Why Press Releases Are Relevant to Indie Musicians
Posted on October 21st, 2009 in Music Promotion & Marketing, Offline Marketing & Promotion, Online Marketing & Promotion, Press Releases, Writing Content.
Tags: bands, indie musicians, musicians, Press Releases, writing a press release
Regardless of what you do within the music industry you can use the power of the press release. If you’ve released a new single or album, write a press release. If your label just signed a fantastic new artist, write a press release. Even if you’ve just created a small set of cool samples that you want to share or if you’ve let loose one of your tracks to be remixed by uploading the acapella to your website, announce it in a press release.
Some of the above ideas may sound a little petty to be newsworthy but if you introduce it in the right way you can see success.
Ok, so a new release, a milestone in your industry or just a celebration of your success or new collaboration partner there’s nothing like tooting it out to the world on your trumpet. And there’s nothing more powerful for the broad circulation of your news. Given that, you need to be taking advantage of such vehicles to aid in your success.
Press releases have been around for a long time and have always been among the sharpest tools in the toolbox. And now, with the internet there is no end of online article and press release directories that are waiting to get your press release online. And then there’s no end of people searching these directories for content, news and something to announce on their own website. It can be huge.
You’ll often see press releases tied in with a current event or something that’s in the news or on people’s lips already. That’s because that approach works. But there are a number of approaches that can work for you. And worded the right way and tied in with the right information there’s no reason why it wouldn’t be published somewhere – and then the news travels.
Some other ideas:
- Moved into a new studio
- Purchased a new well-known synth, guitar or drum kit
- Joined/formed a new/existing band or outfit
- Written a new song about an experience/situation that reaches out to a certain type of person (maybe a regular event within communities etc)
- Set up a competition or are offering giveaways
- Reached an anniversary within the industry (maybe you’ve been formed as a band for 10 years and are doing a celebratory gig)
We’ll be looking more at writing press releases over the next few weeks, but in the meantime if you have any good ideas, examples of press releases that have worked or just want to add your two pennies worth, please do comment below.
January 30th, 2010 at 7:25 am
Some very insightful comments and information on this site, here’s my take on music promotion for what it’s worth. With such an overcrowded market place giving away your music is essential in my opinion. The biggest problem for emerging indie artists today is obscurity, not piracy. You can hear more from me and my music business philosophy on The Antiqcool Podcast.
http://antiqcool.podbean.com/2010/01/22/the-antiqcool-podcast-episode-1-how-can-you-be-a-part-of-our-success/
February 14th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Absolutely, I completely agree. What I don’t quite understand though, is the reason that some labels are now pulling out of music streaming sites like spotify. Is it purely to ‘force’ people into buying the record if they want to hear it on demand? Or do they just not understand the whole concept of viral marketing and reeling people in? Beats me.