Creating a custom app for your band can amplify your visibility, helping you build a wider audience and create more meaningful connections with your fans.
No one ever said making it in the music world would be easy. Even with the right combination of instruments, catchy songs, and eccentric haircuts, most of us have a better shot at winning the lottery than we do at finding our way out of the garage and into the top 40.
Because the industry is so competitive, musicians have always latched onto technological innovations in order to set themselves apart from the crowd. From flexi-disc vinyl records and fan clubs back in the 60s and 70s, to Facebook, SoundCloud, and Bandcamp today, bands are always on the hunt for innovative new ways of bringing their music to the masses. But now, thanks to the ubiquity of mobile devices, homegrown artists are soaring to greater heights of fortune and fame than ever before.
Musicians and other artists face similar problems: distribution, discovery and monetization. It just so happens that mobile apps can help solve those problems.
Here are 9 reasons why musicians should have their own mobile app:
- Feature music
Selling or sharing music via an app is pretty easy. Simply choose the platforms that you want to integrate with—like Spotify, SoundCloud or the iTunes store—and have them added to your app.
- Promotion
Independent musicians spend countless hours promoting their music, tour dates, broadcast appearances, etc. Although email is one of the best marketing tools available, a good campaign means only about 20% of your emails get read. A mobile app, on the other hand, gets 70-80% of push notifications read. A mobile app allows you to reach your fans in mere minutes.
- Events
Your app can include an up-to-date calendar so fans can track your shows or meet-ups. Location-based services in your mobile app can be tailored to hit the right audience at the right time.
- Website integration
A website is an absolute must for any musician or band, and the usefulness of websites shows no signs of waning. Mobile apps can and should be integrated with a website. That’s because people don’t have unlimited space on their mobile devices; so, some of your information may have to live on your website.
- Stay connected
Fans want to stay connected on a personal level. An app allows fans to follow you on all your social media platforms in one place—your app!
- Reputation management
Nowadays, every listener of your music is potential critic. Reviews matter, which is why it’s crucial to manage your reputation. Mobile apps can prompt listeners to leave reviews where they have the most power for your profile.
- Merchandise
E-commerce-optimized mobile apps allow users to make a purchase in the heat of the decision-making moment. You can market exclusive merchandise from the app, as well as send out notifications about special discounts, thus increasing sales and branding. You can also optimize it so fans can buy tickets for your upcoming gigs.
Own Your Fan
Interactive fan communities generate massive amounts of detailed data. Unlike your page on the social networks, you will own this data forever. Capture demographic data including email addresses, genders, ages, and geographic locations. You’ll also capture psychographic data including a fan’s interests and opinions, and even their merchandise purchasing history.
Personalized Fan Experience
A Fan Relationship Management system can automatically learn each individual fan’s specific preferences and then can tailor the content that fan sees in the community, so they will come back daily to get fresh content that they want to receive.
Action the Data
Interface to view your fan data, and build groups of similar fans based on specific demographic and psychographic criteria. Then send fans specific marketing messages or invitations using push notifications and emails.
Strike a Chord With Your New App
Some people bemoan the digitizing of the music industry, but there’s no going back to the pre-MP3 era. That being the case, it makes sense to embrace the latest digital technologies that will help you promote your band.
Most bands don’t have major label support and big marketing budgets to promote their music, let alone to build a bespoke mobile app from scratch. That’s where Emergent Behaviors Emergent Mobile app-making comes into play.
It’s time to start thinking about a mobile app for your band, dude.
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Welcome to our music marketing blog where we aim to help as many artists as possible! Learn more tips and tricks on how to take your music career to the next level. If your looking to become a client and build your brand you can contact us directly at emergentbehaviors.com
