A fascinating study from NYU's Stern Business School was just released. This study was based on the correlation of album sales and blog posts, and the researchers discovered the following:
- If 40 or more blog posts were made before an album's release sales ended up being three to four times the average for both independent and major label releases.
- If blog posts crossed 250, album sales rose to six times the average regardless of label.
Um, Oh My GOD – this is HUGE NEWS. For the past few years everyone in the music business has been scratching their heads and asking: How do we sell more records? And blogs are the answer! (and academically researched no less)
So, what does this mean for you my dear artist? It means it's time to get your album blogged about! But how in the heck are you going to do that?
Bloggers are unapproachable. People that live in ivory towers expunging and eschewing their amazing knowledge and opinions about music. They are snarky and they are untouchable (Is this the conversation
going on in your head at this very moment?) Shut that little voice up and read on…
Here is a guide that will help navigate you through how to get your music blogged about:
As a recovering traditional publicist with a background in writing press releases, announcing things, and blatantly pitching my clients, I had to relearn from scratch everything I thought I know about how to promote music when I decided to take my company digital.
A BIT ABOUT BLOGGERS
Statistics say that there are currently 80 million active bloggers today. Blogs as you know can be about any topic. A few dozen people read some blogs and some are read by millions. A vast majority of all bloggers create blogs for no financial gain whatsoever, in fact it usually costs a music blogger money to host his files and maintain his blog. A blog is an extremely personal and private endeavor. Most bloggers create their blogs as a personal outlet. It’s an outlet where they talk about their lives, their opinions, the things that they like and dislike, it's basically and online diary.
Bloggers are a quirky lot. I know this, because I've spent the last couple of years observing bloggers, interacting with bloggers through my business, and attending some of the most notable blog conferences on earth.
So, how on God's green earth are you supposed interrupt and say: Hey blogger, come write about me in your personal diary!?
There are a few ways to do this here are your options ...
IDENTIFY 50 BLOGS YOU WANT TO BE REVIEWED ON
So, once you have your own blog, up and running. The next step is to identify which blogs you would like to be included on and start reading them and posting comments on them. Remember the NYU study shows that if 40 or more blog posts were made before an album's release sales ended up being three to four times as high.
If you don’t know how to search for blogs here is a way to get started: Search all blogs (use the search engine links listed below).
TIP: Make a list of your 50 targets in your Blogroll – the NYU study showed that some of these blogs should be the bigger and more widely read blogs like Pitchfork and Brooklyn Vegan. These are great targets but I suggest you target blogs that are more likely to cover you based on what they are already writing about
– The most popular music blogs that everyone constantly mentions tend to be indie-rock centric so if you do play indie rock then you may not have a chance of getting included. And see if anyone has written about you
already. With 80 million blogs out there it’s possible you have been mentioned somewhere already!
If you find a post PERFECT! Post a comment back thanking them for their post and say something about their blog – the idea here is create a two-way conversation by talking about THEM. Use a sig file identifying yourself so they know where to visit you online.
TIP: Add the blogs that mention you to your blogroll. A blogroll is simply a shout out to other blogs. You see them on every single blog you go to (they are the big lists of other blogs and sites in the margin of the blog).
TIP: Comments should never be self-promotional at first they should be entirely about the blog and the blogger. Add comments, comment on how you like their blog. Add feedback. Disagree, agree; but participate in the blog.
When you are a blogger, it's all about how many comments you have and how many people you are engaging on your blog. This part is critical.
Find your community - Artists you know & play with
If you do not find any posts about your music a great way to start is search blogs for other artists you know and play with then you can reach out with a personal reference and say something like: I just read your post about ARTIST. I couldn’t agree with you more they put on a great live show. In fact we played with them just a few months ago and I was blown away etc.
TIP: DON’T ask for a review on your first contact with a blogger – just make an observation about THEM and comment on what THEY are writing. There will be plenty of time to make yourself known later – this is
a process that takes some time.
REMEMBER bloggers are people too and all PR is about connecting personally with the blogger – They will sense it if you are full of BS and just trying to get something – I’ve made this mistake and the results are not pretty.
Search by sound alike & comparison
Another way to identify appropriate blogs is find posts about bands that you get compared to and that you sound like.
TIP: Stay away from the huge names like Bob Dylan and search for more niche artists you get compared to
The next thing to do is go visit these blogs and take a peek. Is this the kind of the blog that would write about you? If so, add this blog to your RSS reader and return to and comment on this blog often. Add this blog to
your blogroll, so that the blogger can see that you are visiting their blog often, and start posting comments.
TIP: In order to become sticky you will have to post comments on other people's blogs regularly and get to be known by the blogger before you make your first pitch.
After a few weeks of tracking and posting, you could write a simple hello to the blogger, mention that you have a blog, a music that you would like for them to check out, and then subtly see if you can encourage them to check out your music.
After you get your first review remember to link back to your blog and thank the blogger. Like I said before bloggers read other bloggers blogs. Soon, you will begin to spread around the ‘net!
BECOME AN AVID BLOG READER & COMMENT BACK
At the very least microblog using Twitter.com. If you are going to go this route, I suggest you build a links page on your website or on your Facebook page to link back and send shout outs to other blogs so that you are still somewhat in the link back game which is critical.
HIRE A PR FIRM TO HANDLE BLOG PLACEMENTS FOR YOU
I suggest that you do your research thoroughly and make sure you are very clear what it is you want before you go down this path.
ATTEND CONFERENCES AND MEET BLOGGERS FACE TO FACE
This is a great way to get into the blogging community. Rumor has it that this is how Tim Ferris launched his wildly successful book The 4 Hour Work Week. I can’t confirm this but it makes perfect sense.
Ariel Hyatt
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