Music Marketing in the Digital Age
Marketing music is an ever-evolving strategic challenge.
Try this on for size. My co-founder and I are both in our mid-30s. In our lifetime, we have both listened to music in the following ways:
Records / Vinyls
Cassette Tapes
Compact Discs
Terrestrial Radio
Napster (and other platforms)
iTunes
Spotify
Pandora
Amazon Music
The point is that we have gone from a physical product with a typical, cookie-cutter marketing plan to a system of continual evolution. For us and our work, the changing landscape is fun and challenging at the same time. In effort to help our strategy with our client, Toby Lightman, we ran a quick poll on our Twitter:
To say I was surprised would be an understatement. (Full disclosure: I love Spotify and Amazon Music.)
But it is true that marketing for music has changed considerably over the past 5-10 years. And here is what we have learned in planning for Toby’s album release:
Fans. Fans. Fans.
We already knew that the fans should be the focus of any campaign, but especially with music. Whether it has been e-mails or behind-the-scenes content, cultivate and rewards your fans.
Tease
Music is one of the few products we’ve worked with as a marketing agency where you can actually tease the product.
Video
Just like with most of the other clients we’ve worked with, you have to use video; both produced and raw footage.
Music is an experience and social content must showcase that.
If you’re needing help with marketing in the music / entertainment space, please send us a note!