A Convert’s Introductory GT Music Marketing on MySpace

Guest columnist Julien Smith shares his introductory tips for marketing music on MySpace.

I was wrong about MySpace. I was absolutely, unequivocally wrong, and I’m sorry. Like you, I thought MySpace was the biggest garbage dump to hit the internet. Just like you, I didn’t embrace it. Damn, if only I had earlier.

The trick, you see, is seeing the big picture.

Imagine a guy hustling CDs on a street corner – guy doesn’t sell a lot of CDs, right? But put the guy on the right corner, a really busy one, and teach him to sell, he can make hundreds in a day. Do yourself a favour, and put yourself on that corner. MySpace can help make it happen.

First: bands, if you don’t have a MySpace page, you’re dead in the water. Second: If your band sucks, no amount of MySpace traffic will save you. Work those turntables and spit till your jaw falls off. Then get back to me.

So, now you should have a page, you’ve got Tom and Black Tom (the original), and you’ve added Clyde and me because it’s the right thing to do. "But wait," I might hear you say, "I don’t even know you." Correct, you do not. And you don’t know every single person that comes to your shows, but you love them, right? Same idea. Now start adding.

Do you have a computer at work? If so, be on MySpace during the day. If you can hire your little brother to be on for you, do that. Being on MySpace should be like running for President – you’re always on, all the time. Groups, bands like yours, zip codes – add, add, add. I think people have had MySpace propaganda drilled into them enough, but just in case you haven’t and are asking yourself why you should do this, I would like to remind you that every moment of your band’s life is spent in competition with every rapper in the world (not to mention every other commercial you see on TV), except you do not have a marketing budget. 

Thankfully, MySpace is the great equalizer, and you don’t need to sell 500,000 CDs to make a decent living like Green Day; you need to sell 300 to break even on your CD printing. And every person that goes to your page is an immediate listener, and potential buyer, so impress them. Put up your best tracks, and if you’re really smart, offer them for download. If you’re good, people will start hearing about you, and people will talk. I found out about Bad News Brown this way.

MySpace Groups are your friends, because if there is one dedicated to underground hip hop with 15,000 members, there’s probably one where you’ll be able to fit in and get some fans. Participate, and add everyone, all the time.

How do you expand your network after that? My recommendation: go after podcasters (like me). Podcasters have MySpace groups, and they play music constantly on their shows. They can be hard up for good tracks that they are legally allowed to play. Be one of those people, because podcasters’ influence sells records! And if you’re going to send them anything, don’t do it without listening to their show first; that’s just rude. Recommend a track that works. (If you’re looking for somewhere to start with that, try Indiefeed. They rock.)

So now you have a bunch of friends, it’s time to comment. Commenting is an important part of MySpace hustling, because people seem to actually read them. This may amaze you (it amazed me), but traffic spikes don’t lie. Also, keep in mind that 78 million users on any site have got to go somewhere.

By the way, are you aware of banner blindness? Studies show that people entirely ignore all that big, ugly, flashing junk on websites just as quick as they’ll avoid the crazy guy yelling to himself on the streetcorner. So don’t be that guy. Comment like a person, because you are one, and that’s your strength.

This is the same concept with the ‘design’ of your page (in quotation marks because, let’s face it, MySpace is not about looks). Every page you have control over should make your visitors do one thing. If you’re trying to get their attention on five things, you won’t get them on any. So make your visitors focus, and you’re on your way.

Hey, do you have a way to sell your tracks online? It’s something you might want to consider doing. The Podsafe Music Network lets you set up a page and sell your tracks for 99 cents each (most of which goes to you), so until MySpace figures that out, give it a shot. A lot of cats are turned off by buying CDs online, but they’ll definitely pay for tracks if it’s easy for them. I have a subscription to eMusic, for example, but haven’t bought a CD yet this year. A lot of my listeners are the same.

One of the advantages of working both angles is you get the kids (who are broke but talk up a storm) to chit-chat about you to everyone, and the older cats to pay for the stuff they like. Eventually the kids get some cash and may do the same. The system has worked before – think Arctic Monkeys and movies like Stick It. Put in some elbow grease, Google for more tips, and I’ll see you next time.

Further reading:
MySpace gives ‘Stick It’ a box-office boost