Learn How To Promote Your Music As An Artist

Are you a broke, struggling music artist? Discover ways to promote your music and gain a following without investing money you do not have.

It is not easy to become a successful music artist, even with today's technologies at your fingertips. It is a process that takes time, patience, and commitment. First, you need to choose a genre you like and familiarize yourself with popular songs in that genre. Then you need to develop your own songs you think are equally entertaining. That process can take weeks, months, or even years. Yet, there's one struggle that is even more difficult. That is the struggle to promote your music once you have created it.

The term “starving artist” is often applied to painters and sculptors. However, music artists are also susceptible to financial struggles. As a struggling musical artist, you may not have any money to invest in promoting your individual songs or your brand. Yet, brand promotion is one of the most important aspects of the music industry. Finding free or inexpensive ways to promote your songs is vital if you want to eventually succeed in the music industry.

Where Should You Start Promoting Your Music?

When you are first starting in the music industry, it is important to take advantage of as many free ways to market your music as possible. One of the best options is to use social media. However, it does take some time and effort. You can pick a single social media platform to use, but multi-platform advertising is likely to get you the most followers quickly, provided you post content on each regularly. 

Certain social media platforms are easy to use. You can make quick posts on them and be done for the day. Those posts could include short video clips, still images, or typed notes to your followers. Here are some top social media platforms that are easy to use:

Other social media platforms require you to put in more time and effort, but the potential rewards are high. For example, you can live stream on Twitch once or twice a week to show off your artistry. Live streaming also allows you a chance to personally connect and chat with your audience. When audience members feel connected to you, they are more likely to share your music with their loved ones.

How Can You Create Music to Promote When You Are Broke?

Learning how to promote your music when you are broke is one major hurdle to overcome. Another is learning how to create your music in the first place and release it to the public. The best way to do that on a budget is to take advantage of free programs for music creation and sharing. Many of those programs are available online. Here are some top options:

  • Waveform Free is a powerful digital audio workstation (DAW). The software comes with training guides and video tutorials to help new artists get started. A Pro version with extra features is also available for a fee.

  • Audacity is billed as the original DAW. It is a cross-platform audio recording program with multiple useful features for artists. For example, it allows users to record and edit tracks, as well as add effects to them. Users can also import and combine multiple sound files, as needed.

  • Audiomack is a free platform where musical artists can share unlimited musical tracks. It provides opportunities for new artists to showcase their talents. Audiomack also allows users to share podcasts and connect with their audiences.

  • SoundCloud is a haven for artists of all types and experience levels to share their music with the world. The free platform helps artists connect with audiences, as well as each other. Users can create playlists of their favorite artists' songs and take advantage of other features, such as the ability to search by track or band.

  • YouTube is the ultimate free video sharing platform. It is a place where artists can share longer videos. Those videos may strictly include music, or artists may opt to upload videos for other purposes, such as telling fans new songs are coming or discussing upcoming live show locations or dates.

Do You Need a Website to Promote Your Music?

You do not need a website of your own to promote your own music. However, having one definitely helps. It gives your fans a dedicated space where they can always see what is happening. They can go there to look for a schedule of events, view new content, or find links to your various social media accounts. You may think you do not have the money for a professional website, but companies like Weebly are available. Such companies provide step-by-step website building instructions for free.

Another reason to have your own website is to use it to promote merchandise (merch). When you have your own merch, such as t-shirts, it can help you turn your fans into walking billboards for your brand. Merch sales can also help you increase your income while getting your music career started. If you are looking for an online Merch company, select a print-on-demand company like Teespring. When you use a print-on-demand company, no products are created until they are ordered. The company handles product shipping for you, and you pay nothing out-of-pocket. Instead, the company keeps a portion of the proceeds from each sale.

What Are Some Other Top Ways to Spread the Word About Your Music Online?

Some of the best ways to spread the word about your music online is to use the tips above, such as sharing it on apps like TikTok. However, those tips are not your only options. There are limitless ways to share your music. For example, you can join online music forums specializing in your genre. Doing so allows you to promote your music, as well as form friendships with other artists. They may offer you valuable advice on how to boost your career. 

If you still need more ways to promote your music, get creative. Join musical discussion threads on popular websites like Reddit. Doing so can give you a sense of current musical trends and discussions. Email marketing, commenting on other artists' posts, and guest blogging on music-related websites are also excellent options. Those steps can help you promote your music while gaining valuable insights into the industry to help you grow as an artist.