If you’re an independent artist and want to promote your music all on your own, then it’s important to know that the job comes with plenty of responsibilities—not all of which will be enjoyable. Doing self-promotion as an independent artist isn’t impossible, but you have to be prepared. In today’s digital age, self-promotion is easier online, which means that you need to be tech-savvy and develop strong social media skills for good results.
Aside from acquiring marketing skills, one thing that would help you a lot is to know the common mistakes independent artists make with self-promotion.
1) Waiting too long for opportunities
Many incredibly talented independent artists miss out on catching their big break because they wait too long for the perfect opportunity to come knocking. One thing to remember when doing self-promotion is that it only works when you chase opportunities instead of waiting for them to chase you. Don’t wait for a one-in-a-million chance to be “discovered” at a festival or called back to a bar you’ve played in; instead, keep on looking for other opportunities until you land yourself the right one.
2) Trying to do everything all on your own
While hiring a promotional team can certainly be pricey and the average independent artist usually doesn’t have money to spare, it’s hard to go it alone. If you want to build a solid personal brand, you’ll need to hire the right people. There are times when it may be best to promote yourself, but at a certain point, you’ll need help. Don’t look at this as an expense, but as an investment—a great PR team can bring in a lot more money than they’ll cost!
3) Focusing too much on social media promotion
Given the efficacy of social media, it isn’t surprising that many independent artists spend most of their time promoting on online platforms. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it can be a limiting factor when you neglect other marketing avenues. As an independent artist, the first thing that you need to break into is your local scene, which means that you have to be out there. People need to see you physically—not just on their Instagram ads. Therefore, if you’re doing self-promotion, make sure prioritise your presence. From there, the world is at your fingertips!
4) Paying for low-quality content automation
One of the most effective aspects of marketing that is crucial for self-promotion is content. Blog posts, press releases, and articles written about you and your work can help you establish a name in the industry. It’s tempting to pay for automated content creation just so you have something to release every week. However, modern consumers regard quality to be over quantity. You don’t want to be putting out low-quality content that could compromise your reputation. As a rising independent artist, you have to ensure that every piece of marketing material you put out is of high-quality. Doing so will help you become known as a professional!
Dong self-promotion as an independent artist isn’t a walk in the park. As mentioned, it requires a lot of time, effort, discipline, patience, and money to see the fruits of your hard work. Want to see results? You’ll have to do it right. Fortunately, being aware of the common mistakes you should avoid will help you adjust your plans and set clearer goals to guarantee success in promoting yourself and your work.
Struggling to do all the work yourself? That’s what we’re here for! If you need help communicating your music updates to your followers, give Promoly a try! We are a music promo delivery system for artists, labels, and PR agencies, helping you maximize your current mailing list. We’re a music PR service that delivers music to your mailing list, get in touch to see how we can help today.
