RISE TO THE TOP - WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SEEN AND HEARD AS AN ARTIST ON-LINE?
Nov 22, 2019
On my last blog post we spoke about branding. Brand consistency is a major element in order to stand out in the crowded music space. With all the online and offline opportunities to make an impression, consistency across all channels and touch points play a major role in being seen and heard. This is more important than ever and so you must approach social media with brand consistency in mind.
Streaming services and social media
The sheer volume of artists across all platforms leads to artists having the same names. Distributors often mix-up content when your music is delivered with the same or very similar artist name. Content administration is handled by computerized software and is automated, artists with similar names may lead to the music being placed under the wrong artist profile. This is only one of the reasons it is so important to come up with a unique artist name, when thinking about your brand and marketing strategy.
Here are some more reasons:
- It will be harder for record labels, managers, producers or booking agents to see you or find you online;
- Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will take longer to appear at the top of searches such as Google or YouTube;
- It will be more difficult to get verified on social media platforms;
- You might not be able to create a website or social media profiles under the name you want; and
- You risk infringing on someone’s trademark, which can have legal ramifications.
Creating your Ideal Artist name for Branding
Every coach, business consultant or adviser will tell you that all your social media Artist name should all be the same.
Considerations when deciding on your artist name:
- The name is the same across all social media;
- The name is also either: your name, your artist name, and your domain name;
- The name is as short as possible;
- The name is easy to remember; and
- The name is correct and easy to spell which makes it easier to search.
If you still are determining what your artist name should be check out sites like www.spinxo.com which offers suggestions for names based on things such as your name, interests, key words and more. If you have determined your user name you can also use sites like https://jimpix.co.uk/words/username-generator.asp to find out if it is available on all social media platforms.
Remember that branding is all about consistency and standing out. So in order to be able to stand out people need to be able to find you and remember you. When you are at a show, event, conference or having an interview and someone asks, “Where can people go to find you online?” You must be able to have one answer that satisfies all platforms in order to make it VERY easy for the fans to find you.
Your artist name is taken so now what?
What should you do
Here are some realistic, not perfect workarounds if your artist name is taken. First, if the name is taken but there is nothing posted on that social media you can simply DM them and ask if they will give you the name. Second, you can add a “.” between the words such as Cardi.B for example. You could also use a “_” – a.k.a. an underscore — in place of the dot.
There are also some other options you can use as a workaround. You can add words that qualify or describe your artistry. Words such as: Official, RnB, Singer, songwriter, and Rapper before or after your artist name. You can also use numbers to add to your name such as: #1, or year you were born.
You can also create some sort of abbreviation of your name or use your location. For example in the name Bronx Most Wanted Entertainment it could be Bx Most Wanted Entertainment also known as BXMW Entertainment. This checks the boxes for short, available and easy to remember and identifies where you are from.
While it is impossible to be on all social media you may want to register your artist name on upcoming social media platforms. Even if you are not currently using them, if that platform blows up, you will want to have your name reserved. An example of that is it may be important to have a presence on TikTok now because of the impact it is having today on breaking music.
What is a Smart URL
You can use one link to connect all the platforms and countries where you have your music placed so that it is very easy for fans to find. When you are promoting your music you can redirect traffic thru the smart URL to the correct offer based on targeting, geography and platform.
It allows for one click to help retain the fan without making them work harder to find your music. It also analyzes where your traffic comes from in order to help to determine the success of your campaign.