Promoting anything is a tricky endeavor, especially with music. Social media has allowed people to ditch the traditional means of promotion: touring, radio plays, and so on. I am certainly not an expert in this field, but my advice comes from the perspective of someone that creates and listens/consumes music.
Although these six things listed could be applicable to anything I was writing it with Twitter and music in mind.
As a consumer I feel this drives me away from your product:
1. Spamming your songs
There is a way to do this correctly. By using powerful apps. such as Hootsuite, you can spread your tweets throughout the day to cover all time zones. I think it’s important people tweet about what they do, but if all I see in my time line is the same thing over and over reworded with a bunch of !!!! every 10 minutes… I’m not going to be inclined to click the link.
2. Asking people to directly promote you
When I see people asking(more like begging) people to #RT or RT to help them promote their EP, single, (or rarely) their album, I instantly look away. Nobody likes to have someone force them to do something especially if you’re not offering any service in return.
3. Saying you’re the best
Let’s face the truth. You’re probably not. If you were the best people would be writing about how amazing you are and endorsing you. Your goal should not be to “get famous.” It’s an extremely broad term and may not have all the rewards you think it has.Yes, there are people that are hidden in the world that have superior, amazing, raw, beautiful talent/technique/abilities…but telling me you’re music is beautiful or the best means to me you have a lot of work to do on yourself. I believe the listener should decide for themselves what it is, not you. Humbleness and modesty mean a lot to me in the music industry. If you’re a modest and humble musician I like you automatically 
4. If I see the word EP I don’t care for you
Okay, I’ll probably get a lot of heat for this one, but I don’t like EPs. Singles are completely different. Singles give me the taste of either what is to come or who you are and then makes me inclined to listen to your album, not just another 3 or 4 tracks. The EP was originally created to send out as demos to prospective producers or record labels so you can make an LP or what have you. Today people use it a lazy an excuse for an album. I say go all the way! When I see people make EPs and try and push them it means that they either are desperate, want attention, or lack content for a full length album. I understand a lot of people don’t have the time to make a full album, but waiting is a virtue. An album to me is an experience and adventure. An EP is like the brochure that tells you about the adventure, but you don’t actually get to go on it.
5. Interact with other musicians
Network. Network. Network. I can’t stress this enough. You may not realize it, but when you tweet that you like a song, link it, and give credit to that person- I know it means the world to them. People generally return the favor. Do this more…especially if they are good, you’ve worked with them and they are reliable, and/or you think they have a lot of potential. Not only will you interact and connect with people and find new, awesome, and cool music, but you’ll also without having to try promote yourself!
6. Listen and don’t ignore feedback
I’m probably one of the few people that don’t mind negative feedback. I want the criticism. If you can’t handle it, then you’re not ready. Obviously people have different tastes and may say it sucks because it’s not what their ear prefers, but take the critiques from people you know and respect seriously and use it constructively to improve your work.
I welcome comments or additions to this post. I obviously am only one person and this is just what I gather.
Jen,
This is the best article I’ve read on this subject. It gets right to the point and I think it should be mandatory reading for all singer songwriters & independent artists.
Your last point about listening and not ignoring feedback stood out to me. I learned long time ago that your ability to seek out, listen to, and take immediate action on negative feedback is equal to the level of success you will achieve in the music business.
Thank you for putting all of this “out on the table”.
Thank you Mike for taking the time to read this:) I had a feeling it was up your alley! I think it’s issues, especially the last one, that people tend to not think about/ignore.
Great article! I am going to definitely use your tips when I start putting music up on my site for people to listen to.
Also, a little proof reading… There are two #2, so there are actually 6 items listed.
thanks! I’m not the best writer/proofreader :p
Awesome!!!!!!!!!
Awesome post. I agree about the self-centered promotion, it rubs the wrong way. The point of social media after all is to be social, to be helpful, and perhaps by doing so, one expands one’s influence — but that shouldn’t be the end goal. Rather, that it opens you up to other ideas and peoples.
About EPs — I disagree. My view: EPs allow artists to release materials to fans more frequently without waiting for a full album to coalesce. In this age of instant gratification, releasing more EPs than albums allows a musician to be more present to fans and consumers — the more frequently material is released, the more frequently the fans come back and remember you.
Cool tunes, btw.
Hey, thanks for your comment.
Regarding the EP- by that logic shouldn’t you just be releasing singles all the time? That has and still makes sense for the radio, but I’ll have to disagree with you on “more frequently material is released, the more frequently the fans come back and remember you.” Why hasn’t the EP been the standard since we started recording albums? A good band or artist produces an album and people still buy the next one. Why? Because they enjoy the music. Some of my favorite bands take years to produce albums- I never forget them and constantly listen to the material that’s already out. I don’t think the rate at which you push music makes people remember you for the reasons they should be remembered. If you cater to the “instant gratification” what you get in return is instant and short-lived also.
Also- thank you for liking my stuff:)
How about, “Engage with people like you are a real person, i.e. don’t only talk about yourself and music.”
Excellent point, Anthony. Engaging with the fans and treating them like real people goes a LOOOONG way! Can’t believe I overlooked that.
Pingback: Building Community | Lektravox
OooOOooO the EP vs Album ~ yeah, struggling with that one. Been working on material initially for an album, but switched to the EP length partially out of laziness and in part because of a desire to go in a different musical direction.
Been reviewing 3 unfinished compositions this afternoon and really, could polish them up and properly record them to build the EP into the album it’s supposed to be. So it is true… Time to buckle-up and get ‘er done.
You make me smile!!!!
Granted, the EP/LP is something made by the music industry, but I just think well, I know I appreciate an album way more than few tracks released. For the most part the quality of an album is much better and meaningful than a few tracks:) You rock!
Totally agree with you about the album being more meaningful then just a few songs. *Hugs*
*hugs* back!!
Haha, I usually do 6 tracks per album.
i would add a 7. You may suck. I mean, it’s a distinct possibility.
YES! hahahaha
It’s pretty hard to get noticed if you don’t do gigs. I don’t know if it’s a fact but it really should be. Other than that, promoting oneself is a full time job and I am pretty sure most of us don’t have enough time to devote to promotion mostly because we do this as a hobby/therapy/ whatever. Personally, I like to listen to others’ music and promote them if it touches a nerve. I am hoping other people will do the same for me. That’s about it.
That’s true. That’s an excellent point about gigging. I mean, the primary source of income for the well to do music money makers don’t depend on CD sales as much as touring/merchandise sales. I also like to promote people’s music if I enjoy it- especially since it makes them happy:) As for being a full time job, I know this all too well. I don’t think people understand how hard and demanding of a job it is. It’s even more humiliating when it’s for yourself!
I myself am not too keen on promoting my own stuff. kinda hate tooting my own horn if you know what i mean. dunno. I’d rather switch task with somebody else whose music I really love: i promote your stuff and you promote mine. something like that. kinda like a Hitchcock movie.
100% agree with you….that’s how it works:) very important to be interactive
sorry, i also disagree about the ep…
i worked on one last year, and am looking to put it out very shortly. it’s actually a work i’m really proud of. the length of the recording was mostly due to budget concerns… i had a producer who charged per track, so double the songs means double the budget. also, things can take a longer time if you have a dayjob, or some other responsibility.
anyone i’ve even known who has put out an ep as opposed to a full album, it wasn’t due to “laziness.” there are other factors involved.
everything else though: yes
I totally understand where you are coming from.
Just out of curiosity, why not save up to produce a full album?
You make a really valid point. I’m writing this not from a composer/musician standpoint, but someone that also is involved and does my own recording and mixing where I neglect to realize that for people that don’t do it there is a lot of costs involved.
Thanks for the post
I read this before… Thought I was already following you but I guess not. I am now though… lol. Peace!
No worries
Pingback: || Battle: Album vs EP is On! ||
Great article, thank you, sharing this with some of my friends who tend to make all of these mistakes
I’m so happy you find it useful and can share it with others:)
I’ve been thinking of making an EP because of uni work etc. But after reading this I think I’ll wait til I have more time to make an album. Great article.
I’m so happy to hear that! It’ll pay off James, I promise:) Make sure to send me a copy when you’re finished!
Great article.
Thanks Rena! I listened to some of your work- pretty damn beautiful and impressive! Honored you took a look here!
I enjoyed this article a lot. Makes so much sense, especially the part about being humble. It is so true. Too often we (especially me) can get too high on ourselves and lose sight of the grind that got us to this point. We lose sight of the humble beginnings that we came from and the successes we had in an earlier day when we used to be humble. I would say the single most important thing a creator can do, is just that, CREATE. The networking and all else will follow a product that 1. you love AND 2. the masses of the people love. Keep in mind that you have to love it first. If you don’t love it, how can you network and spread the good word on it. Love thy product you build and they shall come. Product being your single, album, your website or whatever it is that you are working on. Thanks again Jen Mitlas Great points and thanks for publishing this article and for your following of our account on Twitter. Make it a great day.
Wow! Thanks so much! Nice to meet you!:) That’s essentially…or rather, exactly the point! If you’re passion is there and the love for it…you’ll only reach new and higher levels! My big thing I always preach is being humble…it’s so lost in today’s society!
It has to say something when someone who doesn’t hide behind the shiny title of “Hollywood” or some other fancy do-hickey – to be able to generate such level-headed articles such as this. Not only does this sort of article educate new (and sometimes veteran) artists, but also the consumer – like me. I feel like I can better understand the industry, which will give me better insight and appreciation for what artists much like Jen herself, are trying to generate.
Keep up the great work!
Post-script: I never really understood the reasoning behind “EP’s” aside from the fact that I think of them as lazy and sleazy as spamming your “hot-single” on the radio.
aw, why thank you! I’m also glad you can prove you’re a human now! (NO FRUIT INVOLVED!)
Yeah…we’re living in a one-hit-wonder era …hopefully it doesn’t last that long:(
Great article! I feel compelled to “chime in” on the EP controversy
I’m close to releasing my first recording which I am self proclaiming as an EP. All the tunes are original compositions, no covers. Some could argue that it’s not an EP as it will be 6 tunes and a total of 30 minutes in length. To me it’s not a full length album, and for some it’s too large to be called an EP. Either way, the reason I’m doing this is two fold…
First and simply it’s budget. I have recorded everything myself but have wisely turned the mix/master duties over to someone that really knows what they are doing. (as a side note it has, in my opinion, taken the music from someone doing it himself to a legitimate product) I have no support whatsoever and at the time no fan base as this is my first offering…Thus, this is being 100% funded by me while still trying to pay bills, eat, live life, etc.
The second reason is really a huge picture that would be more like sitting down on a therapist’s couch for awhile…haha! I’ll try to make it short. Mostly I’m taking the step from being side-man to being an artist. Not only that but my music is not mimicking any particular artist in my genre (at least not that I’m aware of) so writing the tunes has been a long drawn out process, albeit a labor of love. It has, in a nutshell, come to the point in my career where to move forward I need a product and need to get my music out there…period. That’s why I decided to produce 6 tunes instead of 10-12 and move forward.
I think your thought about singles is very valid and what I intend to do more often once this EP gets out. It seems to be the way the music industry is going. Actually that’s a bit of a laughable statement as no one, including the music industry really knows what’s going on these days! For now I can only focus on what I’m doing and try to put out the best music that I possibly can. I’m happy and proud of what I’ve got and hope that everyone else will like it too!!!
Anyway – sorry for the loooonnnnggggg reply. I really do like the article/blog and would like to repost this! I think it’s a helpful point of view that a lot of people need to hear. Kudos!
- Chris
Wow! Thanks Chris. I appreciate your not only honest, but thoughtful response. I always enjoy hearing about others experiences, especially what you are describing!
Here’s my comments on what you said, and I’d be more than willing to go into further detail if you’d like.
First off, you don’t need to defend yourself or apologize:) Stand on the ground you worked hard to be on:) You’re doing great!
1. What you’re describing to me is just a logistical concern as far as labeling your first release as an EP. What I’m mostly talking about is those :30 second tracks with maybe 3 of them.
I will admit, I did write this sometime ago (at least in my mind.) Although my opinions aren’t different, I do think how you’re approaching this is the CORRECT way to approach an EP release. Kudos to you
2. I am extremely glad to hear that you believe and understand the importance of using an outside opinion on your own work. While some purist would certainly argue with this, it’s sort of impossible to bypass, especially if you’re looking to cater to a certain market. Film acts the same way sometimes.
3.I think it’s great you’re looking at it from the artists point of view WHILE also understanding and viewing it from the production point of view. Both are valid, important, and should be done more often:) Although that’s just wishful thinking on my part.
4. It’s great you can articulate your present and future goals. It’s those types of people that end up progressing in their careers and passions, in my opinion:)
I’m happy you enjoy reading the blog . . . although I’ll admit I haven’t been keeping up-to-date with it as much as I like, but knowing there are people reading it makes me a bit more motivated!
Make sure to link your EP when it’s released! I’d love to hear it!
PS- I’m a walking couch for therapy, feel free anytime;)
-Jen