Bob Baker's The Buzz Factor

Music marketing tips and self-promotion ideas for independent songwriters, musicians and bands.

Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog

News, notes and ideas on music marketing, self-promotion, artist empowerment and more

The Best Online Music Marketing Plan Ever

Last Friday I published a new blog post on an all-too-familiar topic: the sheer workload that indie musicians must embrace to make a true impact with online marketing.

There's no shortage of ideas, web sites or tools you can use. That's not the problem. The most common frustration I hear relates to confusion over how to manage a limited amount of time, money and energy.

Where should you start? What should your priorities be? What steps can you take to make the best use of your time?

For years I've been cranking out truckloads of ideas, tips, suggestions, success stories, and more. But what's been missing is a road map. A blueprint. A step-by-step checklist that any musician can follow and implement right away.

That's why I've started outlining a new resource called "Internet Music Marketing Blueprint - The 28-Day Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Web 2.0 and Social Media Promotion to Turbo-Charge Your Music Career."

Yes, that's a mouthful. But it accurately describes what I want this resource to deliver -- a specific to-do list for online promotion.

I already know most of want I want to include in this detailed blueprint. But to make it the best marketing plan possible, I invite your suggestions.

So tell me ...

• What specific Daily, Weekly and Monthly tasks do you think need to be included in a plan like this?
  
  
• What routines and habits have you personally developed to be most effective with Web 2.0 and Social Media promotion?
   
• What specific things would you like to see addressed in a comprehensive online marketing plan?

Please leave your feedback in the Comments section below, send me an email, or join my Guerrilla Music Marketing group on Facebook and post your comments in the discussion thread there.

I appreciate your input and will keep you posted as I develop this exciting new resource.

-Bob

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posted by Bob Baker @ 12:27 PM   4 comments

4 Comments:

At Sep 3, 2009 2:06:00 PM,  John of Celtic Ways said...

I really do not get around much of the social opportunities out there, but here's my usual daily routine

during/after breakfast
- read my chosen blogs subscriptions through Yahoo Reader, still do not like Google Reader yet
- check hour by hour weather forecast the day is this affects what I do
- check my Facebook profile for update comments and messages and respond
- check my emails, do the same
- check Twitter responses, post a comment, which goes through to Facebook too.
- say hello to new friends personally from Facebook, YouTube, ReverbNation, Concerts In Your Home, House Concerts Europe, not Twitter at this time, and I have given up MySpace.
- read back last 12 hours on Friends Facebook comments and make comments on some of them
- try to line up some new video and/or audio footage to upload to YouTube, downloadmusic.ie
- and then its time to get on with my day's work of tour planning, doing a tour or doing something with our venue here

during/after evening meal
- check my Facebook profile for update comments and messages and respond
- check my emails, do the same
- check Twitter responses, maybe post a comment, which goes through to Facebook too.
- say hello to new friends personally from Facebook, YouTube, ReverbNation, and Twitter this time as I find a lot of Twitter follower apps are time wasting spamming twits and not worthy of wasting my day work time.
- read back last 10 hours on Friends Facebook comments and make comments on some of them
- I'm in tourism so I do a bit on Frommers forum. Used to do this on Trip Advisor but the people seem so agressive there. Frommers is very social.
- if nothing else in on for the evening, update upcoming gigs on Reverbnation and MeetUp, write a blog or tweak my web site pages
- read up on new tips from Bob :-)
- watch a few YouTube videos and comment.

All this creates a cycle of growing friends, referals, a branding and recognition of what I do and an ample supply of private communication asking "can you do ...?" Best part, costs me hardly anything other than a bit of time and paying my online bills.

 

At Sep 7, 2009 8:48:00 AM,  Rain San Martin said...

Relevant internet marketing sites in the check list should possibly include:

Internet Radio: Make sure sites are updated with current tracks (Lastfm, Pandora)

Social Networking Sites: Respond to comments on Facebook MySpace, Twitter, ReverNation.

Post new song content: (Official Musician Website, Facebook pages, ReverbNation, MySpace.)

Post comments and status updates: ( Twitter, Facebook pages, Facebook, ReverbNation, MySpace.)

Update Musicians blog. (Blogger or Myspace.)

Enter Songwriting contests: (The Independent Musician Awards or the John Lennon Songwriting Contest)

Study Industry: read music marketing blog The Buzz Factor, ASCAP daily brief industry news, Mix and Keyboard Magazine.

Send out newsletter: (managed via Reverb nation )

Upload new photos: (Flickr, Myspace, Facebook, Official Web Site)

Invite fans of similar artists to listen to music or become a friend: (MySpace, ReverbNation,)

Seek licensing opportunities: (Rumblefish etc.)

Goal setting, visualization session: Review and adjust as needed.

Stores: Make sure links to buy music is updated on Official Web Site, etc.

Stats: View how many royalties, song downloads, CD’s and web sites visits you have had this week. Pay attention to what is working.

Attend Industry Events: (NAMM show, ASCAP events, local events, etc)

Visit inspiring artists websites: It can motivate us to move forward along our path when we listen to music or visit the MySpace page of similar artists whom we greatly enjoy.

Perhaps a mention about when to schedule in the meat and potatoes of our career ( new music content creation, recording sessions and instrument practice).

 

At Sep 9, 2009 11:11:00 AM,  Tony Barker said...

Bob,

Regarding scheduling, we've probably all found out that there are best times of day to reach bar owners (late afternoons, generally) Radio professionals (usually found out by calling the office and finding out from the receptionist). Acoustic soloist? NEVER call a restaurant during, or just before mealtimes.

It's about having the best interests of your client in mind, instead of just what you want, and it makes a HUGE difference.

Here's a tough one: a Time Study. Commit a week to jotting down everything you do. Everything. Including which articles you read studying the industry (I've wasted many an hour reading interesting, but barely relevant information). That which is measured is more easily improved.

I've whittled my reading down to Bob and one or two others, and spend MUCH more time DOING stuff. The deciding factor is concise, actionable input. Way to go, Bob!

 

At Oct 10, 2009 10:16:00 AM,  Corey Maass said...

I think you climb higher still. At the top level is the actual process for staying organized. I've recently revisited David Allen's Getting Things Done. Taking it seriously has already helped me be more organized, making every day more productive.

 

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