u2014 such as giveaways and contests, behind-the-scenes or VIP experiences, secret content, or private lessons!<\/p>\n<p>It could also mean <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-career\/nfts-for-musicians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">music NFTs<\/a> which give you airdrop access to a fan\u2019s wallet. It could be getting people from <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/twitch-for-musicians\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitch<\/a> to Discord. The point is: you want your audience as CLOSE to you as possible, so you don\u2019t have hurdles to reaching them again.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_wont_be_able_to_do_it_all_so_do_the_most_important_stuff\"><\/span>You won\u2019t be able to do it all, so do the most important stuff.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span>It\u2019s a long list of things to consider above. And unlike the more infrastructural checklists such as our <a href=\"https:\/\/release.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Release Plan Generator<\/a>, the stuff in this article is\u2026 difficult.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>But once your music is finished, keep your creative hat on a little longer and do the hard but rewarding work of making people care.<\/p>\n<p>Your music deserves it.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"co-button\" href=\"https:\/\/cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">RELEASE MUSIC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/music-promotion\/release-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Release Music in 2023<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/diymusician.cdbaby.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DIY Musician<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Relevant music releases require more than mechanics! On this blog and in our podcasts, we\u2019ve spent a fair amount of time discussing the basic mechanics of a successful music release. This includes things like: Claiming your DSP artist profiles Starting with a single song Making a Spotify Canvas Opting in for all music monetization options Pitching your track to Spotify In fact, that stuff is so important to do that we built The Release Plan Generator. It\u2019s a free tool that helps you stay organized and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-music-marketing-blogs"],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7643"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7643\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}