
Music Marketing: 5 Proven Strategies to Engage and Grow Your Fanbase Find out how you can get your work in front of more people with these music marketing strategies.
By
Aaron Trumm
March 19, 2025
Illustration by Michelle Parkos
Given the success of select indie artists on social media, its easy to assume that a few viral social media posts cant take you a long way toward success in music. But the truth is, in todays saturated market, standing out without a solid plan can be challenging. Success requires leveraging modern tools and incorporating timeless principles: connecting directly with fans, building meaningful relationships, and developing long-term strategies beyond fleeting virality. This is what musicians have done for decades, and its still foundational.
It also demands a strong DIY ethic. Today's musicians must be as business-savvy as they are talented. Read on for our top tips to market your music and elevate your career.
How Music Makes Money You can do whatever you want in your basement for as long as you want, but the minute youve decided to enter the world of commerce, you need to understand how it works, says Stephanie Kellar, who teaches Berklees Digital and Social Media Marketing course.
While social media revenue sharing (e.g., monetizing YouTube) might seem like a significant income stream, the reality is that most small- and mid-sized artists make little to no money this way.
That shouldn't dissuade you. A solid music-based business makes money from a diversified portfolio of live performances, merch sales, streaming royalties, sync licensing, and various other sources.
Level Up Your Music Business Skills
Download a free Music Business digital handbook with lessons from Berklee's curriculum and exclusive advice from industry-leading faculty. What Is DIY Music Marketing?When we say DIY, we don't necessarily mean doing it all alone, but a modern musician must shape their own destiny. Gone are the days of relying on a tightly controlled network of major labels, physical distributors, and radio stations to plug you into a machine and make you a star.
The modern musician is a clear-headed entrepreneur who can lead a team. It's harder in one sense, but you'll have more control over your own success-rather than leaving it to luck-and you'll be better off financially and mentally in the long run. Whether you like it or not, part of the job now is to become a great marketer.
Music Marketing Strategies To help you along the way, we've compiled some of our best music marketing advice.
1. Build Genuine Networks Human interaction still matters. Meeting people face-to-face-whether at open mics, local shows, workshops, classes, or conferences-lets you forge deeper, more authentic bonds than you might achieve online. In-person interactions encourage spontaneous conversations, spark creative collaborations, and help you earn trust more quickly.
These relationships often become long-term connections that can lead to unexpected gigs, introductions, or mentorships. While online networking is useful, the immediacy of meeting others in a live setting remains vital for building a stable, supportive network and help guide your career forward.
Pre-internet, musicians built fan clubs with notebooks and played gigs three, four, five nights a week to build connections, Kellar says. Today, networking still requires effort, but digital tools make it easier to stay connected.
Stephanie Kellar
2. Make Merchandise that ConnectsBand merchandise does more than boost your bottom line. Each piece-be it a T-shirt, hoodie, hat, or something more inventive-reinforces your identity and serves as a billboard for your project, helping fans feel more connected to your music. You're free to get as creative as you like, but your ideas need to align with what your fans actually want.
Finding what resonates with your fans takes time, observation, and conversation. Pay attention to whos drawn to your act, note their style, and see what they actually buy. Dont hesitate to ask fans directly for feedback-youll find theyre often eager to share their opinions with you.
When someone watches one music video, they spend about three to five minutes with your band. When someone watches 10 music videos, that's 30-50 minutes. That's not just YouTube views; that's also their time investment, said Laser Malena-Webber, member of the Doubleclicks and author of Crowdfunding for Musicians. Thats a fan getting to know you, and your music becoming part of their lives. So when you ask them for money, or ask them to buy your albums and T-shirts, they're excited about it. They want to support the art they already love.
When you get it right, youre not just moving product-youre building community. The people who buy from you directly are raising their hand and identifying themselves as your fervent fans, Kellar says. They are the ones who will sing your praises and do your word-of-mouth marketing. It's never too early to set up an online store, but remember: selling at shows often nets the highest profit and the most meaningful fan interactions.
Learn the Art of Music Marketing
Berklee Onlines Music Marketing 101 course equips you with the skills to design and execute effective campaigns. 3. Choose the Right Physical Format Don't overlook creating hard copies of your music. While digital streaming is still the main way people listen to music, physical formats still pack a punch, especially with dedicated fans and collectors. CDs are still reliable sellers in many marketing funnels, and vinyl is making a strong comeback. Some artists are even bringing back cassettes or trying out unique formats like VHS tapes and thumb drives to stand out. It's key to know your niche and audience to make sure the media you choose makes sense and works well. A
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
12/02/2026
Chyron unveils PRIME 5.3, the latest software release of the company's powerful engine for live production graphics. PRIME 5.3 delivers the first official i...
12/02/2026
The vendor's VP of Product Management explains how quality assurance, monito...
12/02/2026
LTN announces the appointment of three experienced executives to lead its new Technology organization: Michal Miskin-Amir as EVP and Head of Technology, Jonatha...
12/02/2026
Riedel Communications has officially opened a new office in Kuala Lumpur, Malays...
12/02/2026
Grass Valley has won a competitive NATO-wide tender to provide the new camera system for NATO's main broadcast studio at its Brussels headquarters. The proj...
12/02/2026
Canon U.S.A announces that the vast majority of broadcast lenses utilized on the NBC live broadcast for the Big Game between New England and Seattle on Sunday w...
12/02/2026
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and NBC Sports announce the entertainm...
12/02/2026
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announces that beIN MEDIA GROUP ( beIN ), the leading global sports, entertainment and media organisation, has secured...
12/02/2026
The Big 12 Conference and ASB GlassFloor introduces a full LED video sports floor that will debut at the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's and Women's Baske...
12/02/2026
ESPN announces Year of the Super Bowl, a sweeping 12-month, multi-platform cel...
12/02/2026
Continuing its commitment to serving the faith-based broadcast and live event community, mobile production company TNDV, a division of Live Media Group, will hi...
12/02/2026
The production team of the long-running German investigative series Achtung Abz...
12/02/2026
Vizrt announces the launch of four Campus Stadium Production Bundles, designed t...
12/02/2026
At NAB Show, LiveU will showcase its broadest IP-video EcoSystem to date, design...
12/02/2026
Welcome to the Sports Video Group's new interview series, Follow the Money, ...
12/02/2026
400 Gbps of bandwidth, layered redundancy, and mobile-first connectivity powered...
12/02/2026
Valentine's Day often comes with a soundtrack. In fact, Spotify data shows that more people used Blend, our shared playlist feature, on February 14, 2025, t...
12/02/2026
Some days you want your music to reflect a specific feeling, memory, or vibe that goes beyond a single artist or genre. You want to do more than listen. You wan...
12/02/2026
Our Medicine S2: Frontline Medicine Through A Blak Lens
12 February, 2026
Media releases
A Bigger, Bolder Second Series showcasing First Nations Frontline ...
12/02/2026
L3Harris' VAMPIRE system fires Thales Belgian-made 70 MM rocket from an FZ60...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
The production team of the long-running German investigative series Achtung Abzocke recently upgraded its cameras for the show's 12th season. The objectiv...
12/02/2026
Leading provider of video streaming solutions, Bitmovin, has appointed Ian Baglow as Co-CEO alongside existing CEO and Co-Founder Stefan Lederer. Under this str...
12/02/2026
Vizrt, a leading viewer engagement platform and a trusted expert in live production technologies, today announces the launch of four Campus Stadium Production B...
12/02/2026
Strategic agreement to deliver S3 cloud storage in Switzerland with full data sovereignty and local control including at the level of individual cantons plu...
12/02/2026
Mad About Video is a leading specialist in video for live events and installations throughout Malta. In operation since 2011, it has evolved from a company focu...
12/02/2026
JAGGAER, a global leader in digital procurement and supplier collaboration solutions, today announced the successful delivery of a procurement digitalization pr...
12/02/2026
At NAB Show, LiveU will showcase its broadest IP-video EcoSystem to date, designed to help broadcasters and content creators embrace digital first operations, d...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/02/2026
The six-part crime drama, created by Claire Oakley and produced by Little Door P...
12/02/2026
Wuppertal February 12, 2026
Riedel Opens Kuala Lumpur Office to Strengthen Glo...
12/02/2026
Back to All News
Netflix unveils the trailer for That Night
Entertainment
12 February 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
WATCH THE TRAILER
DOWNLOA...
12/02/2026
The Digital Product Passport: A New Era of Transparency and Sustainability
Arvato Systems supports companies in getting started with the digital product passp...
12/02/2026
At leading institutions across the globe, the NVIDIA DGX Spark desktop supercomputer is bringing data center class AI to lab benches, faculty offices and studen...
12/02/2026
A diagnostic insight in healthcare. A character's dialogue in an interactive...
12/02/2026
The GeForce NOW sixth-anniversary festivities roll on this February, continuing a monthlong celebration of NVIDIA's cloud gaming service.
This week brings ...
12/02/2026
TIME100 Health list features Scripps Research Professor Darrell Irvine Irvine is recognized for his work in empowering the immune system to fight disease, which...
11/02/2026
FYI: Phone Support Maintenance One thing we pride ourselves on here at Utah Scientific is our 24-hour support included with our signature 10-year hardware warra...
11/02/2026
Leading provider of video streaming solutions, Bitmovin, has appointed Ian Baglow as Co-CEO alongside existing CEO and Co-Founder Stefan Lederer. Under this str...