Promoting Your Web Site Online

Your band's Web site is the first way that some people will come across your music. As a result, the best way promote your Web site online is to make sure it represents you and your music accurately. Similarly, you'll want your online presence to be engaging so that it inspires potential fans to listen to your music and learn more about your band.

What to Post on Your Web Site

Your Web site is the perfect place for you to stay in touch with your fans. Start including information on everything you are or plan on doing on your band's Web site. Just booked a new gig? Post it on your Web site. Recorded a new song? Upload it to your Web site. Traveling to Africa to set up a music program for refugee children? Start a blog that is accessible from your Web site.
 
These are the sorts of things people who you've already connected with like to see because their encounter with you has led to a connection that makes them feel part of something. Their support fuels your success, and they feel good because your band offers them a direct source for music they like.
 
While the exact elements you include on your band's Web site will depend on you and your band members' preferences, make sure to include the following elements on your site:
  • calendar of performances
  • music
  • profile.
As long as your Web site features the correct basic components, is laid out in an easily accessible manner and is kept it up-to-date, you will be able to start building traffic to your Web site.

How to Get People to Your Web Site

Being online doesn't mean you can throw the traditional promotion rulebook out of the window. Despite being an increasingly cost-effective means of exposure, the Internet is only one arena in which you need to promote yourself. Traditional methods of promotion, such as print media and performances, are still integral to any level of success online or off.
 
However, when coupled with traditional promotion techniques, band Web sites can be very effective. To increase traffic to your Web site, take advantage of free techniques and free online publicity, which can include:
  • creating a MySpace.com bands and music page
  • establishing links between your Web site and other artists' sites, media sources and music-related Web sites
  • optimizing your Web site for search engines.
Even posting your opinions and the URL of your Web site to music blogs on hot topics (such as "artists' sales are not affected by music downloads" and other ongoing debates) can be helpful and can get people to visit your site.
 
However, these options will only go as far as increasing your online visibility. What you're really looking for is to turn that initial visit into something of value so that the visitor becomes a regular user. As a result, the most effective tool you have in your e-promotion tool kit is your e-mail list.
 
Creating an E-mail List
As professionally as possible (preferably printed from your computer) make three columns on a single sheet of paper with the following headers:
  1. Column One: Name
  2. Column Two: E-mail Address
  3. Column Three: Zip Code.

Print or photocopy this template as many times as you need. At each performance you play or workshop you attend, bring three or four copies of your e-mail list and clip them neatly to a clipboard. Add a long piece of string with a pen taped to the end. Now, you are ready to start collecting e-mail addresses.

Why a Zip Code?
Inviting fans to shows in their area is much easier if you have this information. It's always a good idea to limit the e-mails you send about a show to about a 100-mile radius of the venue you'll be performing at. Non-local fans can always see a full list of performances on your calendar page.

Using Your E-mail List Effectively

A fine line exists between keeping your fans up-to-date of your artistic happenings and spamming them with e-mails. The best way to use your e-mail list effectively is to send out:
  • a short e-mail once a week at a regular time
  • a longer monthly newsletter (at a regular time each month) that details all of the month's achievements, as well as exciting future prospects.

Thursday morning is a good time to send a short weekly e-mail because people are likely just winding down their with week's work and starting to think about their weekend. If your e-mail contains performance info, it'll be a great time to catch their attention so that they may plan accordingly.

If you keep your weekly e-mail short, it will be more appealing to people, as they won't feel like they have to read a giant tome of words. Once you've got people into your e-mail routine, they'll see very quickly how you're operating and know what to expect, which will lead to far better long-term communication.

The key to this whole procedure is planning ahead. The worst trap you can fall into (and the easiest way to receive lots of "opt-out" e-mails) is to e-mail your fans every time something new and exciting happens. No matter how ecstatic you are personally, random, frequent e-mails will be confusing and a lot less impressive than you may think.

Make sure all of the info for the week ahead is in your weekly communication. If you do happen to miss something, put it in your monthly newsletter.

Advice for Those with Infrequent Events

If you don't have any performances coming up, you can still send out a weekly e-mail. Think about all the other things you're doing for your art: Did you write a new song? Did you spend some time recording a new track? Even seemingly mundane events can be made interesting if you describe them in detail and include fans in how you felt along the way.
 
 
These are the sort of things that are interesting to people. Remember, once they've made the connection, people want to see the relationship grow. This kind of information adds a uniquely human quality to your persona, which more people gravitate toward than you may think. Adding a personal touch whenever possible is what turns random faces at a club into life-long friends and fans.