Are you an independent artist or filmmaker trying to make a name for yourself? If so, you know that you’re definitely not alone, and that every major band or director started out as a nobody. But somehow, no-name artists are climbing the charts and gaining nation-wide attention while you’re still sitting at home waiting for your big break. What gives?
A huge resource that is making the difference for artists today is podcasting. You might have heard about it or you maybe haven’t yet, but regardless, it’s something that you should be leveraging if you’re not already, or you’ll be left in the dust. The benefits of podcasting are numerous. Here are just a few.
First of all, there is a massive audience just begging to take a look at what you’ve got. Literally millions of people use podcasting to get news on their favorite music or films, and the smart artists have been taking advantage of this for a long time. Because of the huge customer base and social interaction that’s provided, the effect is viral when a good song or video comes out. You won’t have to spend hours every day marketing your stuff, because if it’s good enough, it will spread on its own as people share it with others. Regardless of your genre or style, there will certainly be a substantial amount of people that enjoy it. Once you reach out to just a small group of these people, you’ll be set because they will share it with their friends who have similar tastes.
A second, more obvious benefit is that podcasting saves you a ton of money that would otherwise be spent in advertising costs. Don’t have the cash for billboards, banners, flyers, and commercials? No problem: Set up a podcast, do a little bit of online advertising to your audience, and you’ll be golden. As you become more popular and you see some revenue starting to come in, then you’ll be able to scale up and utilize other methods that cost more. The start-up cost for a podcast is very small, and after that, there is really no other investment necessary — all it takes from that point is time that you’ll spend marketing yourself to the podcast audience.
A third reason to use web podcasting is the networking that you’ll be able to do with other artists. Perhaps there is another artist in your genre that is a few steps ahead of you in the popularity game? Instead of getting jealous and bitter, make an effort to contact them and share what you have. If they like your content and you as a person, they might mention you on their next news update or announcement. Just be sure to play your cards intelligently, because no one is going to feature an artist that just craves attention. Be real and sincere, and don’t put up a facade just to get some of their traffic. A smart move would be to offer a spot on your next podcast for them, so they in turn will receive some attention from your fan base.
Podcasting is a resource that all indy artists should take advantage of. If you haven’t yet, go sign up and claim your share of the audience!
