Free Music Marketing Tools  -Everything You Need To Know

 

Are you tired of struggling to promote your music and connect with your fans? Well, get ready to revolutionize your music promotion because we've got 8 cutting-edge free tools that will take your career to the next level in 2023. In this blog post, we'll explore how social media management, email marketing, content creation, analytics & insights, and live-streaming platforms can amplify your online presence and engage with fans like never before. Say goodbye to outdated strategies and hello to a new era of effective music marketing. Let's dive in!

 

Social Media Management - Hootsuite & Buffer

 

Social media has become an essential tool for music promotion in the digital age. With millions of users and a wide reach, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube offer musicians the opportunity to connect with their audience and promote their music on a global scale. However, managing multiple social media accounts and consistently posting engaging content can be time-consuming and overwhelming for artists. This is where social media management tools like Hootsuite and Buffer come in handy.

 

Hootsuite

 

Hootsuite is a popular social media management platform that allows you to manage all your social media accounts in one place. It supports over 35 popular networks including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and more. With Hootsuite's dashboard interface, you can schedule posts in advance across different platforms simultaneously. This saves you valuable time by eliminating the need to login to each account separately to post content. You can also track important metrics such as engagement rates and follower growth to measure the success of your campaigns.

 

One of the key features of Hootsuite is its team collaboration tool which allows multiple users to access the same account without sharing login information. This is especially useful for bands or groups with multiple members who are responsible for managing their social media presence. Hootsuite also offers advanced analytics that provide insights into your audience demographics and interests. This data helps you tailor your content strategy according to what resonates best with your target audience.

 

Buffer

 

Buffer is another popular social media management tool that helps you schedule posts and manage your social media presence. It supports major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Similar to Hootsuite, Buffer allows you to schedule posts in advance across multiple accounts. You can also set custom posting schedules for different platforms and track engagement metrics such as clicks, likes, and shares. One unique feature of Buffer is its browser extension which allows you to easily add content to your queue while browsing the web. This makes it convenient to curate content from different sources and share it on your social media profiles. Buffer also offers team collaboration features and detailed analytics for tracking performance. Additionally, they offer a free image creation tool called Pablo which can be used to create eye-catching visuals for your social media posts.

 

Overall, both Hootsuite and Buffer are powerful tools for managing social media for music promotion. They have similar features but differ in terms of pricing plans and user interface. It's recommended to try out both platforms and see which one best suits your needs before deciding on a preferred option.

 

Email Marketing: Mailchimp & Sendinblue

 

Email marketing has been a staple in the music industry for many years, helping musicians and artists promote their work to a wider audience. As technology continues to advance, there are now countless email marketing platforms available with various features and tools that can help take your music promotion to the next level. In this section, we will discuss two of the most popular email marketing platforms used by musicians and how they can revolutionize your music promotion efforts - Mailchimp and Sendinblue.

 

Mailchimp

 

Mailchimp has been one of the leading email marketing platforms for years due to its user-friendly interface, extensive features, and comprehensive analytics. It allows you to easily create professional-looking emails using pre-designed templates or customizable options with drag-and-drop tools. One major advantage of using Mailchimp is its integration with social media. With just a few clicks, you can share your emails on different social media platforms, attracting even more fans and potential listeners.

 

Additionally, Mailchimp offers advanced segmentation options that allow you to target specific groups of subscribers based on their interests, location, engagement rate, and more. This powerful feature helps you tailor your promotional emails according to your audience's preferences, increasing the chances of converting them into loyal fans. Furthermore, Mailchimp provides detailed analytics reports that give insights into each campaign's performance. These reports include valuable data such as open rates, click-through rates (CTRs), subscriber activity patterns and trends - all essential in measuring the effectiveness of your email marketing strategy.

Pricing: Mailchimp offers a free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers and up to 12,000 emails per month which is more than enough to start off with. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month for up to 500 subscribers.

 

Sendinblue

 

Sendinblue is another popular email marketing platform that provides users with various features to help drive engagement and grow their audience. Like Mailchimp, it has a drag-and-drop design feature that enables you to create visually appealing emails without any technical skills. One unique feature offered by Sendinblue is the ability to send SMS messages in addition to emails. This is particularly useful if you have fans who prefer receiving updates via text messages rather than email.

 

Moreover, Sendinblue offers advanced contact management tools that allow you to segment your audience based on various criteria such as location, behaviour, and interests. This helps you personalize your email campaigns and send targeted messages that resonate with different segments of your audience. In terms of analytics, Sendinblue offers real-time reporting on important metrics like open rates, CTRs, bounces, unsubscribes, etc. Additionally, it also provides heatmaps that show where subscribers clicked within your email - valuable information that can help you strategise your marketing and promotional plan according to the data collected.

 

Content Creation: Canva & Adobe Spark

 

In today's digital age, content creation has become a crucial element for promoting any type of product or service. This holds true for the music industry as well, where artists need visually appealing and creative content to capture the attention of their audience. However, creating high-quality visuals can be expensive and time-consuming, especially for independent musicians with limited budgets.

 

Thankfully, there are now numerous free tools available that can revolutionize your music promotion game without burning a hole in your pocket. Two such tools are Canva and Adobe Spark – both offering intuitive and user-friendly interfaces to create stunning visuals for your music promotion needs.

 

Canva

 

Canva is an online graphic design platform that offers a wide range of templates, graphics, fonts, and other design elements to create professional-looking visual content. It caters to both beginners and experienced designers with its easy drag-and-drop features and customizable options. With Canva, you can create eye-catching album covers, promotional flyers, social media posts, website banners, and more in just a few clicks. The tool also allows you to upload your own images or choose from its library of over one million stock photos to personalize your designs further.

 

One of the main advantages of using Canva is its user-friendly interface – making it accessible even for those with no prior design experience. Moreover, it also offers pre-made templates specifically designed for musicians – making it easier to create visuals that resonate with your target audience.

 

Adobe Spark

 

Adobe Spark is another powerful content creation tool that helps musicians create visually appealing graphics, videos, and web pages. It offers three components – Spark Post for creating images, Spark Video for making short video clips, and Spark Page for building web pages. The platform offers a variety of design templates tailored to different needs, such as album promotions, event announcements, or tour posters. Users can also customize their designs by choosing from an extensive library of fonts, colours, themes, and images.

 

One of the standout features of Adobe Spark is its animated posts and videos option – allowing you to add motion graphics to your visuals to make them more attention-grabbing. Additionally, the tool also integrates with popular social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, making it easier to share your creations with your followers.

 

Analytics & Insights: Spotify for Artists & YouTube Studio

 

With the rise of digital music platforms and the increasing number of artists using them to promote their music, it has become crucial for musicians to have access to analytics and insights about their audience and performance on these platforms. Luckily, both Spotify and YouTube offer free tools specifically designed for artists to help them understand their audience and improve their reach.

 

Spotify for Artists

 

Spotify for Artists is a powerful tool that gives musicians in-depth insights into how their songs are performing on the platform. It allows artists to track real-time streams, listenership demographics, playlist placements, and more. This information is extremely valuable as it helps artists better understand who is listening to their music and how they can cater to this audience. With this data at hand, artists can make informed decisions about where and when they should promote their music or even plan tours. 

One of the most useful features of Spotify for Artists is the "Artist Pick" section. Here, artists can choose one song or album to showcase at the top of their profile page. This allows them to direct new listeners towards a specific piece of content that best represents them or aligns with their current promotional goals. Additionally, Spotify also offers a “Concerts” tab which allows artists to list upcoming shows/festivals in different cities along with ticket links – making it easier for fans to find information about live performances.

 

Youtube Studio

 

YouTube Studio is another essential tool that provides comprehensive analytics for content creators on the platform. For musicians, YouTube offers detailed insights into their video performance, audience engagement, and subscriber growth. Just like Spotify for Artists, YouTube Studio offers real-time data about video views, watch time, and the demographics of viewers. This information is invaluable for musicians aiming to understand the impact of their music videos and other content on YouTube. One notable feature of YouTube Studio is the ability to analyze audience behaviour. Musicians can see when their viewers are most active, allowing them to schedule video releases or live streams at optimal times when they are likely to reach a larger audience. Moreover, the platform provides information about the devices viewers are using to watch the content, helping artists optimize their videos for various platforms and screen sizes.

 

Furthermore, YouTube Studio provides creators with the ability to monetize their content through various means, including ads, channel memberships, and merchandise shelf integration. This monetization feature empowers musicians to generate revenue directly from their YouTube channel, allowing them to invest in their craft, create high-quality music videos, and engage with their audience in more meaningful ways.

Live-Streaming Platforms: Twitch & Instagram

 

Live-streaming platforms like Twitch and Instagram have emerged as powerful assets for musicians seeking direct and authentic connections with their audience. Unlike traditional marketing strategies, these platforms offer a direct and unfiltered approach to engaging fans, making them indispensable tools in a musician's promotional toolkit.

 

Twitch

 

Originally a platform for gamers, Twitch has evolved into a thriving community for musicians. It allows artists to stream live performances, interact with viewers through real-time chat, and even monetize their content through subscriptions and donations. This direct interaction fosters a sense of intimacy and loyalty among fans, creating a dedicated fanbase willing to support artists financially. Musicians can showcase their creativity beyond music, offering behind-the-scenes glimpses, Q&A sessions, or even collaborative songwriting, building a unique bond with their audience.

 

Instagram

 

With its vast user base, Instagram provides a dynamic platform for musicians to engage with fans visually. Instagram Live enables real-time video streaming, allowing artists to broadcast impromptu performances, studio sessions, or exclusive previews of upcoming releases. The platform's interactive features, such as polls and questions, encourage audience participation, making fans feel valued and involved in the creative process. Additionally, Instagram Stories offer an impactful way to share moments, teasers, and updates, keeping fans eagerly anticipating the next post. Instagram’s latest feature, “Broadcast Channels” provides the artists a direct medium to interact with their fans in a “group chat” format which is quite beneficial in creating a dedicated fanbase. Musicians can leverage hashtags, collaborations, and strategic timing to expand their reach, attracting new listeners and followers. Moreover, these platforms encourage user-generated content, with fans often sharing live-stream moments, amplifying the artist's online presence organically.

 

In today's music scene, these free music marketing tools have become a musician's best pals with how accessible and beneficial they are. They help artists connect with fans on a true level through very organic means. With these tools, independent musicians can truly shine online, without having to worry themselves about the various complexities of the growing music industry. Capitalise on these free music marketing tools and watch your music knock on the doors of your fans, with ease and most importantly, cost-free. 

 

Hope this blogpost helps you along your journey but before you leave, check out our submission platform. We have a bunch of curators on our network who are looking for new & exciting music to push on their massive playlists. If you make music and want to reach a wider audience, check out our submission platform and get a chance to reach millions of listeners! Submit your tracks now!