The Only Reliable Way to Get Your Band Covered on Music Blogs
Posted on 07. Dec, 2009 by refe in STRATEGY
Back when press releases actually worked.
“How do I get blog coverage for my band?”
I get this question a lot from both artists and artist managers. I have traditionally avoided answering it. This is partly due to the fact that I really don’t cover individual artists very often here at Creative Deconstruction, so I’m probably not the best blogger to ask. But the question keeps coming.
Fortunately, there are plenty of articles on the subject. Don’t send generic mass emails. Don’t submit rap music to a heavy metal blog, or gutter punk to a site focused exclusively on the bluegrass community. Do not for any reason send a formal press release. All good advice.
Despite my reluctance to chime in, I have noticed an important omission from most of the articles on the subject of music blog coverage. Very few seem to highlight what I consider to be the most effective tool of them all – relationship.
Taking the time to develop a rapport with bloggers is the only way to ensure that they will open your emails.
And it does take time. Often lots of time. But keep in mind that you don’t have to reach out to every single blogger – bloggers often find their content on other blogs. Get your story up on one and it’s likely to spread to others.
That kind of viral multiplication still requires a compelling story if you want coverage on the high-traffic sites. Some blogs will cover just about anything to keep their stream of content flowing. Others are more careful about what they publish. Getting your story up on the latter will likely bring whatever you’re promoting much more attention than the former.
Building Relationships With Bloggers
I may not be an authority on music reviews or band interviews, but networking is a different story. Relationships are at the heart of everything I do. I spend a great deal of time and energy interacting with artists and other members of the music industry, as well as fellow bloggers and media people.
Relationships have been instrumental in getting readership at Creative Deconstruction to where it is today. Relationships introduced me to the good folks at Live Music Machine I’ve been working with lately. And relationships that I am cultivating now will soon play an important role in taking this blog to the next level.
1. Targeting Social Bloggers
Admittedly, not all bloggers put this kind of value on relationships. There is still a mentality among some – particularly among those who have been at it since the early days of blogging – that blogging somehow elevates you above the rest of the online community. This is of course ridiculous when just about every member of that online community is a blogger themselves.
It should be pretty obvious which bloggers get it and which do not. Take a peak at their Twitter profile page. How much of their Twitter activity is preceded by an ‘@’ symbol? If you find a blogger who is spending a lot of their time replying to other users they are probably a good networking candidate.
Another great sign can be found right in the blogger’s comments section. How often does the blogger reply directly to comments left on their posts? The more they interact with their readers the more likely they will be willing to interact with you.
2. Making the Connection
When you are trying to get onto a bloggers radar, the best place to start is with their content. Comment on their posts. If they respond to your post (and they should if you’ve targeted a social blogger) you’ve just made your first connection. Pretty simple.
Social media is a wonderful place to make connections. Twitter is a great access point because it is an open network (as opposed to permission-based networks such as Facebook or LinkedIN.) You can follow anybody. Retweet the blogger’s headlines. This adds value to them, and requires no relationship whatsoever to do. It may even lead them to check out your profile. Whenever I see a new user Retweeting one of my updates I’ll click through to their profile to see who it is that’s paying attention to what I’m saying. I’m looking for connections too, you know.
Does the blog have a Facebook page? Consider becoming a fan. Facebook pages are designed to facilitate communities. Make yourself a part of that community by engaging with their posts and jumping into discussions.
No matter how busy the blogger may be, and no matter how many other people are vying for their attention (usually fewer than you might think!) they will eventually notice you when they see that you are consistently engaged.
3. Writing a Compelling Story
We live in an attention society. Eyeballs are currency. 10,000 people viewing your Twitter profile will still translate into 0 fruitful connections if you have nothing compelling there for them to find. Is your bio filled out? Do you have any interesting information to purvey in your updates? Better yet, do you have a blog of your own to link to?
It’s not just about the platforms, though. It doesn’t matter how many words you dump into the bottomless information pit that is the world wide web if you don’t actually have anything interesting to say. (I’ve dumped 880 words so far in this post alone!)
Why should anybody write about you? Some artists may craft an EP so life-changing that the bloggers can’t help but review it, but everybody else needs to find a way to present their story effectively or it will be ignored. Is yours a rags to riches tale? Did you meet your bassist when he tried to steal your car? Do you contribute five percent of all your earnings to a particular charity?
Everyone has a story. The PR industry has traditionally been responsible for figuring out what that story is and how to tell it. But PR people can’t build relationships for you. You’d be better off spending the time to figure if out for yourself. Not only will you end up with a more authentic perspective, you will also be able to communicate it more effectively to those you network with. If you need help send me an email and I’d be happy get you started.
What have your experiences been? (Whether you are an artist, a blogger, or anywhere in between.) Have you found success with this or another approach?
37 Responses to “The Only Reliable Way to Get Your Band Covered on Music Blogs”
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Twitted by theFlowMusic
07. Dec, 2009
[...] This post was Twitted by theFlowMusic [...]
radionowhere
07. Dec, 2009
Excellent post. You’ve taken all the information lurking between the lines of the myriad other posts on this subject and made it explicit, which is exactly what every guitar player fronting as a social media expert (like me) needs to know. Bookmarking this – thanks!
refe
07. Dec, 2009
Thanks, I’m glad you found it helpful. A lot of the information out there on this subject is definitely useful, and the hope is that this concept can act as something of a philosphical starting point. Or something like that
.
HubertGAM
07. Dec, 2009
This is the advice that I always give. Some people may think that it is smarmy, but if you are trying to connect with like-minded folks, it rarely should come off that way. You really need to look at it like you would in any normal (non-music) situation. You usually do it by trying to learn something about the other person. Bloggers are people too. Funny thing about that is the same rules apply to us to help build site traffic.
I think people may confuse this advice with “go kiss a blogger’s ass.” NO. You do not need to kiss ass, at least you won’t find me doing that. Interact with them on their level. You should be able to gauge what that is over time.
The key thing that I want to draw out of Refe’s post is the part where he acknowledges he researches those that interact with him. I do the same thing. That is how I got engaged in the space by hunting certain people down and vetting each person I came in contact with virtually. Now my site traffic is steady and I get new people all the time sharing my blog posts from months ago!
Great post, Refe. Timely too. I was just advising a friend on the power of building relationships before spewing random unsought music.
refe
07. Dec, 2009
Absolutely – this is about building relationships, not brown-nosing. I’m glad you pointed that out, and I probably should have highlighted that myself! Flattery is essentially the opposite extreme to the thoughtless auto-DM, ‘Thanks for following – check out my new EP!”
Tweets that mention The Number One Way to Your Band Covered on Music Blogs | creative deconstruction -- Topsy.com
07. Dec, 2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Refe Tuma and Hubert Sawyers III, Gordon Turnbull. Gordon Turnbull said: RT @refeup: The only reliable way to get blog coverage for your band http://bit.ly/8sv1SR #DIY #PR [...]
André Nucci
07. Dec, 2009
Great post man. Mind if I translate it to portuguese and post it on my blog? With credits, obviously.
refe
07. Dec, 2009
I would be thrilled, of course. Just make sure to send me a trackback so that I can see how my words look in Portuguese!
André Nucci
07. Dec, 2009
haha, don’t worry, they’ll look weird.
Kevin English
07. Dec, 2009
Spot on Refe and very well written. This post should be a staple in every indie artists arsenal. I wish there was a way to post it on everyone’s refrigerator or bathroom mirror. I’ll start with a RT. Thanks.
refe
07. Dec, 2009
I think that’s a good start. Thanks Kevin!
Heather
07. Dec, 2009
Thank you for this! I wish more people would read it! Though really, they also need to read those “Don’t submit rap music to a heavy metal blog, or gutter punk to a site focused exclusively on the bluegrass community.” tips too. Oy. At least when it’s music that’s in the right direction – I’ve gotten requests to post about fabric softener. Those kind drive me nuts.
refe
07. Dec, 2009
I can’t say I’ve ever been asked to post about fabric softener. But I suppose musicians do wear clothes…?
Twitted by brianoneal
08. Dec, 2009
[...] This post was Twitted by brianoneal [...]
lamajama1
08. Dec, 2009
This was a very informative post. My band is just starting to promote our new EP, and this is kind of my first stab at trying to get some bloggers to give us a listen. I’ll have to say, I always tried to be pretty understanding of their needs and not spam them out. But I hadn’t considered different things like retweeting their posts. It’s a good idea – and one of the better uses of Twitter I’ve heard suggested.
refe
08. Dec, 2009
It’s a good principle of networking that you should seek to do something for others before you ever ask them to do something for you. Twitter is great for this. And helping a blogger spread the word can get you on their radar in a practical, positive way. Good luck with your EP, by the way – feel free to drop it in my drop box (located in the sidebar.) I won’t write about it, but I’d be happy to give you feedback off the record.
lamajama1
09. Dec, 2009
Thanks! I think part of the problem was I didn’t know how to retweet things, but I kinda figured out how to do it. You have some very interesting articles, so I just followed you on Twitter. Our producer sometimes links to your stuff on his site, Musformation. Anyway thanks for the advice and I sent you one song in your dropbox. If you like it, we have the whole EP up on Soundcloud.
refe
09. Dec, 2009
I love the guys at Musformation – they have been good to me over there!
Al Goodwin
08. Dec, 2009
Splendid reading Refe, food for thought and it’s made me take a good look at my approach to bloggers. The main thing is the “new music industry” is so exciting and I as an independent singer songwriter just love the whole kaboosh of what’s going on. Keep on doing y’all.
Al
refe
08. Dec, 2009
Thanks Al. It is exciting – lot’s of opportunity out there if artists are willing to work for it. Let me know how this all works out for you.
Al Goodwin
16. Dec, 2009
Will do Refe, sorry for the delay in acknowledging your reply. I’ll hook up on facebook if that’s cool.
Al.
Tweets that mention The Number One Way to Your Band Covered on Music Blogs | creative deconstruction -- Topsy.com
10. Dec, 2009
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Travis , Keith Wilson. Keith Wilson said: Reading this article before I start contacting music bloggers about the new @blamingtim cd and music video – http://bit.ly/7TFNY3 [...]
Audiolife Blog » Blog Archive » Social Networking and the New PR
11. Dec, 2009
[...] recently posted an article on Creative Deconstruction that dealt with this idea of relationships. I’m not going to rehash that post here, but the primary point that I want to get across is that [...]
Peter B
16. Dec, 2009
I like the post. Question though: Why not send a formal press release? Only because it doesn’t give credence to trying to build a real human relationship? Do you even need to send out press releases anymore?
refe
16. Dec, 2009
I was kind of joking when I wrote that. Press releases still have a place in the world, and many parts of the media still rely heavily on them. A lot of the material of high-output blogs like TechCrunch or Hypebot comes from press releases.
When it comes to the majority of blogs, however, many won’t even look at a press release unless it comes from a familiar source. When @DionRoy sends me a press release, I read it. Because I know him and he knows me I am happy to hear what he has to say (and he gives me some exclusivity, which helps too
)
But when Dion and I began interacting on Twitter I didn’t even know he was in PR. I knew he was an artist, but I had never heard his music and he didn’t try to shove it in my face. The connection came first.
My advice is simply that you lead with relationships, not PR.
Peter B
16. Dec, 2009
Hey thanks for the clarification. Personally I think press releases are kind of stodgy and maybe too formal for what we’re trying to do but the age old wisdom is to always draw them up and send them. I wonder if this follows as well with trying to keep the old guard approach to music up and running?
I understand that we’re trying to be professional when we’re getting the word out. But the building relationships approach is so useful, genuine and organic compared to the PR approach.
I guess there’s a time and a place for both of them…
Dion
17. Dec, 2009
Refe,
As a PR person, while it doesn’t suit my interests to agree that people should cultivate their own relationships, if you do put the time in – I agree it’s very worthwhile. IF, and only IF, you do it appropriately. If you don’t want to put the time in, call AMP3
I’ve seen so many people destroy any chances of getting covered, and in some rare cases they do get covered – and then at the end of the coverage it says “Don’t Double Pitch Me Next Time!!!”
I think people forget that bloggers aren’t always there waiting to cover any dribble you send them, and to underscore the point you made, DON’T waste their time with an irrelevant pitch.
As usual, great article. Keep up the good work, it gives me something to read amidst the Tiger Woods and Twilight garbage.
Best,
Dion
@dionroy
Taylor Blue
17. Dec, 2009
Hi…I saw this link on Dion’s Twitter page. I am glad you wrote this article because me being a blogger get a lot of people asking me to look at their music. I do a lot of networking myself because as a writer I want people to see my work. I appreciate it when someone wants to get to know me as a person and not think of what I can do for them.
Dion is one person that I promote myself and I do so willingly because I want to. He did have an interview on my site before I knew him that was done by a writer of mine and then I started talking to him..and now whenever he wants something covered he can ask. I don’t usually allow any musician that but if you are going to go beyond the “pitch” and do something that stands out and often personal it would up my chances of helping you out in any way I can.
Creative ways are really what I look at. And if you are going to treat me as something other than a way to get further ahead. Then I would love to help. Thank you for this. (I hope I made some sense at all.
)
James Pew
21. Dec, 2009
Spot on! Great comments to…must go tweet this!
Daniel "Danny Dee" Aguayo
30. Dec, 2009
This is a phenomenal read Refe! You articulated it extremely well.
I encourage everyone to RETWEET this article, more artists need to know this strategy.
As everyone has stated, this definitely takes time, but you’d be surprised at how efficient it can be when you follow these tips. It is refreshing for bloggers to be approached in a professional manner.
refe
01. Jan, 2010
Thanks James and Danny! And Danny – I’ve seen you around Twitter, etc. but it’s great to see your name in the comments here. Hope you’ll be adding your two cents again in the future.
tips roulette
07. Jan, 2010
Sometimes it’s really that simple, isn’t it? I feel a little stupid for not thinking of this myself/earlier, though.
Mario Mendoza
12. Jan, 2010
Nice read Refe. I agree with getting to know bloggers and letting it build over time. Keeping an open mind and not feeling obligated to comment, but actually enjoy it.
With so many blogs out there, we have a right to be picky so take your time and work with people you like. I was recently offered a guest post on a blog I enjoyed reading, due to genuine commenting, without having to ask. Opportunities arise when you help others.
Plus commenting is also a way to force us to research about our industry, opening creative minds.
Pete Smith
04. Feb, 2010
An interesting read with some insightful comments, food for thought.
Luke
13. Feb, 2010
Great article. Very helpful. Thank you
stanmorePhoenix
17. Feb, 2010
If you like having your brain sucked out of your head by sonic awesomeness, you should listen to my music!
That, just to clarify, was 90% just for the irony & 10% because I cbf cultivating relationships. Don’t get me wrong, I consider myself to ve highly social & I love meeting new people & have a genuine interest in learning about them… It’s just when I look at the process of finding the social bloggers, building rapport, making the subtle pitches. It all seems like a muck-around. You know, i’m probably just tired & haven’t played guitar enough in the last few days.
The bit about not kissing arse, great advice. The article is also great & I think I’ll RT. Even though there is a little part of me that tells me to keep useful music industry related info to myself so as not to help the competition, experience has taught me that those most generous with their knowledge go further.
Wow, what a rant. That was unintentional.
Peace.
This is a great a
Jeff Dolan
20. Feb, 2010
Refe, Your blog came highly recommended and did not disappoint. Thanks for sharing and for your level of involvement.
My main question in launching an EP or record is, how long should you plan to promote like this before the release date?