Why a Web Site Matters

If you are a musician, artist, songwriter, or doing any kind of business in music and ministry, you probably know you need a web site. It’s one of the first questions I ask any artist/songwriter that comes to meet with us, mainly because it’s a good indication of how serious they have been with their music to this point.

Your web site is your home base. Even if you have a Facebook Fan Page, dedicated music Twitter account, or Instagram, your web site trumps all of them. It’s how the world finds you.

“On the Web we all become small-town visitors lost in the big city.” – Alison Gopnik

After we finish a project for any artists, one of the first things we do is get to work on the web site. We use the same graphics from the album, and we configure for some basic pages.

Home Page

This should be a one stop page for anything someone may need to know about your music and ministry. It doesn’t need a hundred options, and shouldn’t have that many. It will have your graphic identity that you’re presenting with your music (your CD art, or art for online distribution). It will also have quick links to social media accounts, a brief bit of text announcing who you are, and a menu for the following.

Bio Page

This is the story of your music and ministry. Many people just want to know who you are and where you came from. What was the impetus for you to start making music, and why should they listen to you? This is where your story takes center stage and why we work so hard from day one to help you craft that narrative.

Music Page

Well, duh. What good would a music web site be without music? We can put either a Soundcloud player or CDBaby store widget here so people can sample the goods.

Photo Gallery

You likely spent a good amount on your photoshoot, why not show off those great shots? You could even have two galleries, one showing your studio shoot, and one featuring shots of you live and with fans.

Blog

If you are so inclined, a blog that features regular posts is really nice and keeps people coming back to your site. You can also use this part on the home page so that your site looks fresh with consistently posted content.

Store

This is crucial just in case anyone wants to actually buy a CD or download. We also guide people to your music on Spotify or Apple Music if they are looking for streaming options.

Contact Page

This may be the most important part of a web site, a page where people can contact you and book you for gigs, or just tell you they appreciate your ministry.

There are other optional pages like video, testimonials, and perhaps a schedule page if you get busy enough. But the main point is to provide a central hub where people can google for and find you, your music, and your ministry.

You may be wondering if Facebook or Twitter is enough. I’d have to say they aren’t even close to what a good web site can mean for your music and ministry.

“Create a website that expresses something about who you are that won’t fit into the template available to you on a social networking site.” – Jaron Lanier

A web site is the way to get your music out to the world. It certifies you as a legitimate music ministry business, and in this day where most people look everything up online, it’s more than crucial.

Have a great week!

EC
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Eric Copeland is the president of Creative Soul, a music consulting, production, and marketing company for Christian artists and songwriters. If you’d like more info, we happen to have just updated our web site and you can start here for how we get started with artists!

What If We Gave It Away?

Dream with me for just a moment.

Just for the time reading this article, pretend you just won 1 billion dollars in the Mega Millions lottery, and money was no longer a concern.

Then think about the realizations you may have had about the talents God has given you, and how He has blessed you or brought you through this life. Think about the vision or calling you have received to take His Word out to the world.

If indeed we feel God has given us talent and opportunity to share His message to the world, shouldn't we do anything in our power to get that in people's hands, hearts, and ears?

Online Music Success

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” – Jeremiah 1:17 (NIV)

Gird up your loins people! This is important stuff for those of you who are serious and want to do this music thing a long time.

Many people ask me when we near the completion of their music project, “Okay, what do we do now? How do we get this music online?”

This is a good question, and usually it means starting with a web site, getting the music to the online sales portals, and online promotion.

The problem is, just because we can build it (pretty easily in fact) it does NOT mean they will come. In fact, online activity is very difficult to master and profit from. Yet I will still lay it out in this post for you to read, shake your head that you don’t think you could ever really do these things, and curse me in vain. (Note: if you feel this way please do not comment below. ;)

I will also reveal the real reason you need to do this, and it’s not just about making money.

If You Can’t Beat ‘Em…

A few posts ago, we encouraged you to Get Your Music Everywhere, and this is the real why behind that post.

For years, we have watched the music business (really the ‘record business’) die along with the music industry. It’s been like a slow motion crash you can’t turn your eyes away from.

Lately, I’ve been reading a great book called “Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age”. One humorous part talks about the RealNetworks people who went to different labels including Sony, MCA, and EMI to offer them the ability to monetize digital files in the mid-to-late 90’s.

Youtube: The Best Tool You’re Probably Not Using Enough

"I'm perfectly happy for my videos to be on YouTube, whether I'm getting paid for them or not. If they're on YouTube, people will see them.” – Moby

For the music artists we work with, especially with ministry being the main goal of what they do, being seen and heard is important. Actually, getting your music and your message to the people of the world is why you started doing it right?