By: Hunter Anderson of PRSSA
Music PR is all about capturing the public’s attention for upcoming releases. Record labels often hire PR firms to create public interest in their artists’ new music. A successful promotional campaign not only commands attention, but also convinces the public to purchase the music. This increases record sales and makes the artist a relevant figure in pop culture.
It is important that the upcoming music release is not just any release, but an event worth talking about. Here are some essential tips for conducting an effective PR campaign in the music industry:
Create a presence in social media.
In today’s digital world, social media plays a major part in our daily lives and is one of the most important PR tools. Facebook and Twitter, specifically, have become staples in society. Every successful musical act has a Facebook page ready to be “liked” and a Twitter account ready to be followed.
The most effective social media campaigns are interactive. Instead of just tweeting occasional advertisements about the artist’s upcoming album, a smart social media team interacts with fans, hosting Q&A sessions with the artists or starting a trending topic for them to discuss. This level of interaction makes the artist more accessible to the public, keeping fans interested and creating buzz that ultimately translates into publicity. A successful project has hype around it, which is best achieved via an active presence in social media.
Advertise where it matters.
While it is important to place advertisements on social media sites, Facebook and Twitter are not the only online venues in music PR. Spotify is a commercial music streaming service that allows users worldwide to discover an impressive amount of music free of charge, and it has become more popular than ever.
According to Spotify, more than 24 million people currently use the service, which plays advertisements between every few songs. This is an ideal opportunity to inform millions of people around the world of an artist’s new music as listeners do not have the ability to skip advertisements.
Another great publicity opportunity is the iTunes store. The home page consists of several banners featuring new music releases, giving the projects an excellent amount of exposure.
Design a rigorous promotional schedule.
A proper promotional campaign consists of numerous appearances, interviews and performances leading up to the project’s release. The more visible an artist is to the public, the better.
Television, radio and magazine interviews are all important publicity moves, as well as red carpet appearances and performances at a variety of events. Television shows with large audiences like Saturday Night Live, The Ellen Degeneres Show and Good Morning America are often part of the promotional schedules of today’s major artists. Awards shows are also ideal publicity opportunities.
Unlimited possibilities.
Other ways to capture the attention of the public include creating an online newsletter for fans to subscribe, and making deals with major brands to feature the artist’s new music in their commercials.
Once a PR firm has taken these steps, the artist’s upcoming release will develop into a highly anticipated event. There are unlimited ways for PR pros to promote their artists. It’s an industry where you have the freedom to get creative.