| First and foremost gaining band recognition via the | | | | more leverage with advertising. Using a free to |
| Internet through blogs and social networks will take | | | | create blog platform, you will need to temper your |
| some dedication, patience, time, and consistent work. | | | | "personal advertising" greatly. Keeping the self serving |
| Yes, I said the "W" word, but if the time you spend | | | | links down to a minimum until you your blog site |
| is spent wisely, you will see results much faster. To | | | | becomes established in the ratings. |
| reach the masses and gain exposure you will need to | | | | Choosing the social networks to promote your music |
| first focus on getting your name ranked on the | | | | is next on the list in your market me adventure. |
| search engines. | | | | MySpace is the music social network that you should |
| Sit and decide (if you aren't 100% on what image | | | | start with, being certain to set your MySpace URL |
| and style you want to portray) what flare and style | | | | and display name to your band name, the same as |
| you want to relate to your band. Without a bit of | | | | your domain names that you purchased. This will get |
| your own color "popping out" you will possibly get | | | | that search term set in stone. Choosing four more |
| "washed out" on the Internet. With the amount of | | | | search terms to add to this one will be your next |
| competition you have on the net, you will need to | | | | step and use them all in your blog posts, social |
| become the image you present to your fans and set | | | | networks text, and other site information. Be sure to |
| the image to encompass exactly what your band | | | | ask yourself what music lovers will ask when |
| breathes out creatively. | | | | searching for your style of music, this will help you |
| Choose first your color scheme and a logo. If | | | | discover your major keywords. |
| someone you know or a member of the band is | | | | The key to massive exposure is not taking a handful |
| inventive, maybe they would design a basic logo for | | | | of salt and flinging it over a great area, but to take |
| you that you could then build off of later or add to | | | | that salt and spread it liberally over a few key areas |
| to evolve a signature for your sound. Take this logo | | | | with concentrated flavor, focus, and consistency. |
| and include it in banners, graphics, and buttons of | | | | Working your sites with concentration like a pattern |
| several sizes to place on blog sites, social networks, | | | | will attract excited passionate fans who then spread |
| and other web pages. | | | | the word for you. |
| Now that you have your image, color scheme, and | | | | Is eight to ten sites really concentrated? It may |
| logo, you will need to choose one major photo and | | | | sound to you like the half the Internet and an |
| up to two others to represent your group. Include | | | | extreme amount of time, but with your two to three |
| the major photo into a few of your banners or | | | | blog style sites and your four to five social networks, |
| graphics. | | | | all linked together, with similar but separate |
| Purchase the domain names to match the band name | | | | information on them, all using the same major |
| and look into securing the trademark for your band | | | | keywords and added different minor ones, your |
| name. Purchase the dot com, dot info, and dot net | | | | exposure will grow exponentially. |
| domain names for certain and possibly some others. | | | | There are those who begin a social network of their |
| These will be forwarded to your blog site, a social | | | | own for the band at sites like Wetpaint or Ning. This |
| network that houses you music clips, some personal | | | | is very time consuming and unless you have a |
| band information, and your events. List All of your | | | | specific band member to take this lone task on, wait |
| events, even if they seem small or insignificant to | | | | on this idea and opt for starting a group at MySpace |
| you like a friends birthday party. These can be called | | | | and one at Facebook for your band. No, Facebook |
| "private" events, "invitation only", and meant to seem | | | | does not allow for a "band" profile, but you can have |
| exclusive. | | | | a personal Facebook page and start a "My Band" |
| You major blog site should also be podcasting | | | | group to promote your band at Facebook. With the |
| enabled like Blog Talk Radio or Podbean or choose | | | | excitement and growth over at this social network, |
| Vox, Blogspot, or a Wordpress blog. All of these | | | | you would be missing the boat without a group here. |
| sites are able to house podcasting widgets from | | | | Even starting a group at one of the Ning social |
| Utterli, Blog Talk Radio, or any HTML based blog | | | | networks that is music oriented is a great idea. |
| widget to house your sound so visitors to your blog | | | | Connect your Twitter to Facebook and MyBlogLog |
| can listen in. Setting up an additional "all in one" blog | | | | to all of your blogs and social networks keeping your |
| style site at FreeWebs may become more time | | | | reach connected for a triple dose to Google and |
| consuming than you had anticipated, but this is a wise | | | | other search engines. |
| choice if you have a few members of your band | | | | Staying consistent with your time spent and your |
| that pitch in and help. | | | | keyword usage is as easy as figuring out a budget. |
| These sites will become your blogging base. Giving | | | | Decide how much time you have to work on the |
| similar information on each site but adding a personal | | | | Internet, then divide your time equally between each |
| snippet of information new to each site will help keep | | | | of your sites. Choose your music social networks by |
| them individual and fresh. Try including a different | | | | doing a quick Google search or take a look at a few |
| tune at each separate site with links back to each | | | | of these: IndabaMusic; Last FM; iLike; JamNow; |
| from all sites. | | | | FlowTones; MusoCity; PureVolume; HumbleVoice; |
| Depending on your marketing resources and budget, | | | | imeem; and R4Media. |
| you can do this totally free but with more time spent | | | | Connect yourself with all of your sites by linking back |
| or fifty percent free with a little less time invested. | | | | on individual posts, bulletins, and link lists, stay |
| Fast tracking a blog platform through a paid site like | | | | consistent with your activity, make as many contacts |
| Host Gator using a Wordpress blog will allow a bit | | | | and friends as you can, and enjoy your success. |
