The problem really isn't that you're not
marketing. The problem is that you're marketing at the wrong level. Marketing where you're trying to get on is completely different from marketing when you already have a fan base, but most artists don't recognize that. They market like they already made it. They move like a signed artist, thinking that if they just promote the song enough people are going to magically care, but you can't market to an audience that you don't have yet.
Think about it real quick. Would a restaurant
open it's doors and expect long lines on day one? Of course not. They understand that they have to build awareness. They have to get people to actually get through those doors, but that's exactly where artists go wrong. They try to sell before they build demand.
Let me paint a scenario for you. So imagine two artists walking to a stadium. One is a superstar and other artists is unknown. The superstar stepped on stage, the crowd, both crazy, screaming, chanting, everywhere before the song even starts. Now imagine the unknown artist trying to do the same thing. They walk on stage, pulled out the mic, expecting the same reaction, but instead, silence. Not because they're bad, not because they're music is terrible, but because no one knows who they are.
The unknown artist feels the weight of that silence, that realization that just having a song doesn't mean people would listen. This is exactly how most artists approach marketing. They think just showing up is enough. They think dropping a song means people should automatically care, but that's not how marketing works when you're unknown.
Marketing when you're an undiscovered artist is about getting attention first. It's about giving people a reason to listen before you first. Marketing where you're unknown is not the same as marketing when you're famous. So what should you be doing instead?
There are three phases of marketing every artist goes through. Phase one is attraction. Getting people to notice you. When nobody knows you, your job isn't to promote your music, it's to get people to stop scrolling and pay attention to you as a person. Most artists assume that dropping a song is enough, but people connect with the artist way before they even connect with their music.
Here's what really works. Create stories that make people care. Talk about what led up to your song. What emotion does it capture? What moment inspired it? Show your struggle. Let people see the real you. Instead of just posting,
getting comments, build relationships, and create real moments. If people don't care about you first, they will never care about your music.
Phase two is connection. Give people a reason to stick around. Attention isn't enough. You've got to convert your viewers into fans. This phase right here is all about consistency. Showing up often so people start expecting. Storytelling. Share who you are, why you make music and what makes you different from all the other artists out there. And then building a movement. Give people a real reason to identify with you. The artists who fail to recognize this become one hit wonders because they never ever turned occasional listeners into real fans.
Now Phase three is all about promotion. Now you can start selling your music. This is where artists get it backwards. They try to push for strings before people even care about real marketing works like this. You know, you have to create anticipation. Promote your song in creative ways. Skits may be behind the scene content. Storytelling videos. Then you drop your song strategically. Release it in a way that creates engagement. Challenges. Fan participation and so on. Then nurture that audience. Keep the momentum going after the release.
Most artists keep doing what feels comfortable, you know; dropping links, forcing streams, and wondering why nobody listens. But if you're read to this point you already know it's time to start moving differently.
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