promoting your band online

www.kilkennymusic.com

KilkennyMusic.com

Ken McGuire

Ross Costigan

Alan Dawson


Background Information

• Started September 2005

• Launched Monthly Gigs October 2005

• Beg, Borrow, Hire

• Staff Expansion 2005 - 2006

• Funded locally 2006, 2007


Who Is Ken McGuire?

• Graduate Waterford IT– BSc (H) Information Technology– Dip. Multimedia Applications Development

• Event Ireland, July 2005

• KilkennyMusic.com, September 2005

• Devious Theatre Co., May 2006


What Does “KKM” Do?

• Daily news & video updates

• Band profiles, music, chat

• Monthly weekend gigs

• Tri-weekly recorded acoustic nights

• Weekly podcast show

• Live gig photography, press releases

• Live engineering, studio engineering


KKM On The Internet

• All started online

• Main website

• MySpace x 3

• Bebo

• OneTakeSessions.com

• SoundSystemPodcast.com

• Staff Blogs


Why Online?

• No physical barriers

• Inexpensive– Free profiles, cheap hosting options

• Instant global market– Thinking local, acting global

• Why not?


Getting Your Profile Online

• MySpace

• Bebo

• Number One Music

• Sonicbids

• Start A Free Blog

• Start A Hosted Blog / Own Website


MySpace / Bebo Music

• Free to register*

• Upload your music– Music can be streamed / downloaded

• Connect with “friends”

• Connect with other bands

• Link to your iTunes account**


Sonicbids For Bands

• Free month trial, $5.95 p/m• EPK - Electronic Press Kit

– Photos– Music– Press Reviews– Stage Plan– Set List

• HWCH Submissions


Number One Music

• Must upload at least 1 MP3

• Fans join ‘mailing list’

• MySpace E-Team

• Free / Subscriber Options

• Targeted Exposure


What You Will Need

• Biography

• Photograph

• Music

• Time

• Patience


What You Will Need

• Properly written biography– Aim minimum 100 words.

• High quality photograph– Aim minimum 2.

• High quality audio– Aim minimum MP3 @ 160k.– Make sure is actually audible.


Where To Begin

• Start with a pen and paper– Brainstorm for an internet strategy

• Make a list of goals– CD on iTunes, video on YouTube

• Make a list of deliverables– Music, video footage

• Make a list of your costs– Subscriptions, one-off costs etc.


Develop Your Internet Strategy

• Select your sites

• Get your content organised

• Set yourself dates and deadlines

• Plan for the future– New content, new video, new audio

• Brainstorm, refine


Start Your Own Website

• Free / Commercial

• Away from distractions

• Fully customisable

• Full control of your brand

• Host your own fan forum


My Tip: Start A Blog

• Easy to run

• “Blog” is the new web site

• Search engine rankings– Can appear in full Google index within

minutes


Blogging For Bands

• “Online Diary”– A series of posts in chronological order

• Free Options– Wordpress.com– Blogger (Google)– MySpace Blog– Bebo Blog


Blogging For Bands

• Self Hosted– Your own domain name

• Portray a professional image

– Cost Effective, €40 pa– Use of free plugins e.g. audio player, store,

gig calendar, forum.– Full control of your brand


What Can You Do On A Blog?

• News - keep people informed

• Photos - open your own gallery

• Email - start and run a mailing list

• Music - upload as much as you want

• Store - sell as much as you want

• Syndicate via RSS


Selling Your Music Online


Selling Your Music Online

• CDBaby.com (and .net)

• iTunes

• Self Hosted

• Free download, encourage sales


CDBaby

• Selling since 1998– 150,000 artists, over $40m in sales

• US$35 setup fee• 9% CDBaby, 91% Artist ($4 per CD)

• Mail Them 5 CDs to start with


iTunes

• Sell via TuneCore– €0.71 per song on iTunes– Albums get €7.10 per song– Also reach eMusic, Rhapsody etc.


Don’t Expect To Be Found


• Get people to your site (s)– Mailing list– Forum posts– MySpace Friends– Press releases– Search engine advertising

Develop Your Marketing Strategy


Cut Costs - Use Free Tools

• Social Networking

• Forums– Boards.ie most visited discussion / chat

site by Irish users in September 2007.

• Blogs– Wordpress, Blogger etc.

• Above all - be seen


Promote Yourself Online

• Band Newsletter

• Banner / Link Exchange

• Join A Webring

• Music Forums– E.g. KKM– E.g. boards.ie

• Google Adwords– PPC


Get Heard: Go Podsafe

• Decide On A Podsafe Track

• Submit Your Music For Podcasting– http://music.podshow.com

• Be sociable– Know your podcasters– Email / contact the podcast on play


ComScore September 2007

• Over 2 million web users in Ireland

• Bebo 4th overall

• YouTube.com top multimedia site– iTunes second

• 66% under 35

• 43% Irish users visited a MM site


Finding Us Online


www.onetakesessions.com

www.soundsystempodcast.com

promoting your band online

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