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independent artist advice

What is the Best Way to Promote YouTube Videos? Read Our 6 Top Tips for Music Video Promotion

Posted on 28 November 2022

With a viral music video, independent artists’ careers can change overnight, but racking up those initial streams and amassing the hype around your new music video takes plenty more than a stroke of good luck and a killer music video. Even if Tarantino himself directed it, you need to put in the work with music video promotion to ensure it makes an impact.

With over two billion people worldwide using YouTube, the video streaming platform which swung into our everyday lives in 2005, is a hotbed of music marketing potential. In this article, we will cover some of the best ways to hit the ground running on your music video marketing campaign and cover what is the best way to promote YouTube videos. Covering everything from shelling out for YouTube ads to more budget-friendly options, such as getting strategic with your keywords and thumbnails to putting the groundwork in with your existing fanbase.

The Top Six Ways to Promote Your Music Videos on YouTube

1. Utilise YouTube Ads

YouTube ads may come at a cost, but they are the number one way to promote your music videos on YouTube. If you have spent any amount of time on YouTube, you have likely encountered your fair share of YouTube adverts between watching the videos you have searched for.

With YouTube ad campaigns, you are completely in control. After you have set a budget, which will determine the cost per view, you can choose your target audience, the format of the YouTube ad, how your ads appear, and the keywords associated with your ad.

To get started, you will need a Google Adwords account, and to run an effective video promotion campaign, you will also need to have an idea of which audiences you should be targeting. You can get these insights from YouTube Analytics if you are already active on YouTube, Spotify’s Artist Insights and Google Analytics. This step may be incredibly laborious, but if you are serious about making an impactful impression with your YouTube ads, treat it as a necessary evil!

2. Verify Your YouTube Channel

Verifying your YouTube Channel takes just a few minutes, but it can have a substantial effect on your streaming stats in the long run. Verifying your account will give you access to statistics that can help you run your ad campaigns better, allow you to promote everything from merch to tours to physical copies of your music under your videos and improve the SEO of your YouTube channel. With improved SEO, you will bring more organic traffic onto your channel, which will translate to more streams on your old and new music videos.

To verify your account, head to YouTube.com/verify and enter your phone number to receive a verification code; once entered, you’re all set! However, before making the verification request, you must have uploaded at least three videos on YouTube.

3. Clip It & Mix Up Your Content

Video clips aren’t just king on TikTok; they are also great for placing on your YouTube channel to illustrate your songs and your brand as an artist. Via YouTube clips, which often work best as ads, you can let your fans and future fans into your musical world.

In addition to using YouTube as a platform to showcase your music videos and albums, it is also a prime location to jump on the hype of vlogs and behind-the-scenes videos, which give fans an intimate view of you as an artist.

By creating and publishing content of this nature, you get the chance to build a community around your music, rather than just appearing as a ‘faceless’ artist. If you’re feeling stuck for content, you can always curate playlists of your favourite music from other artists.

4. Master SEO & Keywords in Music Video Promotion

SEO may sound complicated to complete beginners but as an artist wanting to promote your music, there are a few key things to master that will take your promotion to the next level.

For optimal YouTube SEO, always use an appropriate title for your videos, a meta description that will appear beneath each video and the appropriate tags. For music videos, keep the title as simple as just your artist name and track title. For other content, look at the current trends on YouTube and form your titles and descriptions around them. Google Trends and YouTube Autocomplete are two of the best tools to help you get started as an SEO wiz.

5. Don’t Forget Your Thumbnails

Would you click on a poorly framed and blurry thumbnail on YouTube to check the video behind it? Of course, you wouldn’t. You would assume that the video quality would be just as poor.

To create eye-catching and alluring thumbnails, make them colourful and impactful. Instead of attempting to get a clear shot from your music video, take some stills while you are filming your music video, which can be uploaded to YouTube as thumbnails. If you need to do additional editing after the shoot and you’re not a Photoshop pro, you can always use tools, such as Canva; you can either pay for the service or use the free version.

6. Connect with Your YouTube Audience & Collaborate

Every artist wants an engaged audience, and while you are starting out, that is the perfect time to nurture your fanbase by responding to YouTube comments and showing your appreciation to your subscribers! Keeping up with showing appreciation to your fanbase gets tougher the more popular you get, but a simple like can go a long way!

For most independent artists, it is easier to gain a following on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Always promote your YouTube videos across these platforms and push your followers to subscribe to your channel; it can work wonders for the overall reach of your YouTube channel.

To get more fans onboard and bolster your music video promotion, collaboration is often key. While some artists pride themselves on being 100% DIY, collaboration is one of the best ways to combine the forces of fanbases. For your music videos and lyric videos, find other creatives that can bring their artistic touches to your videos, and always credit them in your meta descriptions.

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If you have a new music video to promote, submit it to A&R Factory. Our award-winning blog will boost the signal on your new video and help you kickstart your music video promotion campaign.

Article by Amelia Vandergast

Maximise Your Self-Promotion by Taking a 365 Approach to Your Release Strategies

Posted on 11 September 2022

Release Planning for Independent Artists

With the fall of record labels and the increased pressure on independent artists to always stay present and relevant on social media, the necessity of the year-long release strategy is increasing. Extensive calculated planning may not be what you entered the music industry for but if you want your career to be sustainable, it is up to you to create that sustainability instead of banking on dumb luck and the vague possibility of viral success.

For artists that are dropping an album with little to no pre and post-release planning and disappearing, there is little chance of success in today’s cutthroat industry. For artists creating longer-term annual strategies, the likelihood of success skyrockets.

This article will outline the best ways to gain new fans in the run-up to new releases and nurture existing fans by covering how to plan your annual release schedule and how to make the most out of your secondary content releases.

How to Plan an Annual Release Schedule

By planning an annual release schedule, there is less pressure on artists to constantly write, create and record music. By getting savvy with your release strategy and adapting to the new changes in the music industry, such as the rise of streaming platforms and genre-less playlists, the effort you put into your albums, mini-albums, or EPs will reap greater rewards.

In our previous article, we covered how the LP format was fading into irrelevance, but if you have your heart set on releasing an album, consider dropping multiple mini releases from it first. Streaming services, such as Spotify, statistically reward this pre-album release strategy, which is reflected in the statistic that shows that more than 2/3rds of tracks played on the platform were released as singles – not as albums. Additionally, when new releases drop, Spotify chooses particular singles for the discovery playlists. So, in theory, arranging your releases in this way means that every new release is a chance to win the attention of new fans and prime your existing fans for your latest music.

For example, if you’ve got 12 songs on your new album, the material could be broken up into a string of singles and potentially an EP. At a push, one LP release could become six new releases to promote. But it doesn’t end there; following every release, you will get to post about the reception of it as you tease the anticipation for the forthcoming release. For example, every time your new release gets radio play, playlisted, lauded by a music critic, written about, or hyped by a notable artist, that is another opportunity to boost your presence on social media.

The possibilities don’t end there either. As you are leading up to the release of your album or trying to garner more attention around it following the release there are plenty more opportunities to engage a wider audience. Here are a few more ideas to help you to fill your annual release strategies:

Release remixes of your most popular releases. If a particular release has gone down well with your fans, consider a remix of the single. The remix can be created by yourself or by another artist or producer. The remix can be as simple as a radio edit, or you could consider an electronic or dance version of your single.
Record live versions of your popular releases. The live music industry may have taken a hit recently, but that doesn’t mean that music fans have completely lost the taste for that irreplicable intimate live music feel. You can either add live versions of your songs to your releases or create a separate release.
Create unplugged versions of your music. If any of your tracks work just as well acoustically as they do electrically, consider releasing unplugged versions. Once again, this can be a separate release or tied into an EP or single release.
Release the demos of your singles before the final mixed and mastered versions. If you are happy with the more rough and ready versions of your new material, consider dropping the demos before you head into the studio and allow a producer to put the finishing touches on your music. Lovers of Lo-Fi may be more taken with the lower fidelity versions of your music.

Plan for Secondary Content Releases

Moving away from how you can maximise the impact of your recorded material, there are also ample opportunities to gain more traction from secondary content releases.

Music Videos

If you have the budget to create official music videos or official lyric videos, always release these after the single, EP or LP release they support. It may be tempting to drop them simultaneously, but by staggering the premiere of your music video/videos, you will create another talking point.

In addition to the more traditional official music video formats, embrace the hype around reels on TikTok and Instagram. Create teaser videos for all of your upcoming releases, promote fan-made videos, or turn on the camera and create behind-the-scenes or live videos.

Artwork & Imagery

The artwork for your releases can do far more than solely serve as single/EP/LP artwork. It can also become pre-release content for you to flaunt to your followers and fans. For the best chance of making an aesthetic impact, work with a talented graphic artist that can create poster-worthy images, NFTS, and other merch, such as t-shirts, totes, and whatever else you want to slap your album artwork on! Merch drops are yet again another great opportunity to take to social media and make the world aware of your presence!

Tour Your New Releases

One of the best ways to sell an album is to tour with it, but in 2022, touring can create even more content for social media. Fans who couldn’t make it to the show can live vicariously through the images and videos uploaded afterwards. Or you can give your fans a front-row view by live streaming your gigs. Don’t forget the obligatory gig selfie with all of your fans behind you on stage.

Amelia Vandergast

Eps vs LPs: Which Format Should You Choose for Your Next Release?

Posted on 4 September 2022

Video killed the radio star; now, EPs are taking over from where LPs left off. The final nail is yet to hit the album format’s coffin, but it is official, as of 2016, EPs and singles are on the rise while the LP format is in decline.

For independent artists considering their next move in 2022 and beyond, it can be tricky to know how to push forward; there will never be one size fits all answer for every artist. However, by looking at the data and trends driven by digital streaming, independent artists have the best shot of success with their next release.

Don’t be fooled by the reports that vinyl record sales were rising in 2021; overall, there has been a continual annualised decline for the LP format. While some music fans continue to appreciate the art form of the LP, EPs are quickly becoming more advantageous for independent artists across the board.

In a global streaming study by Deezer, it was reported that 54% of the 8,000 people interviewed admitted to listening to fewer albums than they did 5 – 10 years ago. One of the main reasons behind this is fans prefer to listen to a mix of tracks from different artists – a mix of tracks that are often curated by mood. However, this varies greatly by genre. Pop, rock and RnB fans were the most likely to listen to an album in full, whereas dance and gospel fans were less likely to sit through an entire album.

Why are EPs becoming more popular than LPs?

Cost

For artists operating on a shoestring budget, it is far more economically viable to release an EP instead of an LP. This is why, before the 21st-century decline of the album, EPs generally existed in the punk and indie domains.

An EP generally consists of 4 – 6 tracks, while an LP can contain 7 – 29. Naturally, recording an EP is infinitely cheaper for artists paying for production costs, session musicians and studio time.

The Decline of the Superfan

How music fans engage with music is undergoing a rapid transformation, which is mainly due to digital streaming influencing artist-fan relationships. Rather than trying to maintain your relationship with the dwindling numbers of superfans with albums, work on casting the net wider with shorter releases that are far more efficacious at attracting new listeners.

The Power of the Playlist & Other Streaming Platform Services

Playlists on Spotify and other music streaming services are one of the best ways for music fans to discover new music. Getting onto a major or official Spotify playlist can introduce artists to thousands or even millions of new music fans. However, there is a downside. Music fans are also being conditioned to consume shorter collections of songs.

For artists pouring their energy into a longer-form album format, there is a greater chance of the featuring singles becoming digital clutter on a platform, while 1 or 2 singles get all the limelight.

EPs Allow Artists to Be More Prolific with Their Releases

For independent artists hoping for a sustainable career, the Extended Play format allows them to maintain a regular schedule with their releases far more than the LP format does. It is hard to stay relevant and keep your fans engaged while you are locked away producing a 12 – 20 track album!

With that in mind, EPs can act as the stopgap between LPs; they can also test the water for a new evolution in sound. What is the point in producing an entire album that is going to go down like a lead balloon with your fans when you can test the water with a single or an EP?

EPs Help Artists to Predict the Outcome of an LP Release

New independent artists financing their careers may be eager to release their debut album, but jumping the gun is a risky move, which may not pay off in the long run.

With a few single and EP releases under your belt, you will be in a better position to predict your LP sales. This Is especially important if you’re selling physical copies of your LP. Lastly, you won’t get a second shot at releasing your debut album; make it a reflection of your best work.

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To sum up, albums will always have a place in the music industry, but for independent artists that are still growing their fanbases in 2022, the benefits of EPs outweigh the benefits of LPs. They’re cost-effective, and it is infinitely less likely that the tracks you have poured your heart and soul into will get discarded in the ether.

How Independent Artists Can Recession-Proof Their Music Careers

Posted on 20 August 2022

Remember when it was perfectly acceptable to post demands across your social media pages on music consumers to financially support independent artists? Yeah, it is a little hazy for me too.

With the economy biting low-income people across our capitalized stratosphere, the collective sense of fear has muddied the creative waters to the same extent as UK waterways that are now pumped with sewage. It feels as though we’re heading to a Dickensian dystopia, where relative financial comfort in the present does little to quell the fear of the future.

To conflate all of this, poverty and financial instability have a major impact on behaviour; it shifts focus almost solely on meeting immediate needs and navigating threats. So, it comes as little surprise that engagement in arts, culture and leisure diminishes with reduced financial stability. In 2021, a study conducted by the department of culture in the UK reported that poorer people felt alienated and excluded by the arts and in their day-to-day lives, art was increasingly irrelevant.

With the cost of living ever-increasing, naturally, there are far more people with reduced inclination to spend money on merch, records, gigs, and all the other expenses that come with them. And on the flip side, artists will be far less comfortable making those demands of their fans. There is a way to move forward, but success will be determined by an artist’s ability to adapt and overcome.

How to Recession-Proof Your Music Career

The future might seem bleak when you turn on the news or scroll through social media. But remember, a recession doesn’t mean that every revenue stream will suffer a drought. There is always money SOMEWHERE; you just have to be savvier at finding it.

As tempting as it may be to let nihilism consume you and put your creative projects to one side, the power of choosing a glass half-full or half-empty perspective is still ultimately with you. If you take on the weight of the world every time you contemplate how to move forward in your career, you won’t get very far.

If you retain some perspective and refuse to be overwhelmed by the sum of human suffering, you are in a far better position to sustain your music career and add value to your listeners’ lives. If you were looking for permission to throw in the creative towel, you won’t find it here.

Instead, we will point you to some of the most viable income streams for independent artists during the recession, taking into consideration the attention recession, the ACTUAL recession, and how the global pandemic also left its imprint on the industry.

1. Make Peace with Spotify

An independent artist should never expect any given revenue stream to sustain them. It is easy to bemoan streaming royalties, but over time, they *can* add up, especially if you release your music across all platforms with the help of a distro company, such as Ditto, which allows you to keep 100% of your royalties.

At a fraction of the cost of traditional promotion and advertising, streaming platforms are also one of the best ways to allow new listeners to discover your music. Once a new fan has gotten a taste of your sound, there is no telling how much they will invest in you further down the line.

2. Get Over the Music Publishing Royalties Learning Curve

Figuring out publishing royalties and how not to get shafted may not be the most exciting thing you can do in your music career, but it can be one of the most lucrative. Your compositions and recordings come with publishing rights; every time your music is used, you are entitled to compensation.

Whether that is when your music is played on the radio or physically reproduced, you should be compensated; registering with a music royalty collection agency is often the easiest way to do this. Once again, Ditto has saved the day with their music publishing service. They take a 10% cut, but that is a small price to pay when they also pitch your tracks to sync companies.

3. Be Inclusive with Your Merchandising

In a recession, limiting your costs is vital. But if you have a big enough fanbase to justify creating merch to supplement your other expenses, don’t rule this out as a revenue stream.

Not every fan will be able to spring for an expensive piece of merch or a vinyl record, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be interested in supporting you by purchasing smaller-ticket items, such as enamel pins and patches. If you produce physical copies of your music, make your CDs or cassettes as aesthetically appealing as your vinyl records.

As music fans are now being more careful with their budgets and are limiting the number of live shows they go to, always give your fans an e-commerce option to buy your merch.

4. Get In Sync

Cultural engagement is becoming increasingly more digital, so even if there is more tumbleweed in your local scene than music fans, that doesn’t mean you can’t cash in on the digital dollar.

Sync deals allow artists to earn money through their music being featured on different forms of visual media, such as TV, films, and video games. The flat fees can stretch up to £10k per placement; that is before you consider the continuous pay-outs for repeat usage.

5. Brand Sponsorships

If you are good enough at what you do, there is no reason why brand sponsorships and partnerships should be out of the realm of possibility. Not every up-and-coming artist will get the chance to rep their favourite music brand, but those aren’t the only companies that would be interested in brand sponsorships with musicians.

If you can boost the visibility of a brand, which aligns with you as an artist, with your established online presence, there is always the potential for brand sponsorships. Reach out to independent brands with a proposition, and always be prepared to negotiate.

Amelia Vandergast

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