The Music Entrepreneur

In episode 46 of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, you will hear David Andrew Wiebe's workshop presentation called I Want You!: How to Build an Online Community to Support Your Music Career. This speech was delivered at a weekend songwriter workshop (May 10 & May 11). Jonathan Ferguson and Toni Vere also led their own respective songwriting workshops over the course of the weekend. Build an Online Community In this workshop, I cover the basics of building an online community as a musician. Everyone attending pitched in a lot of great ideas too (thank you!). This is my first ever speaking engagement, so please go easy on me. Social Media Sites I began this session by discussing a variety of social media sites. Here are the main ones that I had on my list: Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Instagram Flickr Myspace ReverbNation PureVolume SoundCloud YouTube Dubbler Vine Workshop participants also mentioned a variety of other sites in our brainstorming session. Mindset Tips Online communities are for facilitating discussion Logic is the language of the mind; story is the language of the heart Serving your audience should be your goal Never stop learning Engage your audience frequently Clearly define your goals Learn how to re-purpose your content Go out of your way to add value to your audience Manage your expectations Here's the quote by Simon Mainwaring mentioned in point #1: Too many brands treat social media as a one way broadcast channel rather than a two-way dialogue through which emotional storytelling can be transferred. I first heard the phonebook example from John Eldredge at Ransomed Heart. It seemed like a fitting illustration for driving point #2 home. Simon Sinek is just one example of an expert who talks about the importance of emphasizing your 'why' instead of your 'what'. In his TED Talk, How great leaders inspire action, he shows us how to talk to our customers. Activity #1 - Create Your Mind Map I encouraged everyone at the workshop to build a mind map around their own online marketing plan. If you are reading this now, you should also consider creating one. Producer Daniel John Wiewel shared his mind map with the attendees. Great job, Dan! At one point I said Google+ is almost like the old Facebook. I meant the old MySpace. Content Marketing I went on to talk about the various forms of content a musician can create to attract an audience. Music Blog posts Podcast audio Video Other forms of content: infographics, checklists, PDFs, guides, whitepapers, e-books, etc. Tools & Resources Here are the tools I mentioned that you can use to manage and automate your online presence: HootSuite Buffer Jetpack Plugin by WordPress.com Social Media Examiner There is one more tool I would recommend, especially if you use video to market your music. Check out OneLoad. Activity #2 - Develop Your Story I asked the audience to think about their story so that they could discern their purpose as a musician. When you are marketing yourself, you want to sell the benefits. When you are clear on your story, it will serve as the centerpiece to your marketing. Jonathan Ferguson and Goemon Ishikawa (aka Alex) shared their stories. Thanks guys! Here's a great summary of the weekend via Alex (and I'm not just posting this because there's footage of me playing in it): Show Notes: David mentions Chris Brogan David mentions Ariel Hyatt David mentions Bluehost David mentions IX Web Hosting David mentions MF Gig Calendar David mentions oDesk David mentions Elance David mentions 99 Designs Jonathan mentions Kaman Leung David mentions iContact David mentions MailChimp David mentions AWeber David mentions Mozilla Thunderbird David mentions David.DAWCast.com Credits: HOST: David Andrew Wiebe MUSIC: “Dramatic Serenity”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2012 Listeners:

In this Back to Basics episode of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe discusses press releases and how they can be used to market one's music. Though press releases should not be used to promote each and every event in your music career, whenever significant moments occur, it provides the perfect opportunity for a press release. Press Releases More often than not, for your press releases to be effective, you need to find an angle for your news items. If there isn't a compelling story behind your releases, they will go mostly unnoticed by the media. Online marketing does present its challenges. There are a lot of activities to manage, and there's only so much time in a day! You could put a lot of sweat equity into blog posts, search engine optimization, social media, and other effort-based activities without seeing the kind of results you hope for. While press releases aren't magical by any means, they can help you cut through a lot of noise and rank for key terms that you deem important. Press release distribution can be done for free, but generally you get what you pay for. Paid distribution is more likely to get your news items noticed by larger media outlets. The ideal times to send out a press release are when you: Have an album coming out Are going on tour Are initiating a crowdfunding campaign Win an award Show Notes: David mentions PRWeb David mentions Press Exposure Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it! Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

In this Back to Basics episode of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe discusses live performance and the basic steps involved in creating a great live experience. Live Performance For most musicians, live performance will be a key component of their music income and overall marketing mix. The thrill of live performance is also the reason many musicians rehearse, record, and promote themselves; their desire to perform for an engaged audience outweighs other creative activities. No matter how much or how little live performance factors into your income or marketing, you're going to want to know how to set up for success. Here the steps to follow: Booking: bands that are just getting started in live performance will likely have to book their own shows. Playing for free gives you the chance to work on your stage presence and repertoire. Rehearsals: begin practicing the songs that you will be performing at your show. You need to become intimately familiar with the material you will be performing, as playing onstage can be a very different experience than practicing in a garage or basement. Marketing: if you want people to show up at your performance, you need to let them know about it. Call up friends and family members, send out emails, put up posters, and shout from the rooftops (not literally). Preparation: you may be required to bring a sound system. You may need to run your own sound. You may be sharing the stage with other bands. Make sure to talk to the event coordinator to figure out what you need to do to be ready for your show. Setup and sound check: setup and sound check are usually handled long before you go onstage. Again, talk to the event coordinator to get an idea of when you can start loading in your gear. Perform: make your shows as entertaining as possible for your audience. Interact with the fans, banter onstage, tell stories, and use visual mediums to keep your audience engaged. Connect with your fans: take some time to connect with the people who came to see your show. In many cases, they will come to you if they see that you are "open for business", but don't wait around for them to start a conversation. Be the first to engage. Teardown: teardown may need to happen before you have a chance to connect with your fans. Make sure to talk to the coordinator to find out how soon the venue will be shutting down before you get into hour-long conversations. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it! Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

In episode 45 of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe interviews Sean Harley - also known as Tucker - a singer/songwriter, children's book author and media creator in Calgary, AB. The two explore music, podcasting, online marketing, and a variety of other topics together. Tweet This Quote: I'd rather get my attention from being human at the moment rather than being different. http://t.co/X5HL0iU7kt— David Andrew Wiebe (@Dawmusic) June 16, 2014 Sean Harley [Tucker]: Tucker enjoys working on a variety of creative projects without having to rely on any one of them as his sole source of income. This allows him to follow his muse and move between projects as he chooses. In his songwriting efforts, Tucker believes in telling stories that are worth telling and engage people. He uses his songs to build personal connections. Show Notes: David mentions The Spark & The Art David mentions #016: Jonathan Ferguson Interview - Singer/Songwriter in Calgary, AB David mentions Songs Tucker Wrote Sean mentions Born To The World Sean mentions Jonathan Ferguson - Singer-Songwriter Sean mentions John Johnston - Improv Actor Sean mentions Music Marketing Manifesto Sean mentions SongsTuckerWrote.ca David mentions Every human interaction is an opportunity to connect – and then to sell Sean mentions To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others by Daniel H. Pink David mentions Derek Sivers Sean mentions The Science of Sleep Sean mentions Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind David mentions Benefits of Journaling Sean mentions The Nerdist Sean mentions John Lee Dumas David mentions Social Media Examiner Sean mentions The Fizzle Show Sean mentions Twilio Cloud Communications Sean mentions Squarespace Sean mentions Zany Zoo David mentions Success Mindset: Crash the Car David mentions David.DAWCast.com Not all products referenced here are necessarily recommended by David Andrew Wiebe or Anna Mae Alexander. For a list of tools, services and products that David Andrew Wiebe personally endorses, visit the resources page. Credits: HOST: David Andrew Wiebe MUSIC: “Dramatic Serenity”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2012 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

Is radio still a relevant medium for music marketing? Are there opportunities for independent artists to get played on the radio? In this Back to Basics episode of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe discusses the merits of radio and how to initiate a radio campaign. Radio Radio is still a great way to get your music heard. Moreover, it can quickly lead to widespread exposure. Unfortunately, there aren't many opportunities for independent artists to be played on commercial radio, except on specialty programs. On the upside, all other types of radio (including College or community radio) do provide artists with a chance to be heard. There are also opportunities for artists to be played on podcasts and internet radio. Artists looking to get on the radio should initiate an organized radio campaign. Here are the steps involved in this process: Create a list of the radio stations you intend to send your music to Prepare your CDs; remove the shrink wrap Decide on the number of CDs you're going to send out; 200 - 500 CDs is common Prepare your envelopes; make sure to address them to a person (i.e. the programmer) Create your one-sheet, which should include a photo, your bio, your contact information, your latest release, and a track list (make sure to highlight or bold the tracks you want to prioritize) Send out your packages Follow up with the stations you sent your CD to Show Notes: David mentions How to Make An Effective Band/Artist One-Sheet Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it! Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

In this Back to Basics episode of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe discusses email marketing. Is email marketing still relevant? Should musicians be building their email list? How much of a priority should they place on it? Find out. Email Marketing For all intents and purposes, email marketing should come before social media in your marketing plan. One of the reasons for this is that email gives you a chance to send out call to actions. People expect to see promotional messages in their inbox, and are more receptive to them than if they were coming through other mediums, which means you can also be more direct with the messages you send to your audience. To manage your email list, you will likely want to use a tool like AWeber or MailChimp. You can manually organize a list all on your own, but it can take a lot of time and effort to keep it up-to-date. Fortunately, most email marketing platforms offer their services for free, or at least offer free versions of their software with a reduced feature set. You can upgrade to a paid subscription as your list grows, and as you require the use of more features. Make sure to get on a consistent schedule with your email campaigns. Weekly or bi-weekly messages are ideal, but even monthly messages can still be effective. Make sure you have something to say. "Nothing happened this week" is simply unacceptable. At the very least, write a blog post or take an Instagram photo and send it to your fans. Also make sure to collect email addresses on your website. Create a compelling opt-in offer that they can download once they are on your list. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it! Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

Should every musician have a podcast? Is it a vital marketing tool for building one's music career? In this episode of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe discusses what a podcast is, what its advantages are, and how it can be used as a promotional medium for one's music. Podcasting In general, musicians probably haven't thought about starting their own podcast to promote their career activities. It can be a bit of a time-sink, but it does have several advantages. Consider the following: A podcast runs on a RSS feed. When your audience subscribes to your feed, they automatically receive new updates as you upload new content. A podcast is a great way to stay in touch with your audience, communicate with them, and build a relationship with them. Your audience will engage with your podcast for longer than they are likely to stay on your website. Your podcast can be just about any length, and the listeners who like your content will stay until the very end. The two major challenges with starting a podcast are cost and effort. The good news is that it doesn't have to cost a lot to start a podcast. Studio equipment and microphones have come down in price, and as result, home recording is more affordable accessible than it ever was. If you want to invest in good quality gear, you will still have to spend more, however. If your personal bandwidth is already stretched, starting a podcast may go contrary to your instincts. The recording, editing, producing, distributing and marketing of a podcast can take a significant amount of effort and time. Nevertheless, if you can find a way to streamline and consolidate your promotional efforts, podcasting can still fit into your marketing puzzle. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Don't forget to subscribe while you're at it! Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

In episode 44 of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe and Anna Mae Alexander interview Mike Doerksen of Field Law and The Field Law Band. Doerksen and his band, Dr. Fieldgood is scheduled to perform at the ZSA Battle of the Bar Bands on Thursday, May 29, 2014. The doors will be at 6 PM, and the show will begin at 7 PM. If you are in the Calgary area, we hope you'll check it out. There is also an event in Vancouver on Friday, June 13, 2014. This is the first ever #ThrowbackThursday episode, as DAWCast episodes are generally published on Fridays. We hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to share it around! Tweet This Quote: Playing when you can and just having fun with music. It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve found to do with my time.— David Andrew Wiebe (@Dawmusic) May 22, 2014 ZSA Battle of the Bar Bands: On May 29th, 2014, six bands from Calgary will compete in the ZSA Battle of the Bar Bands at Flames Central. Dr. Fieldgood features Catriona Otto, Jane Freeman, Jim Doyle, Mike Doerksen, Steve Eichler, Wayne Logan and Doug Nishimura, who will be representing Field Law. The Battle of the Bar Bands is a fundraise for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Show Notes: Anna mentions ZSA Battle of the Bar Bands | Purchase Tickets | Donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Anna mentions #020: Mark David Stewart Interview Part 1 - Prairie of Prax in calgary, AB | #021: Mark David Stewart Interview Part 2 - Prairie of Prax in Calgary, AB Mike mentions Kawa Espresso Bar David mentions Reverb Anna mentions #042: 6 Harsh Truths That Will Make You a Better Person, I'm Charlotte Church Anna mentions the Bechdel test Credits: HOSTS: Anna Mae Alexander, David Andrew Wiebe MUSIC: “Dramatic Serenity”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2012 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

In episode 43 of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe and Anna Mae Alexander interview Lewis David Levin of L&L Production Group and Levin Provides insights into the spiritual and philosophical, and how our mindset can affect the outward manifestations we experience in life. Tweet This Quote: Creativity – the urge to create – is a God-given thing. http://t.co/mXIxqIjFE8— David Andrew Wiebe (@Dawmusic) May 16, 2014 Lewis David Levin Interview This episode of the podcast features the most talk on spirituality and how it affects our outer world since episode 6 and episode 11 of the show. Levin provides valuable insights into the value of serving others, and why self-serving projects are still valid as an artist. According to Levin, earning a living in music is a challenging - if not an impossible - task. The world isn't necessarily friendly to musicians or creative people, as the work we do is often seen as self-serving. However, it is welcomed when it serves and adds value to others. People are creative beings, and you can't stop people from creating. The urge to create is God-given. How we channel and shape that creativity is up to us. We can choose what we do with it. Artists can't fake who they are. They have to be true to themselves if they want their artistic expression to resonate. They can't force themselves to be something they are not. When artists are true to who they are, they can find the careers and fulfillment they are looking for. Music is a business, and many artists don't understand this reality. This does not mean that business should be embraced, but artists hoping to achieve success need to know this if they want to position themselves to achieve stardom. There has never been a better time to be an artist. Artists can use whatever distribution channels they want to get their music out there, which gives everyone a level playing field. Anybody can find their 15 minutes of fame if they are willing to work at it. If you can be creative and serve others, you will be successful. There will be much gratification in it. Nevertheless, it can be hard to find that balance. The age we live in requires us to continually learn and to grow. No one can rest on their laurels. We all have to challenge ourselves and continue to go to school every single day. Show Notes: GUEST INTERVIEW: Lewis David Levin - L&L Production Group | YouTube Channel | Shakti Deva Anna mentions Video Games Live Lewis mentions The Secret by Rhonda Byrne Not all products referenced here are necessarily recommended by David Andrew Wiebe or Anna Mae Alexander. For a list of tools, services and products that David Andrew Wiebe personally endorses, visit the resources page. Credits: HOSTS: Anna Mae Alexander, David Andrew Wiebe Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

What is the purpose of social media? How should musicians be using it? In this Back to Basics episode of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe explains the importance of social media in building one's online presence. Social Media Is social media a sales engine? It's dubious. And yet, many musicians still treat it like it is. Check us out! Buy our album! Buy our merch! Come to our show on Saturday! Buy a ticket! Vote for our song! Most people would not communicate with people in this manner in real life; especially with their fans or followers. There would be no reason to hang around someone who went around shouting like that. At least not for long. If you really want to build an online community, you need to adopt a different mindset. Your focus should be on socializing and building relationships instead of trying to get something from your audience every time you post a new status update. You should be serving them; not the other way around. People want to know who you are, and why you do what you do. If you have a compelling story, they are more likely to take interest in what you do. However, if you do not add value to people in any way, you are not giving them a reason to follow you. Learn to be uniquely you, because people will be drawn to that. Show Notes: David mentions Back to Basics: The Importance of Your Website Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

What is search engine optimization? How is it relevant to musicians and their online marketing? In this podcast episode, David Andrew Wiebe covers the bare minimum musicians should be aware of in the world of SEO. Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) is the practice of configuring your website pages to rank higher in search results. Sometimes it is referred to as inbound marketing or even keyword marketing. Because of its technical nature, it can be a confusing topic for musicians. However, even experts in the field have a hard time keeping up with the latest industry trends. Therefore, you don't have to know everything there is to know about SEO. What you need to know is that you can increase your online presence by using applicable strategies. Once you determine a keyword focus for each of your pages, you can then "optimize" them to include that keyword in the titles, the headlines, and the content of your pages. On a most basic level, that is what SEO is about. Here are a few important keyword focuses for musicians: Your geographical location: build a local presence by using the name of your city, state and country on your pages. Your musical style or genre: refer to your influences, artists or bands that you like, or artists and bands that you sound like. Your band name: make sure to use your band name often on your website. Create pages that talk about your history as an artist or band. When it comes right down to it, SEO as a musician is about blogging. Blog posts are keyword rich, and search engines like frequently updated websites. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

Why do musicians need a blog? What should they be writing about? In this Back to Basics episode of DAWCast: Music Entrepreneurship, David Andrew Wiebe explores the importance of having a blog as a musician and how it can support their marketing. Blogging The world of blogging has changed a lot over time. Many people used to use their blog to chronicle their lives and let their visitors know about updates on their website. While these are not bad ways to use your blog, they won't necessarily help your marketing or online presence. Many people today use search engines to find answers to their questions and solutions to their problems. If you want to be discovered in search, you may want to think about how you can serve others with your blog. To create a focused content strategy, musicians should limit their output to a few select topics or keywords. It is okay to try a variety of different things with your blog, but if you can keep creating content around two or three subjects on an ongoing basis, you can establish a reputation for providing regular, value-adding content on those topics. This is also a great way to cut through the noise. A blog is also a great tool for engaging your audience and building relationships with them. You can use social media to accomplish the same ends, but a blog gives you the opportunity to go beyond the surface and create deeper connections. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

Marketing is a critical element in building awareness for your music. However, it is often misunderstood. Many musicians do it, but few do it well. In this Back to Basics series audio, you will learn how to start with a core message and extend out from there. Marketing It's important to differentiate marketing from music distribution, as the two sometimes get jumbled and confused. Music distribution is primarily about making your music available in a variety of different stores an outlets. Marketing is about calling attention to your music and getting it heard. Marketing encompasses a lot of different things, from online strategy (i.e. blogging, podcasting, social media, etc.), to print (i.e. posters, business cards, pamphlets, etc.), to traditional media (i.e. radio, newspapers, TV, etc.). These mediums can be leveraged in a variety of different ways to spread your message. However, you have to start with a message to be effective. In other words, you need a marketing plan. Most bands would do well to start by identifying their story. Every artist and band has one, but very few actually know what makes them interesting and unique. When talking about products, the feature set is not the most important thing in the eyes of the consumer. Details do not resonate with people's hearts, because people are emotional creatures at core. However, if you know your purpose, your reason for existence, your why, your marketing will connect with more people. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

Do you know how music distribution works? Do you know the difference between physical and digital distribution? In this Back to Basics podcast episode, David Andrew Wiebe discusses how distribution works and why marketing is such a crucial component that is often missing in the equation. Music Distribution Music distribution is sometimes confused for marketing. While there may have been a time when merely getting your music "out there" could lead to significant exposure and sales, in this content heavy world, you can't count on things unfolding that way. There are some rare examples of people like Jason Reeves who sent his CD to CD Baby and caught the attention of a producer or an A&R rep. However, cases like these should be considered the exception and not the rule. Opportunities will come your way if you stay steady and consistent, but you have to be committed to your craft. It's important to think about how you are going to reach out to your fans, and if you don't have a fan base, how you're going to create one. Without fans, you don't really have a music career. Fans make it possible to sustain your art. Music distribution is necessary. You need to get your music out to as many different stores and platforms as possible. While there may be a great number of options available in North America, people in other countries don't necessarily have as many outlets to choose from. You never know when a song could hit it big in a different part of the world. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, “Sugar Rush” MUSIC: “Ecstatic”, David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.

Do you have a website for your band? Why or why not? In this Back to Basics podcast episode, David Andrew Wiebe explores the importance of your website. Find out why every musician should set up their own home on the web. The Importance of Your Website Most marketers and businesses know the importance of having their own website. However, it appears that many musicians missed the class on online marketing 101. Instead of claiming ownership of their own dot-com domain name, they rent space on a site like Facebook or ReverbNation and call it home. While it is a good idea to set up social media profiles and promote your content on popular social networks, it doesn't make sense to drive traffic to someone else's real estate. You shouldn't turn away people at your storefront and tell them to go across the street. If you want to build your mailing list, sell more product, develop awareness around your various online communities, then you need to set up a central hub that you control. If you can't configure the design, the look and the feel of your home, and you can't place subscription forms and call to actions where you want to, then you're probably leaving a lot of opportunity on the table. Additionally, you never know when a social network could change. It could get sold. Policies and rules could be altered. It may even get shut down. What happens to your home then? At first glance, it may appear that there is a greater risk with investing time and money to set up your website. In the long run, there is a greater risk with not developing your online presence around your website. Credits: MUSIC: Beau Hall, "Sugar Rush" MUSIC: "Ecstatic", David Andrew Wiebe © 2009 Listeners: Feel free to leave a comment below. Send your questions and comments to comments@daw-music.com. We will use them on the show! Help us spread the word about this podcast by leaving a positive rating and review in iTunes. Help us spread the word about this podcast by posting a tweet.