books on music business

Understanding Management Prerequisites – Structure

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I am now beginning a series of writings that delve into various prerequisites. These prerequisites are like anchor points that exist independent of technological advancements. Something specific may change radically, but it doesn’t fundamentally alter anything in the big picture. This is the foremost consideration in modern music business management. Even as the operational landscape continually evolves with technological advancements, the artist’s ground needs remain largely unchanged.

Willem Dafoe has stated that it’s all about control and abandon – and finding a balance between these extremes. In the same way as in acting, that same idea applies to artist management. At the very beginning, you must have some structure to get started. Each of us managers has our own unique approach to it. What you often aim for is control, to have your ducks in a row. However, here’s a twist. As crucial as it is to attain control and put in a lot of effort into it, you must be able to abandon it in an instant if needed. Just as important it is to realize that letting go may not be final. It’s about finding a balance and being situationally aware.

The original structure and mindset don’t disappear despite this. Therefore, even if you start crafting a new works for the artist, inspired by some technological advancement, that basic structure doesn’t change. The artist still has the same ground needs. In my work, I often see how progress can rock the boat. With new revenue-generating methods emerging almost daily in the world, it’s easy to lose direction.

When approaching these prerequisites from the perspective of music business or artist management, it always entails three perspectives: that of the artist, the manager, and the current operation at hand. The million-dollar question in shaping, developing, and maintaining that structure is whose preferences take precedence, the artist’s, the artist’s narrative and goals, or the management’s expertise. This is precisely the interface where one has to contemplate letting go regularly. The possibility of it is present every second. At times, we progress by leveraging management expertise, while at other times, it’s the artist’s narrative that resolves issues.

Another noteworthy aspect is embracing all three points of interest. It’s often easy for a manager to forget themselves and focus solely on the artist and the operation. Rarely do we consider that taking care of oneself is the primary responsibility in this role. If you can’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of others either. Therefore, when we talk about letting go, it can also refer to this perspective.

Conversely, when we speak of balance and balancing, it’s not about a permanent state either. It’s about how to regulate these two extremes. In an ideal scenario, we possess the ability to read the situation so well that we know in each instance the proportion in which these factors should be present. Naturally, our goal is also to avoid being in the discomfort zone for extended periods only when necessary.

This article will be complemented by the next prerequisite to consider. In it, we will discuss consistency – where control and letting go are external factors, consistency is the internal aspect of the same issue.

Among other things, these topics are discussed in one-on-one consultations, as I’ve mentioned earlier. If you feel that you need assistance with them, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can also read about this in the book – here’s the link to it.

This book talks about music business management prerequisites. You can get it on Amazon.

Mentoring and Career Counselling

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Did you know that I mentor people a lot? Mentoring and career counselling has been a part of my repertoire for almost three decades. It all started as a guest. One of my friends needed help in his recording agreement negotiations back in the 90’s. I agreed without hesitation. For a first-year law student it was an excellent opportunity. To see how things turn out in real. The negotiations went well and the deal got signed. While coming back from that meeting, he asked whether I could be more of assistance. My answer started a four-year journey that has lasted till these days.

What is it then about mentoring that fascinates so much? For me it’s the impact – a chance to make a difference. Your contribution may really mean something, to someone. If you won’t make an interference when asked, it may be that some promising occurrence never sees the light of day.

I like the idea that I haven’t really advertised my services. The mentoring just happens – without any cumbersome plug-ins. Something makes people contact me. Usually it is my own activity that becomes seen. And that in turn act as a trigger – a reason to make approach.

Consequently, this relates to passive promotion I like to talk so much. Setting your passive promotion up correctly enables unexpected, but also anticipated contacts in a way you cannot particularly reach. It leads to another conclusion of the matter – to become a mentor and mentoring itself probably need a reason. It is something you already have. For me, it’s the experience – especially nowadays.

If you want to deep-dive into that passive promotion concept, here’s a book for you. You can have it easily on Amazon.

My mentoring is based on this book,

It’s funny how this mentoring has changed its form over the years. In the early days, when the experience was non-existent, it was the energy and enthusiasm I could release for completion of the goals. It still is, but in a slightly different way. Like I said, my mentoring reflects a lot of experience and it’s the thing that makes it so valuable.

If you ever end up being someone’s mentor, the first thing you have to ask for yourself is the reason why. Why is this mentoring started in the first place. Then you probably understand your own value and it makes you able to act accordingly.

Also, there’s a personal dimension too – not everything takes place just because it is professionally justified, or that it is economically reasonable. No, I have a completely different starting point. I think many of my colleagues will approve this too. I need to hear that click. And that click can be anything. Sometimes it is music, sometimes some position that is present incorrectly – something that needs a fix. And yes – I love conversations. If you have something in mind, feel free to make an approach. You never know where it may lead you!

 

Teacher Info

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If you are a music business management teacher like me and are interested in The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers book, here’s some valuable background information. Every teacher naturally values their own methods and practices, which served as a foundation when I began writing this book. I’d like to believe I have successfully crafted a book that speaks ”from one teacher to another”. That’s one objectives behind this book. Another goal was to create content that is equally beneficial for artists and meets their management needs.

The book primarily emphasizes a deep understanding of the core principles and concepts, rather than delving into numerous details. While there are examples provided, they are presented judiciously, only when necessary. This approach is deliberate in shifting focus from the conventional domains of the music business to real-world scenarios and treating them as practical case studies. You will soon grasp the significance of this approach, as it allows us to gain a genuine perspective on the role of a manager.

This innovation facilitates presentations through three pertinent dimensions: management, copyright and contracts, and intermediation. It simplifies the explanation of the shift in contemporary management priorities from the traditional mediator model to this updated and current model, founded on strategic control.

This is advantageous for the students as it provides them with a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary job description. In accordance with modern management practices, artists are no longer viewed as passive objects rather as dynamic assets. Consequently, students gain deeper insights into the strategies and current regulations that impact this field. Not all of this may be immediately apparent, but you will soon discover it!

From the artist’s perspective, we replace the term ”promotion” with the concept of ”story”. However, it is essential to clarify that the term story doesn’t refer to a traditional narrative in this context. Instead, it serves as a framework to elucidate the functional elements of the narrative – what purpose the story truly serves. This approach allows us to shift from an external perspective focused on appearances to an internal perspective, delving into the story’s content and its underlying objects.

Contracts and copyright, on the other hand, have been addressed only to the extent that is pertinent to music business management, specifically focused on the business aspects. This approach prevents the complication of the overall comprehension with excessive technical details. The book includes references to supplementary material for those who wish delve deeper into these topics.

However, there is one exception and it pertains to passive promotion. The book explains the significance of copyrights from a modern promotional standpoint, and copyrights play a pivotal role in this context.

All of the above allows ample flexibility for individuals to utilize this information as they see fit, supplementing it with additional pertinent sources, personal experiences, or examples. The provided framework for the teacher doesn’t impose on or exclude any existing frameworks. It also doesn’t preclude other methods of acquiring the same information, even if they run in parallel or overlap.

I have implemented this structure in my lectures for three years now. Our guest lecturers have greatly appreciated this setup. They have mentioned that it allows them to seamlessly integrate their experiences without any rigid structural constraints. It empowers them to discuss what they are most comfortable with while maintaining a contextual framework.

One of the most intriguing modern management tools and my favorite, passive promotion, is well explained in the book. I am one of the founders of this school of thought.

The final two chapter of the book may appear somewhat repetitive. When I teach manager students, I typically omit these sections. However, when working with artists, I’ve founded that repetition can be an effective approach. In their case, there are valid reasons to reiterate certain concepts, as they require this information for various purposes.

Another rationale behind including these two last chapters is to prepare for a potential Second Edition. These chapters contain memory traces that need to be considered when planning the update. This approach ensures that I do not overlook them.

I had mixed feelings about venturing into predicting the future developments, so I ultimately chose not to do so. Consequently, I refrained from making extensive predictions about where web3, the metaverse, or other businesses might lead us – my aim was simply to present their current existence and significance. I believe it’s wiser to allow practice to demonstrate their trajectory first. This turned out to be a right solution. The book’s conceptual framework naturally takes the future into account. This is evident now, especially with artificial intelligence – there is no immediate need for updates. In fact, in the context of passive promotion, the book is ahead of its time.

This is also a reason why the book has fewer (134) pages than average. When the necessary additional information becomes available, this book serves as a platform for its incorporation.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. As a teacher, I wish you a great lectures!

This chart will make it easier to teach - teacher's info

Co-Management and Modern Music Business

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Co-management has become an essential part of my daily routines. It’s a great thing that you can deal with it almost everywhere. In addition, modern artists welcome the co-management into their activities more often. I understand this well – they want to stick to their artistic and economic freedom. Also, the modern artist is aware of their rights and needs. They can also explain their true goals in an understandable way. It is their self-reflection.

This makes them capable of evaluating how much external help it is required – and who will be the one to perform it. We are not locking that state of affairs at too early stage. It is about taking the next sensible step. It is about that particular moment – to map out short-term activities suitable for the long-term agenda. A great thing about the co-management is that it can be canceled at any time. No strings attached. This itself emphasizes the manager’s responsibility for his / her know-how and its added value. Consequently, this leaves the artist a choice. To move on with the current setting as long as it is useful and feels right.

Nevertheless, the liaison is regular. It’s really not different from traditional artist management, except for one thing. The artist already knows their stage. They have their own audience and daily routines. Some of those activities are progressing with their own weight, while others need support and perspective. This is the place where the co-management comes up. Hence, the co-management is a great option for such artists whose career is already established. The artist whose career is just at the beginning, the traditional management may be better suited. They are probably in need for the manager’s resources, such as know-how and other experience. So many things affect this.

If the artist has information on how to proceed and the necessary resources, of course the co-management can be a functional solution for a career at the beginning. The artist then reserves a right to evaluate the meaningfulness of the collaboration. If it turns out that the cooperation isn’t working, the artist may end it without any limitations. If everything begins to work naturally, the artist may then choose a traditional management instead. It is up to the goals you have. If the artist is willing to ’have it all’, they probably need more additional help – on a day-to-day basis. In this scenario, it would be advantageous to have a dedicated manager solely for them. If the artist likes to proceed organically, as a natural continuum, perhaps the co-management is better suited for them.

For me co-management is a bespoke task – especially nowadays. The support that I offer is customized to meet each artist’s genuine requirements. Multiple tasks can be handled simultaneously without any detriment to one another. I can easily continue writing and lecturing and still capable of doing what I love, the artist management. The artists I work with, doesn’t need more – that’s also one thing to check. If they would need more extensive support, I wouldn’t necessarily be the right person for the post.

Here we are with Jennifer Porter and her label’s executive Dana Packard. This is an example of how some things just happen. Originally, we didn’t even intend to go any further. Just to meet. However, the story of Jennifer was so immersive – we continued our sessions. As a result – we found a better ways to make her career present. It is this passive promotion that is so important to each and every artist. When the things begin to proceed naturally, with their own weight – it is always the best.

Co-management can be practiced in many ways - here we are with Dana Packard and Jennifer Porter

 

 

Distracting Signals

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Introduction

Distracting signals may affect the case in many different contexts. This article reviews two easy-to-understand situations.

An artist promotion in its technical sense is a set of independent and interrelated measures aimed at the artist’s career enhancement. Each endeavor seeks some external outcome, for example, better streaming results, social media following, additional live performances, not to mention the business aspirations – increase in active and passive income. The better the artist performs in these forums, the better the management can be seen to have done.

When approached from the technical point of view, it doesn’t matter what the popularity results are. It is important that the steps are taken wisely. When this is done, it gives the artist’s music a chance.

I was thinking about approaching the artist promotion and related measures with precedence in mind. Bringing along some proactive points  worth considering. Our focus is in time that precedes the potential successes. The cause-and-effect relationship is not always as clear as it seem. Although the success can be seen as a result of some distinctive measure, it wouldn’t probably be possible without the prior observations and interventions in the content, or the order of presentation elsewhere. These preconditions and their establishment are of our interest now.

You are probably familiar with the individual steps being taken to promote an artist. There are guides that illustrate how to best position your music on streaming services. What’s there to keep in mind. You must have read at least one book about how an artist is best at getting followers. Or the stories how to approach the music supervisors – in the hope your music will be found on the movie or on an ad behind the brand we all know. These placements and their plug-ins are the outer side of the matter.

Modern promotion emphasizes its instrumentality. Streaming services and other social media platforms have their own preferences how the artist-related information is best provided. The idea, on the other side, is to find the triggers that, when properly set, will produce the desired results. As social media and its platforms are constantly developing new functions for how the promotion can be implemented, the choice can cause problems. When there are many opportunities, it is difficult to choose where to be active and how.

The Point

The problem is usually related to the temporary effect and inconsistency. Communication reaches audience yes, but offers no grip. It easily begins to create hooks and tricks to get the audience interested in your subject matter. In order to achieve the desired results, such raptures often need to be repeated. It easily becomes a story based on something that really is meant to be an effect. Literally, it becomes a constant call-to-action, at least in disguise.

The call-to-action is a delicate matter and should not be thought as a mere technical performance. The artist is communicating in many different forums today with many different audiences. Consider an artist urging people on Facebook to follow their site – directly or indirectly. For this purpose, a paid campaign shall be made. The number of followers increases, but they are involved mainly by their own obedience. After seeing the proposal, they have clicked the Like-button. Once again, technically the operation is correct. In order to gain engagements, the artist has to pay attention to the message it conveys. If somewhere else on social media there are discrepancies or mixed claims about the artist and artist’s career or the promotion rides mainly on external accomplishments, we can be dealing with distracting signals. These disturbing signals are not only followed by the public, but also by the media and the industry.

If these distracting signals stay alive, they can complicate many potential operations. Before the artist’s story is sufficiently established,  any external achievement should be treated with reservations. Ironically, while success is something that is commonly sought, it is not always the most sensible topic to bring up. If the artist makes a claim to their current success, they are also exposed to the cyclical fluctuations of the claim. Success is never constant and it takes time for the story to reach a level where those fluctuations no longer matter.

When it comes to persuasive factors, they must never be left thin. If the audience is enticed to follow the artist on the basis of prevailing popularity, it must have muscles. One hit doesn’t create the foundation that could be trusted to leave a mark on people’s minds.

If the artist’s song gains widespread popularity and the promotion is largely based on the reasons and backgrounds why the song became hit, growing expectations for the next single will probably be higher. Now you should remember Google. All this information will recorded within the algorithms of Google and other search engines. It will probably gain high rankings on the search rankings too. If the new song is deviating from the past production, problems can arise at least from two reasons.

If the success does not follow the artist, the only mark left on the artist may easily be this former success. Indeed, the new production may not stand out because of that past success. If the audience still plays that artist’s biggest hit instead of their other production, the new production won’t get the attention it would require to be succeed.

Of course, this is not quite so unambiguous. In some situations success claims are justified and even advisable. Sometimes is enough for a reason to start following the artist. The question is what follows. I’m trying to say is that before the story has been rooted as it should, one should always leave the back gates. To the places to get the attention elsewhere if something goes wrong. At this point it is usually the artist’s story from which to draw that content. Promotion should never be based on mere external factors, although there is a great temptation to do it so today. Namely, the external factors are never in your own hands, even though it may seem at some particular moment.

All kind of anticipation is the thing that seeks to avoid these inconsistencies. It is not irrelevant in which order the things about the artist are told or brought out. If the artist starts a campaign around some themes relevant to the present, but things already found on Google contradict this message – we are in a collision course. This is something that should be taken into account at the earliest possible stage. The success claims are used as an example in this article. There are also other interfering signals. One of such can be any factor whose effectiveness is capable of disrupting the natural narrative of an artist’s story.

There could have been more pages to the subject, but I think the point came clear. This topic came to mind as I was preparing for the upcoming fall’s lectures. You can read more about the subject from The Essence of the Music Business Trilogy – especially from its parts, Philosophy and Strategy.

UPDATE: More information around the topic can be found in this book.

This book talks about distracting signals too

How to Live with Uncertainty

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Uncertainty! This article has been requested for two years. Such a difficult topic! I have started this article at least twenty times. Every time I have emphasized some other thing over the other. Now I am about to finish this. I decided to be merciful to myself and just write the things down.

Uncertainty is something we all know. It can be present in many areas of life. You often hear people say that you just have to live with it. Well, that’s how it is. Basically, it is how we deal with it, but also how we prepare for it.

For clarification, this article is about economic uncertainty that many music business aspirant are struggling with. Instead of speaking it from the general point of view, I chose to share my own experience. It seems to interest you the most. Secondly, a personal story is best known to you. It gives you freedom to the tell things without any restrictions.

The beginning of a career

It was 1995 when everything started. I was a first-year law student. At the time, resources were insufficient and life looked just like that. Moreover,  the time I spent with different tasks wasn’t a sacrifice at all, but curious mind and the attitude, I am learning something new today. If I would give advice to 23-old myself, it would be that always leave something in your pocket when receiving rewards. We’ll return to this below.

People told me to focus law instead of music. As a lawyer, livelihood would be secured. Fortunately not everyone agreed with this. At a young age, you are more impressionable. As a result, you could have made the different choices. I am lucky. I have been able to attend to the lectures of great teachers. One professor reminded us about copyright and how it could become more important in the future. Oh boy, he was right.

In my case, law school was the plan b – if everything had gone wrong. That knowledge in itself gives a sense of security. On the other hand, as you get older, you become more prone to worry – or not. Every now and then I find myself wondering what if I had chosen otherwise. This is what I mean when I recommend starting everything at a young age. Later on, you will find it easier to place restrictions and excuses for yourself. And you still got time to change the course.

Knowledge Acquisition

Uncertainty is often due to lack of knowledge, how this business works. This easily manifest itself as a hesitation. The hesitant mind, in turn, sees no opportunities. It become blind to them. Let’s move on.

You can fill this gap by reading music business books and related articles, but also being in touch with music business professionals if that’s possible. Nothing however, beats the experience. It is always the best teacher. So let it be our guide. Entering the industry requires preparation. Without it, your journey becomes difficult.

For the sake of clarity – this article does not per se apply to those music professionals who are employed by the companies in the industry. For them, it’s a bit different thing. This article is more to those who operate independently.

In order to find your path, you need to know what you are after. Until it becomes clear, you need to keep moving. Spend time well with those uncertain years. At that very time, all the experiments and changes in plans are easier to settle. If you’ve already become known with some particular role, it can be harder to change. It is not worth limiting yourself when you start this journey. I personally attended every meeting that came on my way when I was younger. It didn’t matter if the meeting made sense or not. Each meeting developed my communication skills – for future purposes. For the manager, those skills are worth gold. The time you start to think about economic value of your actions – it comes later. Trust me, you want to fill your data bank first. With that information you can find your path – if it has remained unclear.

The better this footwork is done, the easier it is to deal with this uncertainty. You are bound to learn how this business works and what it means to you. Since the music business is poorly suitable for the part-time commitments, you need to find out your true engagement first. Before you can move on, you need to create working facilities. It requires resources. Happy are those who have savings or other releasable  assets when they start out.

Earned Money

For my part, I proceeded as my knowledge grew. I started as an agent – a task where success is realized immediately or at least with a short delay. At this stage, I was not dealing with copyright – nor generating revenue from any sources of passive income. The reward of an agent is commission against the each booked venue.

However, it was a valuable time for information acquisition. You got a reason to connect with the promoters and other operatives in the field. The commissions I received also funded my studies. While I still worked as a substitute teacher, I got the necessary funds to gain early career knowledge and experience.

Easy come and easy go. At that time, money came in surprisingly easy. I always had the job that were paid. One thing I ignored.  A jump from the agent shoes doesn’t happen overnight – at least if your destination is to be an artist manager. If I would be in the same situation now, I’d save most of my rewards for the future purposes.

As a manager, money enters the scene when the artist’s actions make it possible. I started my career with new artists. It means that it took time before they became economically relevant. In addition, making it happen required time-consuming resources which is difficult on a sideline basis. It is also the time when you make a name as a manager. Trust me – you want to do it well!

Derivative

Uncertainty is also created by derivative. As a manager, you are dependent on your artists and how their interest groups are doing their job. It is not uncommon for the artist, after all the preparation made for them, not wanting to continue in the same way. Before any plan is realized, everything is more and less uncertain. This fact is good to consider when choosing your seats. It is rarely worth putting all the eggs in the same basket – especially if your future income is dependent on the others.

I was already so advanced in my studies that I could offer legal services to others too. I was pleased to get that most of those assignments from the industry. Consequently, I wasn’t that dependent a manager can be. It also made my relationship with my artists easier – the work was done on a voluntary basis.

Reward

Reward is something you want to tackle as early as possible. The more obscure your financial figures are, the more uncertain will be your position. You need contracts for this. Basically, the artists are in a better position. They have the rights over their production. It is up to them to decide how they are going to use that output. When, in pursuit of their financial endeavors, they then sign away some these rights, the recipients obtain financial rights over the artist, in a way the agreement determines. WARNING! This paragraph is just an example and does not mean that you automatically have to forfeit your rights or some of them to succeed!

I had my reservation about derivatives. At first I didn’t take anything from the artist, not because I didn’t deserve, but because my own motives weren’t settled yet. By taking care of my artists, I got to learn the industry. I was also able to do it ’at large’ because I wasn’t asking for much. It seemed unfair to make the artist pay for having that opportunity. If I hadn’t been in that role, I wouldn’t have the information I now have. In a way, I was in the same boat with the artists that time.

Secondly, I wanted to write the books! Hardly any of my books would have been born without this. Personally I started to include commission to my contracts when my contribution became economically meaningful – I mean the rewards we gathered wouldn’t be possible without the efforts I had made.

Investments

I’ve noticed that routines are here for this task. I start every Monday in the same way – answering to every contact I have received over the weekend. You would be surprised to know how many contacts an author can have and how it is that most of the new contacts actually take place when it’s weekend. These contacts form my weekly agenda with new assignments. When we add ongoing operations and agreed individual tasks, we are dealing with the agenda I am running through every day.

Now, let us return to the original plot. I always save some of the money I receive. Part of the money goes to chosen funds with variable returns. This way I can estimate the resources I can use for the operations more easily.

The golden advice for entrepreneurs is to have their cash flow steady and sufficient. Without it, all the spontaneous will be missed. It is typical that you cannot really anticipate they are coming. They may emerge like a bolt from the blue – for this, it is good to have releasable funds.

Here we come to the end game, the moment when the breakthrough is supposed to happen. We are also dealing with sacrifices that must be made before anything can be realized. We don’t want to spoil tomorrow’s success today.

The Endgame

This is about mindset. Pretty much all of us have some idea or plan – in what kind of economic circumstances you’d like to do your life work. For my part, I was hoping to get one clear source of passive income – as an economic goal I mean. The distance to reach that point has been long. It will take time before you can write books that really matter. Oftentimes, readers also require some level of experience from the author – especially when it comes to non-fiction books.

I have lived all my adult life in terms of this calling, if I can put it this way. It is surprising what a stretching ability you have when you want something hard enough. It is also about wanting and hunting the desired state of affairs – not at any cost though. When I was younger, I didn’t buy a house or car, like most of my friends did. I thought all that would have restricted me from doing what I do. It would have driven the resources elsewhere. I needed them to accomplish the this mission. It is always about choices and they are unique to everyone. This article is not designed to prompt you to do the same. This is just what I did.

When your work reaches a public awareness, it will make life easier. If the operation ends or seems no longer meaningful, a new one comes into play. After all, the breakthrough isn’t always the economic one. Of course such is desirable, but it is also something else. It is the moment when your achievements begin to have a life of their own. Sometimes it is involved with related passive income and sometimes it is something else.

Of course, no such thing as black or white. Like I said, it’s a mindset. The younger you start, the sooner you find. Youth is the best time for experimentation. It is worth taking advantage and enjoying it.

I promised myself not to exceed 2000 words. Couldn’t follow the plan, it went 300 over.

If you are interested in the subject, The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers provides a great deal of information. The book is conveniently available on Amazon as a paperback, hardcover or e-book. They’ll deliver them to your home within a few days!

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

How to deal with uncertainty, read this The Art of Music Business Management - For Artists & Managers book

Homepage and Communication

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When the first steps of the promotion are to be presented, the website cannot be ignored. In fact, the website provides a fertile ground when we talk about the road map, plan realization or just reacting accordingly. As it is with income types, also promotion can be divided in active and passive sections. Modern promotion has many different tasks, but also meanings. You should read The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers to get an updated info.

With a new artist, the audience rarely has enough knowledge of them. Therefore all the plug-ins that increase that awareness is extremely important. When people begin to know their name, the two-way role of the website will be established. For the followers who already know the artist and their story, the main focus is on the artist’s up-to-date affiliations and future plans. This part of promotion is the active part. For others, the people who are not yet aware of the artist, or who visit the site for the first time – the attention is paid to other things. They are generally interested in what it’s all about. This side of the story could be considered the passive part of promotion. Unlike with the already existing fans, a new encounter need a background information. They are usually in a need to know more about the artist, and what a better way to do it than search engines. If everything is in order, search engine provides the artist’s own homepage first. The homepage is also a source of information where an artist can best influence the content of stories.

When considering the promotional content, one must take into account the different levels of needs. TV series must have parts that attract new viewers even if they haven’t followed the show from the beginning. In addition, it must also be able to retain older fans interest with new episodes. The artist’s future and the ability to follow their progress is for the existing followers. Giving the opportunity to find out the artist’s history and origin is for the new followers. Thus, it is a good idea to have metadata information such as biographies and discography, as well as photos and videos along the way.  All the new material instead, plays an important role for the fans as it shows the artist being active.

All the artist’s products should be easy to find – also the related information. Information acts like a product description. Unlike the products that can be bought with one click, information works differently. It always requires an effort from the recipient. This in turn requires clarity on the artist’s side, with the content and layout. The artist cannot confide that a new visitor will be patient or want to find information behind a thousand links. This may cause a counter reaction – it can be a good idea to keep your homepage simple, but also thoughtful and spectacular – pleasing to the eye. The career information should be initially guided by the artist’s action plan, not so much a massive awareness of the artist’s existence. On the tactical side, it is important that the artist reacts to the call, if the reception requires. If the artist is unable to answer this call, it is not worth acting the opposite.

What most artists want is to the contacts – for this reason contact info must be very easy to find. The same applies to other things that the artist wants to emphasize. The products should also be accessible and the links should be avoided if the products are difficult to obtain. This of course requires on-call time. If this situation changes in the future, availability placement can be made to match the prevailing situation. This is one example of why homepage matching reality is more important than impressive appearance. If a potential buyer cannot get the product they want, or worse, not even find a link, the visit will surely leave a sour taste.

This will be the next thing – the links and their use. It is perfectly normal and even advisable to use links to the services and improve availability. However, they should not hinder the acquisition of information or mislead people which may happen by accident. Ensure that links actually lead where you want to steer people. It is not uncommon for something to go wrong when setting up links. The artist is therefore not linking their homepages to mere sales aspirations. Links also have other uses. They can lead people to interviews or other relevant forums. It is good to note links may change its content. They may, and often change – as well as their locations. Someone else’s interview may be found behind some particular link. It is good to be aware that not all the content behind these links is not solid.

If you’ve shared that one of your songs or albums is #6 on some chart and half a week later someone clicks that link and you’re in position 28, the positive message you’re trying to convey may have the opposite effect. A 22 position drop does not necessarily support the other positive messages on your homepage. Fast-changing information is better placed elsewhere on the social media environment – not on the homepage unless placed on its News Section.

Restrictions can also be present with copyrights. Some distribution networks have divided their offering so that there are regional distribution points around the world. Many times this is due to local legislation. Even if some umbrella organization has obtained the right to sell your copyrighted products throughout the world, the content of the license does not necessarily apply to all of its distribution outlets. Therefore, it is not necessarily wise to advertise products through German link despite the product would be topical in Germany. This choice may exclude all the other countries if you are not careful. It can be that the umbrella organization’s French unit is responsible for France’s distribution and Italian unit for Italian needs. If there is a globally eligible link available somehow, you should use it. Alternatively, if the artist has a fan site in Germany, then it is completely natural to use German links there.

In many cases – the less information, the better. Browsing pages may become a challenge if the artist’s homepage is a salad, filled with all kinds of information from here and there. Different sections of that site hold a different weight and it is always better if the most delicious points of one’s career are presented first. In doing this, the visitor gets a better idea of what the artist really entails.

Particular attention should be paid to the site’s sections that do not change very often, but are of great focus. It is a good idea to strongly invest in the content, structure and layout – to meet the artist’s image. It is also good to post artist-related communications elsewhere in social media, rather than just on the artist’s home page. Some news are just better to place on artist’s Facebook page, where it disappears with the news stream. Visitors usually tend to pay attention to the issues that the artist raises. If the artist’s current plan calls for more sales, it isn’t wise to talk about the new album and associated pre-production – as this topic is premature. It only takes the focus away from the current agenda.

It is time to remind the concept of footwork. The active stage favors regularity. It is highly recommended to build a communication plan, the protocol. To map out all the things the artist wants to share and/or how to react to the echoes. Fans who regularly visit the artist’s ‘premises’ are surprisingly aware of the truths behind the scenes. All the lightweight news is better placed in faster forums such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, if the artist feels it necessary. This allows the artist to react quickly in a situations where the artist is expected to respond. The bigger news and more time-tolerant stories are worth to put on the homepage.

All in all, communication on the homepage and its relation to the artist’s other information channels is a matter of choice. No single truth exists. It is about the artist’s career stage that usually determines the contents of the artist’s homepage. In any case, it is always wise to plan in advance how to meet the different situations – and through which media different things will happen. At the beginning of one’s career when knowledge of an artist is limited, it is important to be clear and honest. Everything leaves a mark on the search engines.

Why homepage and its communication should be aligned can be read from this The Art of Music Business Management - For Artists & Managers book