Promote your Music Without Old Marketing Strategies

Using social media for music promotion is not something special. TikTok and Instagram remain some of the most popular platforms for sharing viral music videos, announcing new releases, and increasing the fanbase. Moreover, most tools required for music promotion are free on social media platforms, as all you have to do is create content and launch it to the audience.

In one of our recent articles, we've analyzed TikTok and Instagram as effective instruments for music marketing. Proceed to the page to discover more about video content creation, algorithms, audience engagement options, analytics, and other essentials.

When it comes to content posting, you need something that draws attention and makes people proceed to engage with your content. Still, it should be something unusual that matches today's trends and does not discourage people from following you on social media. In this article, we will highlight the most ineffective hooks to promote your product and show what can be used instead.

“If You Like Somebody From My Genre, You`ll Like Me Too.”

Using this formula, artists compare themselves to someone from their genre and conclude that the interest in this musician also leads to interest in themselves. Still, there's a question: why exactly should this formula work? If people prefer Eminem, it doesn't mean they would prefer to listen to Kendrick Lamar or 21 Savage. It sounds like you are willing to compare yourself to someone else like it's the only thing you orientate on. It sounds weak and unconvincing, as every listener on Spotify, SoundCloud, or Apple Music has personal preferences about every genre.

Instead of comparing yourself with someone who already has a name in the industry, promote your music your way. Show the uniqueness of your tracks by displaying things or feelings that are associated with such music. Maybe your song is associated with a special character or a hero who inspired you to create music. 

Another option is to refer to using the lyrics from your song to promote the track. It can be more than just a one-time option; you can turn it into systemic actions. To not confuse you, let's take a song and use its lyrics to create a hook for promotion. We are going with Eminem's "Tobey," created with Big Sean and BabyTron. The name refers to Tobey Maguire, an actor famous for playing Peter Parker and Spider-Man in a trilogy by Sam Ramey. In the song, Eminem brings in the following lines:

Tobey Maguire got bit by a spider, me? Must've got bit by a goat (yeah)
I used to dream as a kid I would grow (baa) to be one, I hope that I inspire hope (for what?)

The first line contains a reference to the episode of Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man, and Em mentions that he must have been bitten by a goat, hinting that he might be the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.). If we had to hook followers to listen to this song, we would do it this way:

For anyone who’s ever felt bad, know (yeah)
That Marshall is here to bring hope and show what you're capable of

In this case, Marshall is a reference to one of three of Eminem's personalities represented in his tracks. Of course, it won't go down as a real marketing hook, but it's a reference that may inspire you to create something special for your music. You know your tracks better than anyone else. Rephrase lyrics and use Easter Eggs (this trend has gone absolutely crazy above musicians for the last few years). 

"Song of The Year" Concept

You get your music released and you promote it via Instagram, using the rhetorical question "Did I just bring in the song of the year?". Your audience goes crazy, proceeding via a link to check your release on Spotify. Well, it may be a good story in a world where everything goes the way you want. The reality is a bit different, as you create extra hype, overinvesting instead of using a rational approach. It doesn't mean you shouldn't push your song to the top. It means you have to show its value from a better angle. How to do that? Let people imagine that this song is their soundtrack. Whether it's related to a special date or time of the year, it creates an association, so they will remember it. You are an independent artist probably working without music distributors, so you must be creative and capture attention as much as possible.

When music marketing strategies are based on something people get very easily, you can easily reach your target audience and increase overall engagement without conquering the entire world. Moreover, when people say "song of the year," what exactly do they mean? Who assigns this title? For some listeners, the song of the year may be the one that remains in trend most of the time, while others may choose their song of the year for other reasons (sense, tempo, drops, etc.).

"This Song is Officially Released!"

It's good that you get straight to the point, but here's a reality check: Numerous music promotion efforts are based around the fact that the song is officially out. You just announced the release, looking for attention. Instead, try to build a connection with the audience. Say what inspired you to create this song. A hook "This one is inspired by [say what's your inspiration]" will make the difference. Create a small story around your track by showing how the idea was born and what made you create this song in the form you have it now. It's not just a hook for social media ads. In the future, it can be your calling card, so people will recognize you by this specific ad. 

What Is the Key to Successful Marketing in Music?

The key to success in music marketing is understanding your audience. You should not only create engaging content to satisfy your followers but to understand their preferences and mix it with your music style. At the beginning of your career, you may need to improvise and change approaches to find an effective way to build community around music. Once you find the right formula, you can start using available social media marketing tools to push your tracks across multiple platforms. 

Using only free promotion methods may not be enough, as big music promotion strategies require an equivalent amount of resources. Besides pushing your content with traditional methods, it makes sense to use paid promotion to speed up the promotion and expand the audience. The bigger the goals you set, the bigger the package you may need. Artist Push offers various options for beginning artists, experienced musicians, and veterans looking to get even further with their music. Choose the most suitable package for music promotion and achieve your goals today!