How to promote your music as an independent artist
Releasing your music is only the beginning. Learn how to promote your music online, reach new listeners, build an audience and make the most of every release as an independent artist or label.
Making and releasing music takes time, but getting it in front of people is another part of the process. Whether you’re releasing your first single, looking for ways to promote your music or managing music for a label, there are plenty of ways to reach potential listeners without relying on a record label or a large marketing budget.
From social media and content creation to playlist pitching, live shows and collaborations, music promotion is about finding the channels that make sense for your audience and using them consistently.
You don’t need to do everything at once. A few well-planned promotional activities can give your music more opportunities to be discovered and help you build a lasting connection with the people who listen.
Build your online presence
Before you start promoting a release, make sure people can find you when they search for your artist name.
Your streaming profiles, social media accounts and website should all have up-to-date information, and your artist name, images and branding should be recognisable across your different platforms.
Claiming your artist pages where possible gives you more control over how your music and artist information appear to listeners. It’s also worth checking that your bio, profile image, links and latest releases are current.
Think about what someone should be able to do when they discover you for the first time. Can they quickly find your music? Can they see when you’re playing live? Is there an obvious way for them to follow or keep up with you?
Your online presence doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to give new listeners somewhere to go after they discover your music.
Plan your promotion around each release
Don’t wait until release day to start promoting your music.
A new single, EP or album gives you a reason to communicate with your audience over a period of time, rather than relying on one post announcing that your music is out.
Before your release, you could:
- Share the artwork
- Post short clips or teasers
- Share behind-the-scenes content from recording or production
- Announce the release date
- Create a pre-save or pre-release link
- Contact relevant blogs, playlists, radio stations or creators
- Prepare content for release day and the weeks afterwards
On release day, share the track through your active channels and make it easy for people to listen. But promotion doesn’t have to stop there.
Your release can continue providing content long after the first day. You might share a live performance, explain how a particular part of the song was made, post a music video, talk about the lyrics or revisit a track when it becomes relevant to something you’re doing. Music promotion isn’t just about getting people excited before a release.
Use social media to promote your music
Social media can help you reach new people, stay connected with existing fans and give listeners a reason to keep following your work.
You don’t have to be active on every platform. Focus on the places where your audience is already spending time and where you can realistically create content. Depending on your music and audience, this might include Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook or other social platforms.
Instead of only posting when you have a new release to promote, use your channels to give people a broader idea of who you are as an artist. Share a mix of music, behind-the-scenes moments, live performances and updates about what you’re working on.
You can also adapt content for different platforms rather than posting exactly the same thing everywhere. A clip from a recording session, for example, could become a short-form video or part of a longer YouTube upload.
The key is to use social media as an ongoing way to connect with your audience, not just another place to announce that your latest song is out.
Turn your music into content (if you want to)
Some people love it, some people despise it. These days, it seems to make the world go round. It’s… content!
A lot of music promotion campaigns are designed primarily around social media, which means that artists are increasingly having to become content creators as well. If you firmly want to focus on your craft (making music), don’t force yourself to churn out content. Your heart won’t be in it, that will come across to viewers, so it’s best to just leave it. However, if you are comfortable with that, great. That gives you a huge avenue to shout about yourself.
Your music gives you plenty of material to work with when promoting a release. Instead of relying on a single announcement, think about the different stories, moments and visuals you can build around a song.
A new track could become a teaser before release, a performance clip after release, a behind-the-scenes look at its creation or a post explaining the story behind it. You can also use tools such as PUSH.fm to create a dedicated campaign page for your release and give your audience one place to find and share it.
This approach gives you more ways to promote a release without having to create something completely new every time.
Pro tip: whether you prefer Reels, TikTok or YouTube Shorts, be sure to batch create content so youd don’t have to spend every day worrying about it.
Pitch your music
Getting your music in front of the right people can help you reach audiences beyond your existing followers. There are several routes you can explore, depending on your genre, release and the audience you’re trying to reach.
Pitch to playlists
Look for playlists that are relevant to your genre and audience, including editorial playlists on streaming platforms and independent playlists run by curators.
When pitching, focus on why your track is a good fit rather than sending the same message to every curator. Make sure you use legitimate submission routes and avoid services that promise guaranteed playlist placement or streams.
Check out our guide on pitching to playlists here for more information.
Submit to music blogs
It may seem like the heyday of music blogs has been and gone (which is correct), but that doesn’t mean they’re completely irrelevant. Music blogs and online publications can be useful for reaching people who are already interested in your genre or scene – particularly some industry professionals.
Research the publications you’re contacting and check their submission guidelines before sending your music. A short, relevant pitch with the key information about your release is more useful than a generic message sent to a large list of outlets.
Reach out to media and radio
Radio stations, DJs, podcasts and other media outlets can also offer opportunities to get your music heard.
Look for programmes and presenters that regularly feature your genre or independent artists, and tailor your approach to what they cover. Local radio and specialist shows can be particularly relevant if you’re trying to build an audience around a particular scene or location.
Remember that pitching doesn’t guarantee coverage or playlist placement. The aim is to find relevant opportunities and put your music in front of people who are likely to be interested in it.
Work with other artists and creators
You don’t have to promote your music entirely on your own.
Collaborating with other artists, producers, songwriters and creators can introduce your music to people who may not have found it otherwise.
That could mean releasing a collaboration, appearing in another artist’s content, playing a show together, creating a remix or simply supporting each other’s work.
You can also build relationships by engaging with other artists without immediately asking them to promote you. Share music you genuinely enjoy, attend local shows, connect with people in your scene and look for opportunities to work together.
The same applies to creators outside of music. If someone makes videos, posts or other content that fits your music, a genuine collaboration can introduce your work to an audience that already has an interest in what you’re offering.
Promote your live shows
It’s not just about being online, and digital music.
Live shows give you a chance to reach people in person and introduce your music to new audiences. They can also help you build connections with other artists, venues and promoters.
When you have a show coming up, make sure the people who might want to attend know about it. Share the key details clearly, including the date, venue and ticket information, and promote the event through your own channels rather than relying solely on the venue or promoter.
Your existing audience is a natural place to start, but look beyond your own followers too. Other artists on the bill, local music communities, the venue’s audience and relevant local groups can all help you reach people who may be interested in your music.
You don’t need a large advertising budget to promote a gig. Working with the other artists and organisers involved, contacting relevant local communities and keeping your audience informed can all help get more people through the door.
Consider paid promotion
You don’t need a large advertising budget to start promoting your music, and paid advertising isn’t a replacement for building an audience organically.
However, paid promotion can be useful when you have a specific goal and know who you’re trying to reach.
For example, you could promote a new music video, announce a live show or put a piece of content in front of people who are likely to be interested in your music.
Start with a clear objective and a budget you’re comfortable with. Pay attention to the results rather than assuming that spending more will automatically produce better results.
Paid advertising works best as part of a wider marketing strategy. Your artist profiles, music, content and overall online presence should give someone somewhere to go after they discover your advert.
Build a direct relationship with your audience
Social media can help you reach people, but it’s also worth having a way to communicate directly with the people who want to hear from you. An email list gives you a way to share updates with your audience without relying on social media algorithms.
You could use email to announce new releases, share upcoming shows, offer early access to tickets or music, and keep fans updated on what you’re working on. You don’t need to send emails constantly; a useful update when you have something worth sharing can be enough to keep people connected.
You can also use direct-to-fan platforms to give your audience other ways to support your music, whether that’s through downloads, merchandise, memberships or other offerings.
The more ways people have to stay connected with your music, the more opportunities you have to turn a new listener into a long-term fan.
Build a promotion strategy that works for you
There isn’t one promotional strategy that works for every artist. Try different ways to promote your music and use your analytics to see where people are discovering your music and what they’re responding to.
Look for patterns over time and focus your efforts on the platforms and promotional activities that suit your audience, music and time. As you release more music, you can use what you learn to refine your approach.
Promotion is an ongoing part of being an independent artist. Give people multiple opportunities to discover your music, connect with you and keep up with what you do.