by Joyce V Harrison

Created on: July 15, 2009

Success as an artist or band is all about growing your fan base. So having a web presence is not anything that needs debating. And because free is good, myspace is where music people go. Even if you have an independent website, you need one on myspace too. Quick enough to do with simple instructions. But that's only the start.

Careful what you put up

Some artists try to get too fancy in design and make the text too difficult (dark backgrounds for instance) to read. Keep it easy for potential fans. Only upload your best tracks (check those sound levels) and offer the buy feature. If you have your own website, include the link. Some artists also put too much or too little background information. No need to go on and on but at least cover the bio basics.

Assign someone to update the site

Getting gigs? Your fans want to know where you're playing and when. You want them to know as well. Your information should be constantly updated. It's a good idea to do some blogging as well to develop a personal rapport with fans.

Be selective about your friends

You will receive requests from companies that offer services and from other artists, some not so good. Check out their pages before you say yes. If it's a new fan, send an e-mail to say thank you and start to compile a list so you can later send invitations out to your live shows or a message about a new track or album.

Get the word out

One thing to remember: links. There are endless numbers of music websites and bulletin boards that allow you to post the link to your website for free. When you're ready, you can also get reviews of your music at sites such as www.indie-music.com. T-shirts, CDs, whatever you have, should display your myspace address. Get a supply of business cards, home-made if that's all you can do, that include your website and pass them out.

Local or international?

Since it is the worldwide web, think about where your best prospects are. If you want fans to come to your shows, focus on adding to your fan base in the locations where you're touring or playing. If your goal is to sell your music and it happens to be popular in faraway places, those are the fans you should inform when you have a new release.

Sound like a lot of work? It is. But if you're serious about a career as a band, artist or songwriter, you have to give as much importance to the business and marketing side as you do to your music.

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