‘Tis the season! Yes, I’m talking about the season of beautiful lights hung all around the city, twinkling Christmas trees, holiday music pouring out of every store, and of course, delicious baked goods. But you know what else it’s the season for? Incredibly unique and collectible merch from you to your fans (or gifts, if you prefer), in the most thoughtful and DIY way possible.

When it comes to releasing new music, it’s an exciting time. After all, you’ve been working on this new piece of art for months or even years, and when it’s finally time to bring it to fruition and show the world what you’re made of, it can be tempting to just throw it out there, wait for the crowds, the press, the labels to jump on it and realize your brilliance, and for fans to go nuts over it.

Even before the pandemic, it’s safe to say that funds were probably pretty tight for most developing artists. But now without the ability to earn money through touring, festivals, and even most local live in-person shows, money is a bigger concern than ever for many independent musicians. This doesn’t change the fact that if you want to release music and find an audience in 2020, there are some things you can’t avoid spending money on. Here are four things worth investing in as a developing artist making music in today’s complex music industry:

An important part of getting more fans is to go beyond your music in your marketing efforts. You might have great songs, amazing visuals, and nice videos, but sometimes these might not be enough to get more following.

One of the biggest challenges of creating a solid social media presence is to publish quality content consistently. Many artists post about concerts, recording sessions, and music videos, but they struggle with keeping their content consistent throughout their feed. 

So you got your first interview—congratulations! We spend a lot of time talking about how to secure your first few press placements. But what happens when you actually do? Well first, I hope you celebrate—this is a big deal!

Then, it’s time to talk strategy. How are you going to make the most of this interview? How will you present yourself? What stories can you tell? How do you remain professional yet relaxed enough to let your personality shine through? 

There are many great ideas for social media content, but some are more effective in driving engagement to your page.  We live at a time where social media is no longer about getting the most likes or views, but it is about creating an ongoing conversation with your fans. So here are five content ideas to help you to reach out to more fans:

Have you ever worked tirelessly on a new song, only to have it totally flop?

Or maybe you’ve spent thousands on an album, only to have the buzz die out about a day after the release?

And really, is there anything more disappointing than releasing a piece of music and feeling like no one cares? It’s incredibly discouraging!

But I’m going to let you in on a little secret—9 times out of 10, it isn’t because the music sucked. It probably isn’t even just because of the social media algorithm being against you. Instead, it has everything to do with your PR and marketing strategy—or should I say, lack of.