Building a strong image is of huge importance for promoting your music. Music is a multi-faceted artform and the visual artwork and imagery that accompanies your releases and shows, can significantly impact your growth. Your brand needs to represent your values, be unique to you, and instantly identifiable.
Branding Basics:
Establish your band’s brand and decide on cohesive marketing materials e.g., logo, color scheme, any particular imagery you feel appropriately represents the band. These assets are what you should then apply to everything you do to present consistency and ensure your social media and tour posters etc., are instantly recognizable.
Social media profiles are your connection with your audience, potential new listeners, journalists and other industry experts. Make sure you are presenting your brand as best you can as, including all relevant and up to date information. Social media is the ‘shop window’ to your music. People may decide whether or not to listen to your music based on how you present yourselves. You never know who may discover your profiles so make a good first impression.
Implementing Your Brand Online:
1. Profile Photos and Banners
Using a band photo as the profile picture provides a more human feel (research in psychology and marketing supports this) and shows potential fans exactly who you are. Ensure the profile picture is consistent across all platforms. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Spotify all enable banner pictures to be used. Make sure this is updated when regularly when relevant, for example:
- Announcing / and then releasing a new song/video/EP/album
- Review quotes for your latest release
- Tour/ shows/ events
Tips:
Use high quality images which are scaled to the correct size for the platform (up-to-date sizes can be found through a quick online search). Be aware sizes can vary for the app and pc versions so choose designs/ images which will give the best possible appearance across all devices.
2. Biographical Information
Most social media platforms and some streaming platforms provide space for biographical information. Make sure information is provided and that it is kept up to date; all names spelt correctly, members listed with which instruments they play, no former members still included, not advertising shows from three years ago, for example.
Tips:
Use your main band bio and pick out the key points in order to create a concise version to fit the character limits on different platforms. A good quality bio is essential as this is how you present yourself to the world. If you don’t feel able to write your own, invest in a professional to write one for you.
3. Pinned Posts
The pinned post function, included for example, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, is a very useful means of highlighting important information and major updates such as links to your new release or upcoming event.
Tips:
Do not forget about the pinned post. Update it regularly as significantly out of date pinned posts can be confusing to those visiting your page as it will be the first visible post. It looks unprofessional and runs the risk missing out on potential sales from your latest venture.
Implementing Day-To-Day:
Planning a new release or tour? Are you booked in for a shoot to update your band photos? These are all scenarios in which you should be considering how you incorporate your brand. Whether it’s ensuring your logo and color scheme is present on promotional graphics, or your band pics support the theme (if you have one) of a new album, consider how you can illustrate who you are consistently.