You released a new song... and almost none of your fans knew. It got buried in their feed (if it showed up at all). Beyond the Algorithm helps musicians build an audience they can reach every time: through email. Sign up below if you want a direct line to your fans.
but how do I get people on my email list?
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Hey Reader, Picture the signup form at the bottom of most artists' websites: Join my mailing list for news and updates. (...Did I just call you out? 😉) Now picture a fan who just discovered you, loved the show, loved the songs, and checks out your website when they get home...And then they don't sign up. Not because they don't like you. They just saw "news and updates" and their brain went "Do I want more email?...Nah." The thing is... "news and updates" is not a reason to sign up. It's a description of what you'll send. A reason to sign up answers the question the fan is actually asking, which is "what's in it for me right now, if I do?" That's where an incentive comes in. You set up an automated email that gives them something the moment they join. Something small that says "thanks for being here" before you've asked them for anything. The incentive (or "fan magnet") isn't just a bribe to get the email address. It's the first thing you ever give that fan, and it sets the tone for the whole relationship. They signed up, they immediately got something good, and now they trust that being on your list is worth it. You've started the relationship by giving instead of asking them to pre-save your new song or check out your latest merch drop. The part most artists get stuck on though is what do you actually offer? What kinds of things are compelling enough to fans to make them want to sign up and hear from you again? There are a few things I see working over and over again in my music marketing agency job here in Nashville, whether an artist is just starting out or if they've had #1s on the radio since the 90s: 1. Early access to your next release.Why It Works: Instant gratification and makes them feel like an insider. 2. An alternate version of your most popular (or most recent) song.Why It Works: Gives curious fans a way to engage more deeply with a song they already know they like. 3. Unreleased track(s)Why It Works: True exclusivity. Can't hear it anywhere else. (***Bonus if you send a series of unreleased songs over a few days for added value.) Pick one. Set up an automation that delivers it immediately upon signup. Make sure it's super clear to the fan what they'll get when they join. Tell everybody about it. (Give a verbal invitation on the mic at live shows, have a QR at the merch table, put it in your link in bio, drop the link into your stories a few times a week.) Then watch the fans start to trickle in. It's slow growth...but anything worth growing takes time. happy list building, P.S. Just so I know where you're at, would you mind answering a quick question for me?
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Leigh Cara
You released a new song... and almost none of your fans knew. It got buried in their feed (if it showed up at all). Beyond the Algorithm helps musicians build an audience they can reach every time: through email. Sign up below if you want a direct line to your fans.
Hey Reader, If you're worried about coming across as spammy to your fans, it probably means you're already sending them spammy emails. Doesn't matter whether an artist has a huge label team behind them or if they're in DIY indie mode...Artists at all different levels have this major fear of not wanting to bother their subscribers. And they think the best way to avoid doing that is to email them as little as possible. That usually means that when they do have something to sell or promote, they...
Hey Reader, I have this artist friend who reached out recently. They landed an opening slot on a tour and were asking me about ways they could maximize this opportunity to grow their text list. (Hey…email or not, it's an owned audience and I'm here for it.) They had a couple things we needed to keep in mind as we brainstormed: It was an OPENING slot and they wanted to make sure they were being respectful and not stealing any thunder from the headliner outside of their set. They had a small QR...
Hey Reader, There's this idea that email marketing is dead and that SMS is the only real way to grow an owned audience anymore. And if you're still building an email list instead of a text list, you're way behind the curve. First of all, email marketing isn't dead. (You're here, aren't you?) It is very much alive and to this day, the average ROI on growing your email list is $36 for every $1 you spend....if you use it right. SMS is great...But it serves a completely different purpose than...