Online Promotion Directory
This is a directory of websites created by Record Union which lists online services which we think are helpfull for aspiring independent and unsigned musicians wishing to promote themselves online. It will be updated all the time, and if you have any suggestions for services to include, please contact the blog team at: dogblog@recordunion.com. We hope you will find it usefull.
Contents:
Blogging
Podcasting
Tools to make your life easier
Creating a Website
Online marketing Tools
Networks and Organisations
Support/Advice/General Resources
Blogging links
Getting review on blogs is a great way to generate exposure for your and your music. For advice on how to do this, click here. Below is a list of blog aggregators and directories which should help you.
Music Blog aggregators
Hype Machine (www.hypem.com)
Elbows (www.elbo.ws)
X-Channel (www.xchannel.blogspot.com)
Blog Directories
Digital Meltdown (www.music-bloggers.blogspot.com)
All Music, All Blogs (www.music-favourites.blogspot.com)
Podcasting links
Podcasts are another great promotion channel for aspiring independent artists. Below lists places where you can list your music so podcasts can fine them, and directories of podcasts which you can contact to try secure airtime.
Listing your music
Pod Safe Music network (www.music.podshow.com)
Pod Safe Audio (www.podsafeaudio.com)
Creative Commons –(creativecommons.org)
Music Buggy –(www.musicbuggy.com)
Pod Cast directories
Digital Podcast - (www.digitalpodcast.com/browse-music-1-1.html)
PodcastDirectory.com – (www.podcastdirectory.com/category/Music)
Podfeed.net – (www.podfeed.net/category_list.asp?id=23)
Podcast Alley - www.podcastalley.com
Tools to make your life easier
Below is a list of online service which can save you time and make your life that little bit easier.
AtomKeep
Description: “Your profile everywhere”. This is a great service that enables you to build a profile on a single site and pump it out to loads of different platforms (such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, last fm etc.). A real time saver.
Artist Data
Description: Another service that enables you to update your profiles on many places at once, but also allows you to publish information to social networks and concert databases. Also features some clever promotion tools which enable you to tell press and fans what you are up to. Highly recommended.
G2
Description: A music networking site dedicated to connect fans with music and music with venues. Not only can you update your various online profiles from this site, but they also have a particular focus on concert promotion. An indispensable service for those planning on touring.
Tubemogul
Description: Tubemogul is a free service that provides a single point for deploying uploads to the top video sharing sites, and powerful analytics on who, what, and how videos are being viewed. Tube Mogul is partnered with all the major video sites such as (YouTube, Imeem, Veoh, Vimeo Viddler etc.)
Champion Sound
Description: free email-marketing tools for bands, musicians, DJs and promoters. Feature powerful tools to custom manage your mailing lists, jazz up your emails, and use analytical tools to see how many people read the email etc. This service even allows you to send text updates by SMS. Look no further for you mailing list needs.
Creating a band website
Nothing beats a good band website. The below services let you create one with minimum hassel.
Bandzoogle
Description: Create a great band website in minutes. No web design skills needed.
Hostababy
Description: Web hosting for musicians with ready-to-go templates so anyone can have a professional music website without being an expert
Online Marketing Tools
Myspace
URL: www.myspace.com
Description: With over 106 million memberships, and over 2 million bands – MySpace is a monster. All bands, serious and unserious, have MySpace profiles. Though quite user unfriendly and restrictive in some ways, it is a good place to upload and stream your music, network with other bands, and capture fans.
URL: www.facebook.com
Description: When it comes to online presence, Facebook, with 70 million users is not something to poke a stick at. Generally people don’t associate Facebook with the potential to discover new music. However, there are now some great plug-in’s developed by services like Last FM and iLike, which are breaching this void. Rather than starting a standard Facebook profile, musicians now have the option to start a music page instead.
Imeem
URL: www.imeem.com
Description: Imeem is a social networking site similar to YouTube, but as well as uploading videos, you also have the possibility to stream music and photo montages. It is a great place to bring together and manage your music, pictures and videos in one place. Playlists can be rated and ranked by others. With Imeem attracting around 25 millon visitors a month, that is a huge potential audience.
Last FM
URL: www.last.fm
Description: Upload your music to your bands page and it will be played to fans of similar artists via their online radio streams. With more than 21 million users, it’s a massive music community and one that exists solely to discover new music. Last.fm understands music consumption. Independent and Unsigned artists should definitely put their music up on Last.fm and take advantage of some of their social networking features by joining the relevant genre groups.
YouTube
URL: www.youtube.com
Description: You tube is a great place to post vide of clips of live performances, practice sessions, interviews and other footage. Existing fans will appreciate an artist or band that has an active You Tube channel, and it is more than possible that new listeners will come across your artists clip and become interested.
Flickr
URL: www.flickr.com
Description: Filckr is the biggest online picture community, and an excellent way to upload photos of your band. Photos let fans engage with artists on a deeper level and feel a bigger part of what they do. Flickr is also very versatile and links can be added to most blogs, homepages and websites.
Twitter
URL: www.twitter.com
Description: Twitter is another example of a great idea. It lets you keep in contact with your fan base in a very simple, straightforward way by answering the golden question: What are you doing? Twitter is a great way to strengthen relationships with existing fans and develop new ones. Its social networking capacity is unparalleled. A good alternative for those who don’t have time to write a full-blown blog.
iLike
URL: www.ilike.com
Description: Create a profile; add your music, pictures, videos and concert dates. Like other services you will be able to update various online profiles from one place. The great thing about iLike is that users will be able to share your songs on their playlists all over the internet and reach over 30 million music fans, which makes it a superb tool for attracting new listeners and expanding you fan base. Featuring add-ons for the iTunes player, Facebook, Windows Media Player, MySpace and others, this is a very versatile and powerful tool.
Music Nation
Description: Create an artist profile and enter competitions with your music.
Muxtape
URL: http://muxtape.com/
Description: Allow others to add your songs to their online mixtape and track the way your music is being heard across the system.
VIRB
URL: http://virb.com/
Description: Upload music, photos and videos to your own band profile.
Humble Voice
URL: www.humblevoice.com/
Description: A community of artists and the people who appreciate them.
SonicBids
URL: www.sonicbids.com
Description: Create a profile and set it free into a community of people who book and license music.
Unsigned.com
URL: www.unsigned.com
Description: Upload your music to be included in fan playlists.
Soundcloud
URL: http://www.soundcloud.com
Description: Store your music in the soundcloud and let users listen, download or leave comments on specific points in a track.
Slice The Pie
URL:http://www.slicethepie.com
Description: let your fans and potential investors finance the next recording
Networks and Organisations
Indie Montreal
URL: www.indiemusicmontreal.ca
Description: Want your gig promoted in montreal? Look no further. Indie Montreal is a concert production/promotions company born and bred in Montreal. They organize, coordinate and promote Pop Music shows in and around Montreal that showcase the best talent in the Canadian Independent music scene. For a more open forum for discussing independent music check the Montreal Indie Music Network. This is a great place to discuss your favourite new sounds and find out about others.
Support/Advice/General Resources
Websites
Music Nomad
URL: www.musicnomad.com
Description: Music Nomad is a online resource for independent and unsigned musicians. They feature ranked listings of services which help artists to produce, sell and support their music. They also feature helpfull resource articles from organistions working within independent music. A great place to find out whats available out there. The online music industry is in need of a resource like this!
New Music Strategies
URL: www.newmusicstrategies.com
Description: A superb resource site featuring advice and ideas for independent music businesses and musicians online, written by the formidable Andrew Dubber. This blog deals with many of the contemporary debates surrounding the new music industry and provides valuable advice for people trying to make headway in the often confusing new music environment. With great input from users, it comes highly recommended.
Ariel Publicity
URL: www.arielpublicity.com/sound_advice_articles.php
Description: The “sound advice” area of Ariel Publicity provides some great advice articles to help motivate and guide your online promotion strategy. Ariel Publicity is a “Cyber PR” company who really have their finger on the pulse. We highly recommend signing up to the bi-weekly “sound advice” bulletin.
Buzz Factor
URL: www.bob-baker.com/buzz/
Description:The buzz factor offers music marketing and promotion tips for songwriters, musicians and bands. Bob Baker, acclaimed author of the “Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook” among other titles, writes it.
Know the music Biz
Description: online community and resource center for independent artists and musicians.
Chris Borgan
URL: ww.chrisbrogan.com/best-of/
Description: Social Media Advice
Music Thinktank
Description: “Where the music industry thinks out loud”. Music Thinktank brings together brings together key thinkers in the realm of online music business, to provide you with up to date commentary on developents within the realm of online music.
Coolfer
URL: www.coolfer.com
Description: great blog dealing with music and the music industry. Written by Glen Peoples, and music industry veteran.
Specific Articles
How to even start by Andrew Dubber
The best way to manage a mailing list by Andrew Dubber
A musicians Twitter Road Map – by Ariel Hyatt and Laura Fitton
Effective Newsletters: The #1 Technique to Swiftly Increase Your Fanbase – by Ariel Hyatt
How to be your own publicist, a set by step guide to garnering maximum attention – by Ariel Hyatt
How to sell a 1000 singles a week on iTunes – by Ariel Hyatt
E-books
“The 20 things that you should know about music online” by Andrew Dubber of New Music Strategies
Description: The holy book of the online music industry. Read, reread, memorize and chant.
