Edmwarriors Team
YouTube is the largest video platform on the internet and this makes it a great opportunity to showcase your music. But with the enormous output of music and other video content on the platform getting noticed can be quite the challenge. Let’s take a look at some of the tiny yet significant ways in which you can promote music on YouTube, so you can build a dedicated audience that will enjoy and support your art.
If you want to learn how to successfully promote your music across all social media and beyond, take the time to read our How To Market Music Online: A Beginner’s Guide for 2024.
Promote music on YouTube by giving your channel a professional flare
Branding is a key element of standing out from the crowd and it can also be a creative way to weave in your personality into your online persona. A good way to promote music on YouTube is to start by having cohesive thumbnails on your videos, as well as a well-made banner for when people click on your channel.
Well-designed thumbnails that catch the eye can attract potential viewers as they browse through their search results or suggested videos. When they are visually appealing and cohesive, they increase the likelihood of viewers clicking on your videos and. This can lead to a new potential new listener.
Thumbnails can also provide you with the chance to showcase your album artwork, concert photos, or behind-the-scenes glimpses. Really, any way you can hook a person’s interest is definitely good if you want to know how to promote your YouTube music channel. By incorporating compelling visuals, you create intrigue and enticement. Remember: any outlet that can make your personal brand unique should be used, it just requires a bit of creativity.
A cohesive visual design across your channel also communicates a sense of professionalism and dedication. It shows that you have put thought and effort into presenting your art, which can build trust and credibility.
From the thumbnail to the banner, a cohesive visual experience will make you stand out amongst the sea of other music makers and help promote your music on YouTube. When a viewer clicks on one of your videos and finds a unique style throughout your channel, it strengthens their association with your music.
Organize your videos in relevant playlists
Making your channel easy to navigate means that people will spend more time on it. Playlists allow you to categorize and group your music based on themes, genres, albums, or any other relevant criteria. You can also organize things such as live streams, behind the scenes content and much more. All of this helps promote your YouTube channel in a subtle way, as viewers are more likely to stay on.
Don’t forget that YouTube's algorithm takes into account various factors, including user engagement and watch time, to recommend videos to viewers. By organizing your music into playlists, you increase the likelihood of someone watching multiple videos in a row. This engagement can positively impact the platform’s algorithm, and elevate your music to someone’s recommended page. As you see, organizing your channel is a great way to promote your music on YouTube.
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Promote music on YouTube by collaborating and engaging with other like-minded people
Music is all about the human connection. When you collaborate with other musicians who have a similar target audience, you cross pollinate with their existing fan base and gain exposure. By featuring each other's music on your channels or creating collaborative tracks or other videos, you introduce your music to a wider audience that may not have discovered you otherwise. This is a win-win for both parties involved.
Another benefit to collaborations is that they bring a sense of variety and freshness to your content. By combining your musical styles, voices, or creative ideas, you create a unique blend that can intrigue listeners. An eclectic approach is the essence of musical innovation. It’s also a way to make your content stand out and can be a great way to promote music on YouTube.
Collaborating with other musicians can also be a great way to polish your skills, as it allows you to pool resources and expertise. You can share equipment, recording spaces, or production knowledge, which can lead to higher-quality content. It goes without saying that the best way to promote music on YouTube is to put out something that people will like listening to time and time again.
Engage with your listeners
It’s what most successful “content creators” do and there’s a reason for that – it works. When you can, take the time to read and respond to comments on your videos. While engaging with every single listener may not be feasible, expressing gratitude for their support in some capacity is extremely important. Not only because it’s a good way to promote your YouTube videos, but because it helps with that genuine human connection we talked about earlier.
Another great way to promote music on YouTube is to take some time to answer some of the questions they may have. This can be done either by making a dedicated video of pre-submitted questions, or a livestream. The questions can be anything from specific plug-ins that you frequently use to your favourite flavour of ice cream. Imagine being on the other side and having the valuable opportunity to ask someone you admire anything you want to.
Organizing live performances and sessions is another great way to promote your YouTube music channel. Live sets can create a unique and even interactive experience. It can make your viewers feel like they are part of a special event and strengthen their connection to your music.
Link to your other social media profiles
Social media platforms provide a great space for building a community around your music. By linking your video channel to Facebook and Instagram, you can utilize a few different outlets to promote your music on YouTube. A strong community can contribute to the success of your music and generate word-of-mouth promotion.
Basically, you can use both Facebook, Instagram or even Twitter to notify your listeners of any new music or other adjacent content you are putting out so they can go hear it on YouTube.
For example, you can share short teaser videos, live performances, or behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram to build up interest in your upcoming single or album. Then when you release you notify your fans on the aforementioned by making posts and stories and you link to the YouTube video you want to promote.
How to market music on YouTube by optimizing for the platform’s algorithm
There are many ways to make it easy for YouTube’s algorithm to notice you, most of which can be done directly on the platform itself. As with every other tip on this article, take a look around what some of your favorite successful artists are doing and try to adapt that for yourself.
Using all the little features like cards and end screens strategically can help you learn how to market music on YouTube and encourage viewers to explore more of your content. You can use cards to link to your other videos, playlists, or your website. End screens can showcase your latest release, encourage subscriptions, or promote upcoming projects. These features provide additional opportunities to engage viewers and guide them towards discovering more of your music.
YouTube also provides valuable insights and analytics that allow you to understand your audience, their behavior, and preferences. You can use all of this to discover how to market music on YouTube in all sorts of ways. By analyzing metrics like viewer demographics, traffic sources, and watch time, you can gain insights into what resonates with your audience and adjust your content strategy accordingly. Of course, you should never sacrifice your artistic integrity just to please people, merely adjust your strategy..
Use the appropriate tags to market your music well
Tags can contribute to the long-term discoverability of your videos and are great if you want to market your music on YouTube. While initial promotion and views may come from immediate subscribers or direct sharing, well-optimized tags allow your music to be found by those who browse through the platform’s vast library of content months or even years after the initial upload. This can result in a steady stream of new viewers and potential fans discovering your music over time. Think of it as indexing something in a library so that anyone can look it up.
Properly optimized tags can give you a competitive advantage in search rankings. They can be a great asset if you want to know how to market your music on YouTube. By conducting research on popular tags used in your genre or related content, you can identify keywords that are relevant and have less competition.
Promote music with YouTube Ads
YouTube Ads is another great way to promote your music on the platform. The downside is that you have to somewhat of a budget to utilize this type of marketing. One of its key advantages is the range of targeting options available to you. You can target viewers based on demographics such as age, location, and interests. This precision targeting ensures that your ads are shown to people who are more likely to be interested in your music, maximizing the impact of your campaign.
Discovery ads are another effective feature you can use to promote music on YouTube.. They appear as suggested videos on the site’s homepage, search results, or related video sections. These ads are displayed alongside organic search results, making them more integrated and non-intrusive for the user experience.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What are some of the ways I can optimize my music for YouTube’s algorithm?
A: One of the ways to optimize for the platform’s algorithm is to title and tag your
videos appropriately, as well as organize them into the right playlists. Using features like annotations and end screen cards is another way to link them together.
Q: How is cross-platform promotion beneficial for marketing a YouTube video?
A: Cross-platform promotion can be a great way to show your audience you have newly released material. Linking from your Instagram profile to your YouTube channel will lead to more people watching your videos.
Q: Are Q&A videos a good way to engage with an audience?
A: Yes, Q&A is a great way for people to find out more about you and your work. This can be done in a live stream or a dedicated video.