4. MAKE A SPOTIFY PLAYLIST 

Create and share a playlist of songs that are grouped according to theme, genre, or region. Feature some of your favorite tracks by other artists and sprinkle in a few of your original tunes. For extra credit, keep the playlist changing every week or create a collaborative playlist that your fans and friends can edit with you. 

Total time: 30 minutes

 

5. MAKE A VIDEO POSTER FOR YOUR NEXT SHOW

Use an app such as gifX, or even editing programs like iMovie or FCPX, to make a short 15-second video containing the relevant information about an upcoming show (date, time, artist name, etc.),  plus the music of one or more of the bands on the bill. Then add it as a promo content in your campaign. Total time: 30 -60 minutes

 

6. TAKE SOME NEW BAND PHOTOS

Grab a friend with a good camera and do a DIY photo shoot. Have fun with it! What you may lack in photography skills, lenses, or lighting, you might make up for in capturing the perfect moment. Bring a few sets of clothes (or even costumes!). Once you get over the initial awkwardness of posing for the camera, photo shoots can be a blast. Plus, every time you do a shoot you’ll get better at defining how you want to present your musical identity to the world. Make sure to get a variety

of shots: square, landscape, portrait, close-ups, etc. Total time: 3-4 hours

 

7. CREATE A TRAILER

A channel trailer is the first video people will see when they visit your promo CD. It doesn’t need to be fancy; it just needs to communicate something about you and your music and give your audience an idea about what to expect from your video content. It could be as simple as you talking to a webcam for 20 seconds. Don’t have a trailer? You can use any of your uploaded videos as the trailer, so pick the one you’re most proud of! Total time: 1-2 hours

 

8. WRITE AN ARTICLES TELLING THE STORY BEHIND ONE OF YOUR SONGS

The meaning of the lyrics, the inspiration, the recording, the arrangements. There’s a lot you can talk about. Pick a song you’re proud of and give your fans a deeper understanding of the things that make that tune so special. Total time: 1 hour

 

9. RECORD A “HOW TO” VIDEO

The same search principles as above apply to any subject. You can attract people to your music by teaching them how to do something specific: book a tour, screen print a t-shirt, install guitarnpickups, etc. Total time: 1-2 hours

 

10. RECORD A “RIG RUNDOWN” VIDEO

Shoot a short video (2-10 minutes) where you talk to the camera and demonstrate the instrumentsnand effects you use, how you get your favorite tones, and how that all works in the larger sonic context of your band. Not only will your existing fans love it, you might be able to attract new listeners to your music 

Total time: 1-2 hours

 

11. SHOOT A “TAKE AWAY” VIDEO OF YOUR BEST SONG

Strip your best song down and play it acoustic (or even acapella) at an interesting public location: a monument, a popular street, a storefront, an amusement park, etc. One song, one camera, one take. add it as a promo content in your campaign ! Total time: 1-2 hours

 

12. EVERYONE LOVES TOUR DIARIES, SO KEEP ONE

Whether you shoot a regular vlog series from the road (like Brett Newski’s Crusty Adventures), contribute an occasional essay to the blog of your local weekly, or post pictures to Instagram of all the tacos you’re eating on tour, your fans want to experience a taste of the glory and shame of your touring life. Remember, what’s mundane to you might seem exotic to them, especially if they

spend their days in a cubicle. Total time: varies

 

13. INTERVIEW YOURSELF OR ANOTHER BAND MEMBER

Whether it’s in print or on camera, these types of self-directed interviews can provide a really interesting glimpse into the life and creativity of an artist. Not sure what to ask yourself? Open it up to your fans and take questions from them. Total time: 1 hour

 

14. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE

An actual note. Not an email. Do you appreciate a recent booking, song placement, radio play, or review? Let them know. It’ll be memorable, and set you up for more of the same attention from that gatekeeper. Total time: 15 minutes

 

15. MAKE A NO-BUDGET MUSIC VIDEO

A music video is pretty much a requisite for a modern promotional campaign. But it doesn’t have to cost you thousands of dollars or dozens of hours. Check out our article with 6 tips for making a music budget the quick, affordable, and effective way: Total time: 6-10 hours

 

16. RUN A FUN CONTEST

Give your fans an incentive to share your music, retweet your tweets, subscribe to your YouTube channel, and so forth. The lucky winners could receive download cards, CDs, vinyl, access to unreleased tracks, dinner and a movie with members of the band, or anything else you dream up. Total time: 2-3 hours

 

17. RE-RECORD THE VOCALS FOR YOUR BEST SONG IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE

The Beatles put out German-language versions of some of their hits. Harry Nilsson sang “Without You” in Spanish. Are you proficient in a language outside the one you normally sing in? If so, do a translation, pull up your old session, redo the vocals, and put this version out as a single. That one song could be the thing that brings your music to a huge new audience. Total time: 3-4 hours