BandMark’s New Media Toolkit Part 1!

Nowadays, artists and digital marketers in the music industry have a seemingly infinite supply of new media solutions at their disposal for managing direct-to-fan activities. While many of the companies pioneering these new technologies and techniques often fade away as fast as they have appeared, there are without a doubt a few innovators which have emerged as forerunners in direct-to-fan management solutions.

As of recent, both technological advances and the internet have brought about the ability, and the necessity, for marketers to track true performance metrics in real-time. Marketers are now able to evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing initiatives based on data capture, sentiment, engagement and, most importantly, conversions. Access to this data helps marketers better define where to concentrate efforts, which is bringing a new precision to marketing in the digital music industry. Targeting is crucial, especially in the music industry, because artist marketing is all about being in touch with your fans.

With the right fan management platform you have all the tools you need to grow your fan-base, build relationships, and measure the impact of everything you do along the way. However, with such a wide range of companies providing digital marketing toolkits, how do you know which is the best technology to manage your fans online? BandMark picked 10 companies with momentum in the digital marketing toolkit space that you need to know about: Topspin, Bandcamp, Nimbit, Rockdex, Mozes, NextBigSound, Rootmusic, FanBridge, Buzzdeck, and Artistdata. Read on for a review of the first 5 companies, and then check back next week for part-two of this review.

 

 

www.topspinmedia.com

Topspin is a popular direct-to-fan marketing and retail software platform which gives musicians, as well as authors and filmmakers the ability to promote their art and connect with fans.

What can it do? Topspin allows users to effectively spread their content with the use of their multi-media players which stream high-quality audio and video that can be played and shared on websites, blogs, facebook feeds and mobile phones. In terms of direct-to-fan contact, Topspin provides users with the ability to reach their fans via email, FB & Twitter in exchange for free downloads. When sending emails, Topspin offers users the ability to target fans based on: geography, purchase history, social influence, or even how they found you originally. Topspin even allows artists to bundle their digital media with their physical merchandise, tickets and Fan Club/VIP access for the ultimate fan experience. Like most software platforms of this type, Topspin provides real-time fan data which allows for more targeted and cost-effective marketing initiatives.

Why use it? With integrated ecommerce and reporting functions, fan management, asset management, and ticketing tools in one software package, this platform is the whole shebang! Give it a try by creating a free account using the basic services for as little as 9.99$ a month. With musicians from Les Blanks to Arcade Fire and legendary Paul McCartney, all having run successful campaigns with Topspin, what do you have to lose in giving it a try?

 

 

 

 

www.bandcamp.com

Bandcamp is a service which provides musicians with a place to host, stream and then sell their music through personalized home pages. Although it sounds a lot like MySpace, what differentiates Bandcamp from sites like Myspace is its convenience and the ability to monetize efforts.

What can it do? Bandcamp offers a plug-and-play simplicity which jives with artists who are not web-savvy and up-starts who are just looking to sell or share their work. For the most part, Bandcamp takes care of the ‘nitty-gritty’ technical details, so that users can focus on producing and promoting their craft. Nevertheless, for those who wish to roll up their sleeves and delve into the world of digits, Bandcamp features an incredible array of statistical tools to help users learn more about their audience.

Why use it? In addition to convenience, the benefit of using Bandcamp is the freedom it gives artists in how they share their work. Unlike other platforms, Bandcamp’s user-defined pricing scheme empowers musicians to price and sell their work at their own discretion, in whichever digital format they prefer. Artists then pay a portion of their profits to the site. The one catch is to find a price that’s low enough to create conversions, yet high enough to cover the site’s commissions. Bottom-line: If you’re not an economist with a background in price optimization, you may want to avoid this hurdle altogether by releasing work for free. Either way, with Bandcamp, the choice is totally yours!

 

 

 

 

 

www.nimbit.com

Nimbit is another direct-to-fan platform created for fan-management activities in the music industry. Nimbit prides itself on providing an easy solution for self-managed artists, managers, and emerging labels to: grow and engage their fanbase; to sell their music online; and to sell tickets, VIP Bundles and all their merch online.

What can it do? Nimbit helps artists to connect with their fans through email marketing, twitter and facebook. With Nimbit’s platform, musicians can sell their digital music on nimbitmusic.com, facebook, in addition to their dedicated site. In fact with Nimbit, artists can sell just about anything, direct from everywhere, while Nimbit fulfills on the seller’s behalf. Nimbit also allows artists to offer free tracks for email sign-ups, create and share download cards, and to create customized promotions. In addition to allowing users to create their own fully customized store-front online, Nimbit offers a variety of reporting features which help artists to manage and optimize their business activities. Marketing analytics, real-time sales reports, tracking fan history, catalogue management and multi-artist dashboards are among some of the reporting features offered by Nimbit.

Why use it? Would you ask your plumber for medical advice? Probably not; that’s why Nimbit was made by musicians, for musicians. “We’re not just a bunch of tech heads trying to make a buck off musicians. We’re people with experience from all sides of the music business. We’ve seen the problems of the old-style music industry first hand and we’re here to change it.” Bonus: Nimbit runs an affiliate program for companies targeting similar audiences. Affiliate partners can place either a unique button or banner on their website, and earn commissions ranging from $10 – $20 per signup!

 

 

 

 

 

www.rockdex.com

Although Rockdex was originally created to be an extension of the Music Arsenal band management application, RockDex eventually grew into something much bigger: a full-fledged company. With the launch of its 1st standalone version in 2009, Rockdex caught the attention of music professionals with its simple and visually intriguing social media metrics and insights.

What can it do? RockDex is a unique, B2B platform that tracks thousands of websites, collecting data for musicians from blogs, fan connections, pageviews, tweets, song plays and more. Rockdex then uses this data to provide artists with a high-level view of their online buzz, including a comprehensive picture of growth and scale. Using this revolutionary software, artists can explore actual conversations in order to understand what motivates fan behaviour and drives exposure. Rockdex can even spot viral trends and help artists track the progress of such trends over time through constantly updated charts, graphs and maps.

Why use it? No matter where you stand in the music industry, Rockdex has something for you. Record labels, Managers, Artists, Publicists, A&R Reps, and Booking Agents are all making use of Rockdex to stay ahead of the curve. With a free 15-day trial on all accounts, it’s worth checking into this platform to find out what all the buzz is about…literally!

 

 

 

 

 

www.mozes.com

Mozes Connect is a web-based platform that allows users to create and manage customized, targeted mobile marketing campaigns. As mobile marketing becomes increasingly important in the case of live events, Mozes’ mobile platform is an ideal new media technology for bands and other performing artists wishing to connect [with fans] at the point of inspiration.

What can it do? Mozes connect is a simple platform which allows companies to create mobile experiences in order to engage audiences at live events. With Mozes, users can run a variety of mobile campaigns including: contests, voting, trivia, fan generated content, or simply send out branded media. Mozes also offers users a variety of cool web widgets, and other proprietary tools, to boost campaign results. Most importantly, users can check the status of their campaigns in terms of participation, locations, poll results and much more, and then use this information to manage their mobile activities in real-time. The best part? Marketers have the option to easily change any campaign into a mobile and/or email list building engine so that marketers can keep the customer relationship going even after the event ends.

Why use it? Mozes Connect is the only platform solution focused exclusively on connecting companies with their audience via mobile phone – in particular at live performance venues, something which is extremely useful for bands and musicians.

 

 

 

 

The Future of the Vinyl Music Culture

When I think of vinyl records, I am instantly reminded of my youth and of listening to The Beatles on my dad’s wood-paneled stereo receiver. Now, almost two decades later, audio technology and the digital revolution have completely transformed the music industry. From cds to mp3s and streaming music services, the age of analog music is progressively being replaced by a digital era. In fact, with even the Beatles finally making their digital debut on iTunes this past May, it would seem that vinyls, along with 8 tracks and tapes, are a thing-of-the-past. Nevertheless, talk to any indie music collector or audiophile and you might be surprised to learn that these music fans believe vinyl is set to re-enter mainstream music…and they may not be wrong. In fact, as counterintuitive as it would seem in this age of ipods and digital downloads, vinyl sales are actually on the rise. According to a recent report by Nielsen News, since the beginning of 2011 vinyl sales have actually risen by 37% as compared to the same period in 2010[1]. With pressing plants increasing production of vinyl records, I can’t help but wonder where the demand for these records is coming from. With big labels and major music organizations like RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) resistant to the idea of a resurgence of vinyl, can anyone really agree on what the future holds in store for vinyl and the vinyl music culture? An investigation of the music industry reveals a gamut of opinions to this and the never-ending debate on the supposed superiority of vinyl to digital music.

Without a doubt, any vinyl purist will tell you that vinyls will be around years to come because the audio quality of a record trumps that of a CD or any other digital medium. In case you’re wondering, there are two reasons for vinyl’s supposed sonic superiority. Firstly, mastering houses generally compress the audio on CDs in order to make the sound as loud as possible; however unlike with CDs, the audio on vinyls cannot be compressed to those extremes. So despite the fact that CDs can have a wider dynamic range, LPs will generally have a more subtle sound to them. The second reason for vinyl’s superiority is that regardless of the sampling rate, digital recordings can never capture the complete sound wave present in an analog groove. For both of these two reasons, vinyl offer can offer a richer, warmer and more nuanced sound than CDS, and it’s often argued that cds and other digital mediums will never be able to reach the sound quality of vinyl. Nonetheless, modern-day music listeners and even most djs are predominantly choosing digital music over vinyl. Why is that? Most notably, the major appeal behind digital music is accessibility and portability. With the massive proliferation of ipods and other digital music player devices it appears that despite the fact that a record can sound better than digital mediums likes cds and mp3s, portability is so important to consumers today that we are ready to forfeit better sound quality for the benefit of being able to bring our music with us everywhere.

Nevertheless, we’re still seeing vinyl sales increase and it seems likely that those sales are driven by the fact that records provide an element of tangibility that digital music can never offer. Many people in the music industry that will tell you that for many, including the artists, “vinyl is the true version of the release…the size and presence of the artwork, the division into sides, the better sound quality, [and] above all the involvement and work the listener has to put in, all make it the format of choice for people who really care about music.”[2] Although big labels are resistant to the idea of a vinyl comeback, many vinyl record companies are staying competitive by recognizing the unique needs of music fans living in the 21st century. In catering to consumers’ desires for easy accessibility and portability of their music, many record labels are now including download codes in their record packaging which music fans can use to download MP3 versions of the songs. With many of the major record labels now including these download codes, is it possible that vinyl will not only survive in this digital age, but actually rival other digital formats such as cds and streaming music sites? Only time will tell. Speaking for myself however, vinyl records just don’t fit into my lifestyle. While I do miss the old days of flipping through cd inlets filled with album lyrics and artwork, as an avid music listener whose ipod is never more than a purse pocket or a jacket zipper away from me, digital music is the only way for me to experience music in the way which really moves me: on-the-go music pumping out the perpetual soundtrack to my life.

 

Which Newsletter Provider for Bands?

 

In today’s plugged-in world, where the ubiquity of the social media network reigns supreme, keeping in touch with your fans is paramount to success in the music industry. When I buy a new CD, I expect more from the band than the possibility of a secret bonus track; I expect the whole (online) user experience: a website, a music blog, a Facebook band page with Facebook band tabs to visit; a Twitter account to follow, and a band newsletter to subscribe to. So what does this mean for music artists trying to survive in this cut-throat industry? Simple, your fans want to hear from you – not just your music; fans want content, and one of the best ways to provide this content is by newsletter.

With a veritable cornucopia of email service providers to choose from, it’s no easy task to find the right provider, especially if you’re in the business of beat testing and not A/B testing. Nevertheless, despite how daunting the selection process might seem, and how tempting it may be to start emailing newsletters yourself, it’s highly recommended that you choose a web-based provider for distribution. Before you start your search however, it’s important to define what you’re looking for in an ESP. Once you’ve established all of your needs, we recommend that you base your choice on these critical factors:

  • Ease of Navigation and Use;
  • Deliverability & Reliability of Service;
  • Flexibility
  • Tracking

Here’s a review of four leading newsletter technology providers for bands…

MailChimp (www.mailchimp.com)

MailChimp is one of the newer email service providers in the context of this review. However from our research, Mail Chimp provides one of the best entry-level opportunities for small businesses (including up-and-coming music artists) as they offer: a good balance of pricing with a free plan for a mailing list of up to 2,000 subscribers; a good level of reliability; and a decent set of reporting metrics.

From a user standpoint, the interface is as simple and fun as its mascot. Most notably, contact list management is straightforward, and creating emails is a jiff with a wide selection of free HTML templates and their Design Genius editor to create your own designs. Inherent in the simplicity of its design however, is that it’s not quite as loaded with features as some of the competing email providers.  For one, Mail Chimp does not allow users to compare message reports. Nonetheless, MailChimp has an add-on that lets you leverage certain Google Analytics data giving you insight on certain ROI data that wouldn’t be available otherwise. Finally, in addition to being fully integrated with PayPal and Google, Mail Chimp is also fully integrated with Twitter and Facebook to help you spread the word about your newsletter.

Super Band-bonus: With MailChimp you can create campaigns in several different email platforms (without even having to log in!). You can even use their i-phone app to manage your account making it perfect for use when you’re on tour and you can’t get to a computer! Just another reason why MailChimp is BandMark’s preferred ESP.

 

ExactTarget (www.exacttarget.com)

Exact Target is a global messaging platform which allows businesses and artists, to connect with their customers and fans via email marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing, landing pages and dynamic sites. In our opinion, this platform is better-suited for medium to large e-businesses delivering complex interactive marketing campaign, rather than bands and music artists. In terms of user features, the Exact Target Design toolkit includes everything you need to create sophisticated HTML emails, and then some.

In terms of reliability, Exact Target claims to have an average system up-time of 99.99%; unfortunately, an audit of customer reviews of ExactTarget’s software paints a slightly less appealing image. Users claim that the software Exact Target is running is outdated, and there are many reports of bugs.  Other users still complain about ET’s incomplete and poorly written documentation, in fact I couldn’t even find a price list for their services anywhere on their site!

Biggest Band-bummer: Although Exact Target’s complex software and reporting allows you to create those highly targeted, personalized communications required to cut through media clutter, engaging with your fans shouldn’t be this complicated, or time-consuming.

 

Constant Contact (www.constantcontact.com)

Having been in business since 1996, Constant Contact is one of the oldest email marketing services around. In terms of ease of use, Constant Contact has a well-designed interface that is relatively easy to learn. For novices, Constant Contact is reputed as having excellent customer service and support, including online support communities and access to your own dedicated support agent. In terms of features, Constant Contact offers a wide range of standard email creation and sending features, as well as some neat optional features like the ability to archive emails and host them on a Constant Contact homepage.

Constant Contact email templates are simple to use and format-tested in all major email programs. Unfortunately, compared to other providers, the flexibility of their template designs is limited, and only available when using their in-house templates. Nevertheless, Constant Contact has a built a good name among the sea of providers, and with a 60-day free-trial you can see for yourself. The only downside is that this email service provider is on the more expensive side of email marketing service providers.  On the other hand, in terms of deliverability and reliability, you get what you pay for with Constant Contact, which boasts a 97% inbox delivery rate.

Biggest Band-bummer: While Constant Contact offers a relatively standard tracking options, it does not allow for social media integration, conversion tracking, or integration with Google Analytics. So if you’re planning on selling your band merch through your newsletter, this newsletter technology is not for you.

 

Courrielleur (www.courrielleur.com)

Courrielleur is a French-Canadian ESP based in BandMark’s hometown of Montreal. In terms of ease of use, Courrielleur has the typical set of mailing list management and a fair share of automated features which take care of list management for you. Courrielleur also offers a decent selection of free newsletter templates that are format-tested in all major email programs. In terms of tracking and reporting, Courrielleur offers a pretty straight-forward dashboard and visuals to help you understand your campaign. Courrielleur is well-suited for use in all industries as evidenced by its diverse group of clients from agencies, companies and government bodies including: EDC, Dom Rebel, Lotto-Quebec, NVI and Ogilvy.

Super Band-bonus: In terms of the general administration of your account, one of the bonuses of Courrielleur is that it allows the possibility of multiple users per account, unlike Constant Contact. Courrielleur also offers the ability to make secure online payments. Both of these features are perfect for on-the-go musicians who want to spend more time making music.

Biggest Band-bummer: Although Courrielleur offers a free-trial, there’s a 99$ activation fee upon sign-up. Also, an all-French website means you better brush up on your 7th grade French classes tout-de-suite!

 

 

I know me some ugly Myspace!

Forget all the rumors about Myspace being dead: until we find a real replacement, Myspace is still the go-to site for fans and bands to connect. Unfortunately we have all seen our share of ugly myspace pages…you know, the ones where people try to cram EVERYTHING into a single page – AND make it flash, ouch!

http://www.myspace.com/beautifulsqaurdon Not only was this Myspace showcased on a popular Zefrank post called “I know me, some ugly Myspace“ but it was pretty easy to locate in most social bookmarking sites as well! It is so unbelievably ugly that one can consider that this was the intent, but really – why is having a very ugly Myspace an important goal for you?!

BandMark recommends Myspace to our clients – it’s a powerful tool for sharing your music and your tour dates with potential fans. Just take a moment to look at your Myspace and ask yourself these TOUGH questions:

Is my Myspace hard to read?

Glitter text and flashing gifs make your text difficult to decipher. Too much stuff on the page can overwhelm your fans. If they can’t find your tour dates they won’t show up at your club show! Decide what you want to showcase and keep it simple. Make sure your font (style and color) is readable against your background image.

Is  my Myspace slow to load?

Animations and movies take longer to load – and some of those crazy backgrounds can take FOREVER! Your fans may have slower access than you do (some people still have dialup, right?). If a page takes too long to load, impatient fans will not wait. Swap out that crazy background for something simpler. If you have a lot of video content try showcasing different videos every month.

Is my Myspace cross-browser compatible?

You don’t need to get super technical to insure your site works for most of your fans. IE and Firefox are the most popular browsers, but Google Chrome and Safari are close behind. Ask your friends and family what browser they use, and get some volunteers to check your page. Try logging in from public libraries and internet cafes to see how your site works.

Is my Myspace ugly?

Ok, so, this is more of a judgement call, but seriously: after spending so much time on your site layout, it is probably tough for you to see it critically. Send your link to some friends whose style you like, and ask for their (honest) feedback. You don’t necessarily need to make all the changes they recommend, but if more than one person mentions a particular issue, you should really consider making a change.

Myspace is a great way to get the word out about your band, your shows, your latest EP and your videos. Answering these questions will help you keep your MESSAGE on top of the all the noise.

Social Media – Twitter take 1!

Just recently, the lead singer of the Dresden Dolls Amanda Palmer made $11,000 on Twitter in just 2 hours connecting with fans on and off line.

Through her driving personality, she has developed a very impressive fan base on her blog, MySpace page (75,000 friends), Facebook fan page (20,000 fans) and Twitter feed (40,000 followers).

Some highlights of the discussion

“Being a touring musician means meeting fans,” Amanda says. “I go out and meet fans after every gig. It’s important to make contact in real life and not just online in social media like Twitter. If you don’t meet fans in real life too, then you’re a fraud. If you’re not comfortable getting into the sweat with them and talking with people at shows, then how can you do it successfully online? I love connecting with fans. Speaking to people at the merchandise table after the show is great. I can stay there forever.”    Original web source from quote

Amanda frequently uses Twitter to bring together groups of fans quickly and spontaneously when she is on the road. She tweeted a secret gig in LA one morning and about 350 fans showed up five hours later at a warehouse space where she played piano.

How did Amanda Palmer make $11,000 on Twitter in two hours

If you have a loyal following on Twitter it can become an incredibly powerful tool to reach your goals. It’s a great tool to express an idea, to get people’s opinions, to research a problem, or even to make some money. “The great thing about Twitter is that the minute I started using it, I realized the possibilities are endless,” Amanda says. She proved it one Friday night.

“I tweeted as a joke that I was all alone, again, on a Friday night at my computer, like a loser,” Amanda says. “Other people started chiming in and we were all losers. One of my friends called it a virtual flash mob and all of a sudden there were a thousand people hanging out and following what was going on, the dialog between the fans. And we started a faux organization called The Losers of Friday Night on their Computers. We started making demands of the government like no tax on vodka, government issued sweatpants, free pizza, anything you could possibly need to be a loser on Friday night at your computer. And it was just really funny. It felt like a little piece of loser anarchy on Twitter.”

As people were communicating, someone suggested the group should make a T-shirt. So without any planning, Palmer said “sure let’s do it,” and used a Sharpie to make a T-shirt design. Someone suggested the slogan DON’T STAND UP FOR WHAT’S RIGHT, STAY IN FOR WHAT’S WRONG. Palmer’s Web marketing company was able to create a quickie site (which went live in just half an hour), and offered the T-shirts for sale at $25 each.

The Losers group bought 200 T-shirts that night and several hundred more were sold the next day (after Palmer blogged about it). The total take made on Twitter over just two hours was $11,000.

Not many people can get a thousand people to gather on a Friday night and fewer still can then sell something to the group like Palmer did. But that’s not the real point here. There’s no doubt that Twitter is an increasingly important way for people to communicate and organizations are using it in very clever ways to benefit their business and themselves.