SJ Exclusive: Understanding Online Music Sales
The music market is gradually moving from streets to online stores, recording impressive cash income to artistes and music agencies across the globe. Gradually becoming the new trend this however has raised a notable controversy amongst artistes, owners of free stream blogs and audience at large making it an issue worth redress.
This article is in no way to discourage artistes from daring to make money from their craft, neither is it to ruin the chances of freestream bloggers making money from their sphere, however it is aimed at elaborating the realistic possibility of successful online music sales in practical form.
To successfully sell music online a few things must be duly considered;
1. Targeted Audience: As an artiste, you need to understand the class of people who buy songs and how to get to them online, sincerely speaking this class of fans are most likely not found on face and whatsap, they listen to content not instrumentals, and they have value for their money like anybody else and wouldn’t want to buy a song they don’t have value for. Luckily there are series of distribution companies out there willing to take your music to this class of audience through a medium of subscription subjected to sells percentage terms.
2. Music Type: This isn’t necessarily about your Genre of music, But to be very honest “Shaku Shaku” filled with Yoruba street slangs may not be quite successful however songs with content and strong message of common interest, most likely from the famous genres of hip hop, afro pop, fusion, highlife, classical, reggae et al. Songs with a reason for the dollar e.g Harrysong – Mandela (we’re not saying shaku shaku is not worth the dollar anyways but honestly you don’t want to narrow down your buyers to Yoruba speaking audience and culture friendlies).
3. The Right Hype: Most times in the local market, when we buy stuffs for the first time, it’s not because we’re really sure of it’s worth, but most likely we heard so from a trust worthy source… the most effective music promotion is carried out before the actual release of the song {anticipation}. Your song being talked about very well will stir curiosity as to “what’s even in this song that is making everybody want to talk about it?” [curiosity is good for marketing] when they ask, you answer them with the Jam Link and they buy.
4. Brand Packaging: It is one thing to have a good song, it is however another thing to court attention to your song. From the Tittle of your song, to the graphics art, down to the press release…
*When your song tittle make your audience curious, “why is the song having that kind of tittle? What could an artiste possibly make from that kind of tittle?” in an attempt to find out, they buy.
* Graphics Art that is beautiful to the eyes attracts the mind, nobody will buy what their eyes don’t like, this applies in all spheres of marketing even offline. However Beauty doesn’t end here in this context; does the art compliment the song content and genre? It goes beyond just having your picture and name beautifully written.
* The relevance of your press statement should better not be underrated, it is where you give an insight about yourself and the song, it should be brief, precise and captivating enough to let your buyers believe they’re not buying rubbish.
5. Market Relativity: Simply put, if I’m in a Naira based economy state, buying in dollars may hinder my urge to hear your music. While iTunes and Spotify may dominate the dollar based state, the mtn music store on the other hand makes it simple for the less technically advanced audience to still buy your songs online and should be a more preferred option for upcoming artistes…
WHILE THIS SALES MAY SEEM SUCH A GREAT IDEA, ANSWER TO THIS 5 QUESTIONS
• What’s your preferred choice at the moment? Make money or build audience?
• Within your reach, how many people buy songs online?
• The audience buying your songs online, are they the same audience you meet in your shows?
• Should a DJ want your song in mixtapes or OAPs wants to air your music as part of promotional support, will they also have to Buy the songs?
• Is your song really worth the purchase?
If this publication has been helpful to you, do well to share it… God bless us… #teamSouthjamz…
