I didn’t know much about blogs or blogging for that matter until 2011 or 2012, I can’t remember the exact year.
Then I came across Blogger.com, which was (and still is) a free platform for blogging. Prior to that, I noticed several well-known South African musicians who were using the platform. And so I decided to also jump on the bandwagon.
At the time I was promoting artists online and using every avenue to get the music out to the rest of the world.
My efforts at “blogging” then were not so aggressive. I used to post single and EP release updates and previews every three months for a period of 12 months and that was it.
It was only until years later when I really discovered the true value of music blogs. If you are an Independent artist and would like to know how blogs can help boost your career, this post is for you.
What is a music blog?
A music blog is a website that is focused on creating and/or promoting content which is music-related.
That is the definition in layman’s terms. But it still sounds vague to a newbie.
Let me give you a basic example. The blog that you are reading now is a music blog for aspiring and Independent artists.
We create music-related content. So you can classify this as a music blog. But I will explain this further, let’s go over the following……
Different Types of Music Blogs
Music blogs are not created equal, and below I have compiled a list of the type of websites that should you familiarize yourself with.
Before you go start submitting your music, take a look at the different types of blogs and save yourself the trouble and effort.
Magazine Format Type – The magazine format type of blog is basically an online magazine, although it’s not uncommon to find “music blog” on the about us section.
But it’s not impossible though. These types of websites are usually profit-driven, in other words, their primary focus is publishing relevant content daily and generating high volumes of web traffic in order to sell more and more advertising space.
If you are completely unknown, it might be harder to get a single, EP or album preview because their regular readers and visitors expect to find “newsworthy” content (reading about an artist they already know).
Don’t get discouraged and shoot this idea down just yet. Say you do manage to get a feature on this type of blog; the exposure can help set the tone for your music career.
Video and Music Promotional Type –In South Africa, this is the most common form of blogging in the music industry. This type of blogs promotes Independent and established artists in the form of interviews and free downloads.
Including a free music download option is how the web visitor is incentivized, but the interview is content which belongs to the website.
Music enthusiasts and fans visit these blogs to get exclusive new content for free.
Silkouronlife.co.za is an example of a video and music promotional blog. And I would recommend the website to any Independent artist.
Editorial Self-Hosted Type – The blog you are reading is an editorial self-hosted music blog. The content (written) is researched and produced from scratch.
This type of blog is intended for educational purposes rather than promoting artists and music. If you are a musician, chances are you landed on this page because you want to know about this subject and empower yourself.
Making music is not enough but knowing how to navigate your way around the industry is important too. An information blog helps you to do just that instead of spending and wasting countless years trying to figure it all out on your own.
Free Hosted – A free hosted blog (I spoke about it in earlier) is a platform easily accessible to anyone. You can start posting your music, bio and other relevant information in five minutes, literally.
The downside is that everything you post stays on the third-party website server. If you were to create a free hosted blog on Blogger, it would look like this:
www.yourartistname.blogspot.com
I wouldn’t recommend this at all because it’s not scalable and there is no room for growth. You should only consider taking this route if you are making music for fun without any intentions of taking your career any further.
What blogs should I send music to?
What kind of music do you make? That’s your starting point. But submitting your music to this platform would be a waste of your time for example.
But I have made things easier for you. Below is a link of the Top 10 Music Blogs in South Africa.
Top Ten South African Music Blogs
Conclusion
Have you found any success by leveraging music blogs as a marketing tool? What is your opinion on music blogs? Let me hear your thoughts, you drop your comments below.