For as long as mankind has been around, there have been artists of all descriptions. From painters and writers to actors and singers, their creations have not only entertained the people of their time, but have preserved insights into culture as it has progressed down through time. In the medieval days, musicians and bands would travel the highways and byways, essentially singing for their supper. Some would luck out and become employed by nobles and kings, but for most, playing in the village square was the best they could hope for.
Now we come to the age of Information. Your fans are not merely those for whom you play at the local coffee shop every Friday night. Are you reaching your fans on the other side of the world? A big budget isn’t necessary to make that question a reality. Hosting has not only come down in price, but many web hosts now offer software packages that will automatically install a blog on the web host, doing most of the heavy-lifting code work in the background. All you have to do is fill in the blanks, so-to-speak, and announce your website URL.
The typical musician’s website will generally have the following components:
About Me (Us) page – This page briefly describes who you are, the history of your band, your general style of music, a picture of your favourite pet, etc.
Concert Dates – This is where you list the venues, dates and times where you will be playing, so that your fans can buy tickets and show up. Believe it or not, offering tickets from your website will bring fans from farther afield than you might think.
Music Downloads – You can either offer the occasional tune for free, or link to your song listings on iTunes. This is a great way for fans to sample your music.
Blog! – Your fans want to know you’re human and what your favourite pizza flavour is! They want to share in your victories and send hugs when you’re ill. Talk to them! A blog is where you will do that online.
Social media plug-ins – These will allow your fans to learn where you are on the social media scene. Are you on Facebook? Add a fan plug-in. Are you on Twitter? Add a widget showcasing your feed. Are you on YouTube? Be sure to add your latest music video!
Once your website is built and contains all the info your fans could ever ask for, it’s time to tell everyone that the website exists. Put the URL on your business cards, your promotion posters, your forum and email signatures, your Facebook fan page (you have one of those too, right?), your Twitter bio, etc. Don’t forget to announce it in your newsletter and put it up on the screen at your events.
Music is a universal language. Don’t limit your range of influence to the local community where you live. Who knows, you could end up with fans in countries you never dreamed of visiting. A small monthly fee will ensure you and your music connect with your fans.