USING INTERNET RADIO TO MARKET YOUR MUSIC By Mark W. Curran
© 2004

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USING INTERNET RADIO TO MARKET YOUR MUSIC
By Mark W. Curran

One of the biggest growth areas for online music, internet radio stations
are proliferating by the hundreds. These are basically online areas where
people can go to listen to independent music programming that is not
controlled by advertisers and commercial interests.

IR can take on many formats and forms, but essentially any station that
plays indie music is a good target for your marketing efforts. Some stations
play only certain types of music, so make sure your music is the right fit
before e-mailing them or submitting material.

Many online radio stations have an online method set up for you to submit
your material, but some do not. You should make an attempt to always make
your initial contact through e-mail, if possible.

By contacting the radio station via e-mail, you are looking to establish a
contact there for your contact list. Your first contact method should be a
brief letter of introduction, with links to your website for the radio
contact to view your online press kit, as well as the listen to a few of
your songs.

You should send a follow up 1-2 weeks later, thanking them for taking the
time to review your materials, and if they would be open to having you add
them to your contact database and mailing list.

By keeping careful notes in your database, you will be able to build a very
effective marketing list of online radio stations to market your material
to.

Online Radio Station Marketing Methods

Let the station owner know you want to take an active part in promoting your
music online, and that you would be willing to offer him content, (your
music) in exchange for promotional consideration. Direct him to your online
EPK to make a further positive impression.

Offer to do live or taped interviews, live audio/video performances, call-in
periods, contests, giveaways, even host a segement of the show in the genre
of your own music. You might even be able to get he station owner to trade
you some banner advertising space for your efforts.

Even if you don't get the banner space, by going on a program that has high
visibility, you will be getting free exposure, and that is the key to using
online media for promotion.

Make sure you make it clear to the listeners that your music is for sale,
and where they can get it.

Online radio is an excellent way to build a following. It is also a great
place to send your ad specialties, like T-shirts, mouse pads, screen savers,
and a promo copy of your CD. Getting your name in front of the site owner
and keeping it there - that is your primary objective.

Rating the online stations in order of their importance means getting
statistics on how many hits they are getting from listeners.

This is not always simple to do, and in some cases, unless they have hit
counters and published statistics, you may have to rely on popularity lists.

My favorite internet popularity charts are found at:

http://www.100hot.com

Here you can check to find out what the most popular websites are on any
given subject.

You can find the top rated music sites, many of them portals:

http://www.100hot.com/directory/arts/music.html

They do not, as of this date, have a top list for online radio stations
rated in order of their popularity.

One of the best sources for online radio stations can be found at:

http://wmbr.mit.edu/stations/list.html

This list includes brick and mortar radio stations that have websites, as
well as streaming radio stations, so it takes a bit of research to find only
the stations that feature online radio, however, it is not a bad idea to
contact brick and mortar radio stations.

Many of these stations are open to receiving indie music, particularly
college radio, so do not discount them in your promotions. The fact you can
reach them online qualifies them for your contact list, as long as they
feature your genre of music, and are open to receiving materials about new
artists online.

=============================================
Mark W. Curran is a recognized expert in online music marketing,
and author of the book "Sell Your Music: How To Profitably Sell
Your Music Online" He has authored many articles on the subject,
and currently runs a music marketing consulting company in Los
Angeles. http://www.nmdbooks.com/author.html
============================================

USING INTERNET RADIO TO MARKET YOUR MUSIC
By Mark W. Curran

One of the biggest growth areas for online music, internet radio stations
are proliferating by the hundreds. These are basically online areas where
people can go to listen to independent music programming that is not
controlled by advertisers and commercial interests.

IR can take on many formats and forms, but essentially any station that
plays indie music is a good target for your marketing efforts. Some stations
play only certain types of music, so make sure your music is the right fit
before e-mailing them or submitting material.

Many online radio stations have an online method set up for you to submit
your material, but some do not. You should make an attempt to always make
your initial contact through e-mail, if possible.

By contacting the radio station via e-mail, you are looking to establish a
contact there for your contact list. Your first contact method should be a
brief letter of introduction, with links to your website for the radio
contact to view your online press kit, as well as the listen to a few of
your songs.

You should send a follow up 1-2 weeks later, thanking them for taking the
time to review your materials, and if they would be open to having you add
them to your contact database and mailing list.

By keeping careful notes in your database, you will be able to build a very
effective marketing list of online radio stations to market your material
to.

Online Radio Station Marketing Methods

Let the station owner know you want to take an active part in promoting your
music online, and that you would be willing to offer him content, (your
music) in exchange for promotional consideration. Direct him to your online
EPK to make a further positive impression.

Offer to do live or taped interviews, live audio/video performances, call-in
periods, contests, giveaways, even host a segement of the show in the genre
of your own music. You might even be able to get he station owner to trade
you some banner advertising space for your efforts.

Even if you don't get the banner space, by going on a program that has high
visibility, you will be getting free exposure, and that is the key to using
online media for promotion.

Make sure you make it clear to the listeners that your music is for sale,
and where they can get it.

Online radio is an excellent way to build a following. It is also a great
place to send your ad specialties, like T-shirts, mouse pads, screen savers,
and a promo copy of your CD. Getting your name in front of the site owner
and keeping it there - that is your primary objective.

Rating the online stations in order of their importance means getting
statistics on how many hits they are getting from listeners.

This is not always simple to do, and in some cases, unless they have hit
counters and published statistics, you may have to rely on popularity lists.

My favorite internet popularity charts are found at:

http://www.100hot.com

Here you can check to find out what the most popular websites are on any
given subject.

You can find the top rated music sites, many of them portals:

http://www.100hot.com/directory/arts/music.html

They do not, as of this date, have a top list for online radio stations
rated in order of their popularity.

One of the best sources for online radio stations can be found at:

http://wmbr.mit.edu/stations/list.html

This list includes brick and mortar radio stations that have websites, as
well as streaming radio stations, so it takes a bit of research to find only
the stations that feature online radio, however, it is not a bad idea to
contact brick and mortar radio stations.

Many of these stations are open to receiving indie music, particularly
college radio, so do not discount them in your promotions. The fact you can
reach them online qualifies them for your contact list, as long as they
feature your genre of music, and are open to receiving materials about new
artists online.

=============================================
Mark W. Curran is a recognized expert in online music marketing,
and author of the book "Sell Your Music: How To Profitably Sell
Your Music Online" He has authored many articles on the subject,
and currently runs a music marketing consulting company in Los
Angeles. http://www.nmdbooks.com/author.html
============================================







You offer some very good advice. I'd just like to add that there are Internet
radio sites that are looking for indie music. I just got an email from someone
saying just that. She wants to target her station to new and indie music and
wants to include interviews as well. So there are radio sites that are looking
for music.


Rose
Send A "ShoutOut" to the World!
http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/shoutout.htm

USING INTERNET RADIO TO MARKET YOUR MUSIC
By Mark W. Curran

One of the biggest growth areas for online music, internet radio stations
are proliferating by the hundreds. These are basically online areas where
people can go to listen to independent music programming that is not
controlled by advertisers and commercial interests.

IR can take on many formats and forms, but essentially any station that
plays indie music is a good target for your marketing efforts. Some stations
play only certain types of music, so make sure your music is the right fit
before e-mailing them or submitting material.

Many online radio stations have an online method set up for you to submit
your material, but some do not. You should make an attempt to always make
your initial contact through e-mail, if possible.

By contacting the radio station via e-mail, you are looking to establish a
contact there for your contact list. Your first contact method should be a
brief letter of introduction, with links to your website for the radio
contact to view your online press kit, as well as the listen to a few of
your songs.

You should send a follow up 1-2 weeks later, thanking them for taking the
time to review your materials, and if they would be open to having you add
them to your contact database and mailing list.

By keeping careful notes in your database, you will be able to build a very
effective marketing list of online radio stations to market your material
to.

Online Radio Station Marketing Methods

Let the station owner know you want to take an active part in promoting your
music online, and that you would be willing to offer him content, (your
music) in exchange for promotional consideration. Direct him to your online
EPK to make a further positive impression.

Offer to do live or taped interviews, live audio/video performances, call-in
periods, contests, giveaways, even host a segement of the show in the genre
of your own music. You might even be able to get he station owner to trade
you some banner advertising space for your efforts.

Even if you don't get the banner space, by going on a program that has high
visibility, you will be getting free exposure, and that is the key to using
online media for promotion.

Make sure you make it clear to the listeners that your music is for sale,
and where they can get it.

Online radio is an excellent way to build a following. It is also a great
place to send your ad specialties, like T-shirts, mouse pads, screen savers,
and a promo copy of your CD. Getting your name in front of the site owner
and keeping it there - that is your primary objective.

Rating the online stations in order of their importance means getting
statistics on how many hits they are getting from listeners.

This is not always simple to do, and in some cases, unless they have hit
counters and published statistics, you may have to rely on popularity lists.

My favorite internet popularity charts are found at:

http://www.100hot.com

Here you can check to find out what the most popular websites are on any
given subject.

You can find the top rated music sites, many of them portals:

http://www.100hot.com/directory/arts/music.html

They do not, as of this date, have a top list for online radio stations
rated in order of their popularity.

One of the best sources for online radio stations can be found at:

http://wmbr.mit.edu/stations/list.html

This list includes brick and mortar radio stations that have websites, as
well as streaming radio stations, so it takes a bit of research to find only
the stations that feature online radio, however, it is not a bad idea to
contact brick and mortar radio stations.

Many of these stations are open to receiving indie music, particularly
college radio, so do not discount them in your promotions. The fact you can
reach them online qualifies them for your contact list, as long as they
feature your genre of music, and are open to receiving materials about new
artists online.

=============================================
Mark W. Curran is a recognized expert in online music marketing,
and author of the book "Sell Your Music: How To Profitably Sell
Your Music Online" He has authored many articles on the subject,
and currently runs a music marketing consulting company in Los
Angeles. http://www.nmdbooks.com/author.html
============================================







You offer some very good advice. I'd just like to add that there are Internet
radio sites that are looking for indie music. I just got an email from someone
saying just that. She wants to target her station to new and indie music and
wants to include interviews as well. So there are radio sites that are looking
for music.


Rose
Send A "ShoutOut" to the World!
http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/shoutout.htm