As a musician, videos are the best way to create stronger visibility and deeper emotional connections to your music. You can tell the stories of your songs while displaying a sophisticated level of artistry that keeps viewers engaged.
With a well-edited video, you’ll have an instant resource to boost your fan base and build your career. But how do you get your video in the hands of the right people?
Read this guide to learn how to distribute your music video and generate a broader reach with your talents.
Find the Right Channels
You’ll need to create a list of platforms you can use to distribute your videos. Each platform will appeal to slightly different age groups and interests, so plan on targeting the ones that most closely align with your intended audience.
If your music is likely to resonate with younger demographics, then TikTok and Instagram Reels could be your best bets. These platforms have enduring appeal, and you can post short-form clips to help garner interest in your work. Facebook may not draw in the younger viewers, but for music that could appeal to Millenials, it’s still a reliable landing place for your videos.
YouTube also remains a stalwart for musicians hoping to kindle views and positive comments. You can be confident that users from across the globe will visit and consume videos there. You’ll need to do some heavy self-promotion, however, to make sure your video gets the clicks it deserves.
For increased reach, Apple Music can be a good option, too. Many music lovers think of it as a top source of musical talent, so you’ll elevate your profile by posting your videos there. In general, your best bet is to distribute your video to several platforms when you’re starting out.
Then tally up the views to see which ones have helped you the most.
Upload Your Videos
Yes, you can take the time to post videos to platforms like Facebook and TikTok. But when you’re posting teaser clips, full videos, and other musical content, it can be a time-consuming and tedious process. As a musician, you’d probably prefer to use that time to pen new music.
Helpful distribution tools like DistroVid can make getting your videos to the right sites much easier. You won’t need to upload the same video again and again. Instead, DistroVid can take one upload and send it off to several different sites, like Tidal and Vevo, for you. This saves you time while making sure your latest content is ready for its audience.
Be Visible
Uploading your videos is a critical step. But how will people know who you are and why your video matters? Plan on investing time into making sure your video and surrounding content don’t get buried under the competition. Optimize your content just as you would the content of a website to attract more traffic.
Hook people scrolling through songs with a visually engaging thumbnail. Know that visuals matter, and you can get someone to give your video a look by capturing their attention first. Make sure you have a clear brand and style, too, that synchronizes with the tone or mood of your song and music.
Include titles embedded with keywords people would use to find your genre of music. Tags and descriptions also should be loaded with references to your name and song title. And add captions to help give your video added visibility.
Even though you’re posting a music video, some people may focus more on the video than the music. Captions ensure that your lyrics can be read if someone has the volume down or is hearing impaired.
Focus on Marketing
Promote yourself on social media sites. Set up a business profile and commit to regular postings to share clips of new songs and answer questions. You may find it advantageous to collaborate with influencers, too, to gain extra traction. They can promote your song to their established audience, which is especially critical in the few days following its release.
Evaluate your performance by tracking metrics on social media sites. You can look at click-through rates to see how many casual observers become interested in your content. Likes and shares also can be positive indicators that you’re developing reach as an artist. And look at the demographics of those watching your video.
You may be on target with the age range you expected, or perhaps you might be surprised to see that your music is connecting with older adults. Use this information to help inform how you handle your next video upload.
Build Your Audience and Career
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get your music career online. By uploading your video to multiple platforms and promoting yourself through social media, you can start to see an uptick in views and likes.
Take an organized approach to sharing your videos and check progress on your efforts. Make adjustments as needed – and start recording your next video to keep the momentum going!
