Social media is a powerful tool. You don’t have to do a deep dive on the subject to know that TikTok is one of the fastest growing social networks of 2023. You have only to examine your own habits as well as the habits of those around you to see this. That begs the question – should musicians still be dedicating time and effort to building a website for their music? The answer is an unequivocal “yes,” but if you aren’t convinced, read on.
Here are the five reasons you need to have a website as a musician.
1. A space you own & control without limits
Website builders are better than ever, and the cost of finding a reliable host is minimal, removing all possible barriers to rapidly establishing your online presence. The best part? You control the entire experience!
Social networks may come and go, but so long as you keep up with the moderate costs of a domain and hosting, your music website remains online in virtual perpetuity.
Whatever you want to prioritize or showcase on your website – be it an EPK, your latest release, or upcoming shows – you can customize the experience to match your branding and goals. You simply can’t do that with social media, where there is an abundance of opportunities for your audience to be distracted by ads, notifications, videos, and more.
Social media is the party. And you need to go to the party to be seen. But you need a place to invite your friends back to. That’s your website. Which brings us to…
Build a stunning music website with Bandzoogle 👈
2. Strengthen your brand image and create an experience
Branding is one of the keys to establishing music to fan resonance in the digital age. While you can upload your cover art and profile photos to social media, there are aspects of your brand that can be very hard to communicate, let alone keep your audience long enough for them to care and dig deeper into who you are.
Your brand also can’t be “skin deep,” which is inevitably how it shows up on social media. There needs to be something behind it – your mission and purpose.
Inviting your fans to your website is like inviting them into your home. It’s an opportunity to showcase who you are, your personality, the message behind your music, and more.
Your website is the definitive online container to everything you – and the only place people can go to learn about and connect fully with you, without distraction. Nowadays, you don’t even need to create a design from scratch. There are plenty of professional website templates you can customize to suit your own needs.
3. Sell your music & merch
Some musicians have all but given up on the idea of monetizing their music, but could it be because they don’t have a website? We have reason to believe that might be the case.
Because your website lets you tap into more significant revenue streams you might otherwise leave on the table by default. It’s all good and well that your fans stream your music on Spotify or Apple Music, but what if they bought it? Now there’s a concept!
From CDs and vinyl to digital downloads, there aren’t many limitations when it comes to fun and creative ways to deliver your music to your fans.
You can also take donations, offer guitar lessons, and of course, sell your merch on your website. With capable print on demand services, the costs to getting set up and operating are minimal. Where will your fans go to buy your merch if not on your website?
4. Strengthen your presence on Google and Youtube thanks to SEO
You want fans to be able to find you online. Again, it’s okay if they Google you and find your Facebook page. But you know what’s way cooler? Getting them to come to your home on the web, where everything you want them to see is neatly laid out in the order you want them to see it in.
Developing content around your brand (artist name, song titles, album titles, lyrics, etc.) makes you more discoverable online. You may not see any immediate results from your efforts, but search engine optimization (SEO) stacks with time. If you’re patient and consistent, your hard work will pay off.
Think of this in terms of branding too. Everything you create is your intellectual property, and your IP is a part of your brand. There needs to be a central holding place for everything you create, because you never know what song, blog post, or video might end up connecting with your audience.
5. Grow an email list
It’s always nice when someone drops by your website and buys something. But the reality is most people aren’t ready to buy the moment they find you online. If they just saw your show, or heard your song on the radio, maybe. Otherwise, they’re still in the process of getting to know you.
As a precursor to selling your music and merch, the best plan is to invite your visitors to join your email list for exclusive updates. You can even give away something for free in exchange for their email address to entice them.
As you continue to grow your email list and share updates, you’ll build a stronger connection with the people who’ve visited your website, who will eventually become your superfans and buy everything you create.
Final thoughts
The reasons we’ve shared here are the tip of the iceberg. There are so many other great reasons to set up a website. As an artist, the power lies in ownership, and a website is one of the few things an artist can maintain total control over and build up to reach their career goals.
So, if you find yourself spending a lot of time at the party (social media), don’t forget to set up a home (website) where your audience can come to visit you. They will appreciate it.
– Guest post by Melanie Kealey from Bandzoogle –
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Promote your music and connect directly with playlists, media and music professionals ⬇️
Melanie Kealey is the Director of Communications at music website platform Bandzoogle. In addition to overseeing the Bandzoogle blog, she regularly writes posts with helpful website tips for musicians.