There are tons of things, but I picked three.
I love music and the business of it. I’m always thinking of ways how independent acts can improve their careers and work towards commercial prosperity. Recently, I thought about the past year (2018) and some keys I learned. I tweeted 3 things that I thought indie artists could improve on in 2019.
Things artists can do to be better in 2019:
— Darren (@Darren_Gooden) December 29, 2018
1. Get a website.
2. Add metadata to upcoming releases.
3. Say “thank you”
Whether you’re grinding independently or in partnership with a large corporation, this is for you. You’d be surprised at how many signed artists are dropping the ball in various aspects of their careers. The goal is to do better on all fronts no matter what stage of career you’re in.
Even if you’re not a recording artist, I believe you can learn from this article. Anyone with a personal brand will be able to find something valuable here.
1. Get a Website
I often run into artists/personal brands who do not have a website. So much of the work we do is based in digital spaces, so why would you not build a digital home for your brand to live in? The most common rebuttal I hear is that they are using their social media platforms for all online presence. “But, Darren. I have Instagram.” Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. cannot sustain you forever.
Social media platforms are great places to promote your work and network with others. They can be an important part of your digital strategy, but they can never replace a personal website. It’s true that you will need to be active on social media platforms, but that alone isn’t sufficient for your brand's long term success.
A website can project a professional image. Any brand that creates and maintains a professional website is more likely to be taken seriously by their audience.
Have you ever found a brand that you enjoyed and ultimately become disappointed when you could not find a website to learn more about the company and make purchases? You may have seen them on social media with an out of date profile or had trouble making contact with them. A website will add value to your audience and create the final steps in the sales funnel towards conversion.
We know that social media platforms do not last forever. We have seen them fall time after time. Forbes questions the longevity of social media platforms in an article from 2016 by Jayson Demers. “Because web technology has been a volatile development (think about how drastically concepts of web design have shifted, or the tech bubble “bursting” in the early 2000s), we’ve grown used to the idea that most web-based enterprises will eventually burn out or fade away. MySpace is a perfect example of this on the social media front—yes, it’s still technically alive—but it’s nowhere close to the level of popularity it used to enjoy.”
Aside from the fact that social media platforms do not live at the height of their popularity forever, one thing people forget is that they do not own those sites. The actual owners make decisions and you are not included in that process. You can be suspended for breaking rules or policies. If it’s free you are the product. Never forget that. What would you do if all your beloved social media apps went away tomorrow? You cannot own those sites, but you can own a domain name that you purchased. Use that domain to create and build digital real estate in the form of your website.
2. Edit Metadata
There is no music release under my management that will see the light of day without properly edited metadata (ID3 tags). Metadata is what you will use to encode your audio file in different ways.
You should be encoding important information including (but not limited to):
Song title
Band or artist name
Genre
Year of the song’s release
Collaborators / Credits (where applicable)
Artwork
Mood
The metadata embedded in the file is independent of the file name. If someone takes the file and changes the name, the information inside the file will still remain the same. Whatever details were specified will show up appropriately.
Metadata can play an important role in you being discovered or paid. If your songs are used in broadcast or any space where you are owed compensation, it can help to identify you and get you the money you are owed.
Accurate metadata details will increase potential licensing opportunities. A music supervisor may approach someone for specific music needed for a project. Remembering every single track or composition you have may be difficult. Taking good notes and embedding metadata will help to stay organized and ready to deliver.
Also, music supervisors and other people seeking to license music will search through music libraries/production libraries. Pay attention to the keywords and info you use to describe your music. Make it as accurate as possible in order to lead the right people to your music. Hypebot’s A Musician’s Guide To Editing MP3 Music Metadata article is a helpful resource to learn more. Hypebot has various articles regarding metadata, so take a look at them when you have time to study.
A tool I’ve had success with is Mp3tag. It’s a free metadata editor for many file formats on Windows. Here are a few Mp3 tag editors that can help. Find what works best for you.
3. Say “Thank You”
For me, gratitude is a non-negotiable in life. I wouldn’t be where I’m at without the help of others and neither would you. The idea of being “self made” sounds good in rap songs, but it’s not a reality. Don’t get caught up in the illusion that you’re the only person that matters. There are roughly 7.8 billion people in the world. You are not special.
Artists and small business people need opportunities and resources to grow. When you are granted those, be grateful. You’re entering areas where you aren’t needed.
There are literally billions of people making music and offering similar products as your brand. Tons of songs are being released every day. I know because the music is in my inbox.
There is power in gratitude. It sets you apart from the pack of people who don’t live with it. It gives you the energy to press on through difficult times. It gives you perspective and peace.
Instead of being upset that you don’t have more supporters, more money, or more anything else, be thankful for what you have. If you get rooted in a "MORE" mindset, you will probably get trapped.
As we work towards freedom and abundance, we must show gratitude for the blessings we have. Why do you deserve more if you aren’t thankful for what you already have? People don’t owe us anything. Ticket sales, music streams, or likes on social media are not guaranteed. When they show you love and support, say “thank you.”