So what will you be doing in order to market your music yourself online? Get press. How do you go about this? It's easier than you think. You will need to research your genre and sub-genres as well as all the magazines, websites, podcasts and blogs who cater to them. You can find helpful websites with industry lists as well as peruse the Indie Bible to find your targets of choice. This research will take time. You should make a list as you go in a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel.

Some of these places will allow you to add your links and news releases free of charge. You should take advantage of this. Make sure you are drafting news releases as opposed to press releases. There is a difference and the difference is excessive promotional language.

Music blogs have become extremely popular as of late. You can search for ones that match your style on sites such as Hype Machine. With these blogs, you don't need to worry typically about asking for a review. They are in the business of posting mp3's. You will still need to be personable and follow the guidelines in the next paragraph.

Most of these places will have specific protocol to follow when asking for reviews. Don't always follow them! You will never get the amount of press you want or deserve if you wait in line and play by the rules. Some of these websites get 100 or more requests daily for reviews or interviews. Therefore, you need to be sneaky, yet respectful. Go ahead and contact any individual writer who caters to your genre. I call this "behind-the-scenes marketing". Email them with the first paragraph telling them what you liked about their writing. Yes, you heard me correctly. I'm aware that you've never heard this before...and it works.

Doesn't it make your day when a fan contacts you about how good your music is? Don't you think writers and reviewers get the same thrill? The reason this can help you is because they don't hear it very often. Compliment them. Then engage them with a question like "What did you think of (insert band name here)'s new album?" In the next paragraph, mention your band and how they fit into the big picture. Humbly ask for a review or coverage. Humbly!

Try looking up articles on YOUR favorite bands, or most importantly, bands that are similar in style to your own - and contact the person who wrote the piece. Reviews on niche bands give you something unique to talk about. You can relate to the writer about being one of the few people to discover the band. Even better, congratulate them on discovering the band in question!

When you research a new website, make it your goal to connect with someone who shares an interest with you - the love of music. You make the music. They write about it. If you treat them like you're doing them a favor, or you don't care about their interests, you're taking a gamble that your email will end up getting ignored. Make a real connection. Start a real conversation, and you can be guaranteed your band will gain valuable allies, and fast.

Thank those that help you by paying it forward. Offer to promote their blog or website via your social media profile or blog. This also helps you by virally spreading the word about your band.

Remember, the online music world isn't just about posting your mp3's and waiting for the fans to magically show up. Build your profile just as you would offline. Good luck!

James Moore

Author of "Your Band Is A Virus!"
http://www.yourbandisavirus.com

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