7 Mistakes Music Artists Make When Creating Their Website

By | 2021-06-10T12:02:34+00:00 June 10th, 2021|musician career, website|Comments Off on 7 Mistakes Music Artists Make When Creating Their Website

7 Mistakes Music Artists Make When Creating Their Website

By Caleb J. Murphy on behalf of Bandzoogle.com

Let’s say you invite some friends over for a house party.

You buy a bunch of food, clean up, pick the perfect playlist – and you’re excited.

But then only half the people you invited end up finding your house.

How frustrating and disappointing, right?

This is the reality of social media.

When you post something online (especially Facebook and Instagram), the algorithm feeds it to some of your followers.

And if the post does well on that small sample size, they’ll show it to more people.

But you just want to tell your fans about your new music. You don’t want a gatekeeper.

This is exactly why you need to create a website for your music.

Your official music website is your home online. And your fans are able to find it, no matter what.

There’s no algorithm. No gatekeeper. It’s a direct line to the people who care about your art.

But sadly, many musicians feel more confident making great music than making a website.

So here are 7 common mistakes music artists make when creating their websites, and how to avoid them.

1. Not using professional photos

Because music is now accessible to pretty much everyone, the music industry has become saturated.

That’s a beautiful thing, but it also means you need to do more to stand out.

And that’s why first impressions are critical.

People are busy. They’re scrolling. So they have to be captivated.

One way you can do that is to use professional photos on your website.

So hiring a professional photographer is a smart investment in your music career. After a photoshoot, you will have a ton of good looking pictures you can use for years to come.

Can’t afford a photographer?

That’s okay – every smartphone nowadays is also a high-quality camera.

At minimum, get a friend to take some pics of you with a smartphone. Then use a free app like VSCO to edit them.

Basically, there’s no excuse to not have pro photos on your site. They will go a long way towards creating a great impression.

2. You make it hard for fans to find what they need

Let’s go back to the house party metaphor.

If people show up to your home and realize it’s laid out like a maze, your guests will leave or, at the very least, have a bad experience.

And you don’t want to leave a bad taste in people’s mouths.

This is why your website needs to have a clear menu that lets people go where they want to go. This includes labelling your pages clearly.

Also, don’t create too many pages. When people have too many options, they often get overwhelmed and don’t choose anything.

The main pages you need are Music, About, Store, and Contact.

Just keep it simpler than you think.

3. Updating your website content infrequently

Your website is your official home on the internet. It’s the one place you have complete control over.

So keep it interesting by updating it frequently.

And if your fans know you update your site often, it will keep them coming back.

The most important things to update regularly are your musician bio, and your electronic press kit page.

It’s also important to update the design of your website to keep it modern and to fit the vibe of your most recent music release.

4. Not using your website to build your mailing list

Email is the best way to update your fans about your new music, an upcoming tour, or a batch of new merch.

People who give you their email address are much more likely to financially support you. They care more about your success than social media followers.

Like your website, email is not hindered by an algorithm. Anyone who signs up for your email list will get your emails.

One thing to note: some email providers have started organizing emails into categories. This is mainly to keep users from getting spammy emails.

So to avoid spam filters and ensure subscribers get your emails, be sure to write quality content directed to your fans.

5. Not considering SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. And it’s important.

Optimizing your site to show up in online searches is a great way for people to find you.

In fact, it’s how many fans will find you.

Let’s say someone hears you perform live. They like your music so they google your name.

If you don’t show up on the first or second page of Google, they may just say “Forget it” and move on.

So here are some ways you can optimize your music website for SEO:

 

  • Know what your SEO goals are – who do you want to attract?
  • Write in the third person – this way, your name will be in the content instead of I’s and me’s
  • Try to get other sites/blogs to link to your site

6. You don’t make it obvious how to support your music

People who visit your website are either your fans or they’re interested in what you’re doing.

So show them clear ways they can support you.

This is a big missed opportunity on many musicians’ sites.

Fans love financially supporting artists. You just need you to offer something for them to buy.

Here are some ways you can let fans support you:

You’re not shoving these options down anyone’s throat. You’re simply offering them as ways people can support you.

7. Forgetting to optimize for mobile

Most people today use their smartphones or tablets to browse the internet. So it’s time you made your music website mobile-friendly.

In fact, if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re way behind.

The easiest way to make sure mobile users have a great experience is to use a website template that’s optimized for mobile.

Using a template ensures every part of your site works on a smartphone – all the pages, your menu, the store, and your shopping cart.

Caleb J. Murphy is a songwriter-producer based in Austin, Tx., and the founder of Musician With A Day Job, a blog to help part-time musicians succeed.

 

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