Making the Most of MySpace

By Leah Freeman

Unless your band has been gigging underneath a rock since MySpace launched its music site (http://music.myspace.com) back in June of 2004, you’re probably dead tired of hearing everyone talk about the service. Nobody browses the site looking to discover your band, right? They’re just there to check their email and keep tabs on that certain special ex who blogs too much. Honestly, aren’t music-centric sites like download.com vastly superior forms of promoting yourself online?

Absolutely not.

Performer has featured plenty of self-promotion web services in the past, but this month the spotlight falls on social networking. While the MySpace population might not be particularly dedicated and knowledgeable in regards to music, there’s an advantage in such an environment. As MySpace focuses on community rather than consumerism, existing members will see you as a musician and human being to befriend — and not just a product to be bought. Personal interaction is key in directly courting potential fans through word-of-mouth. When your fans have you on their “friends list” instead of their playlist, you can reach them in deliciously unprofessional ways, even if you chose to maintain a professional demeanor.

While simply creating a band profile and uploading a few MP3s and photos might grab the attention of people who already know all about you, by following a few vital steps, you can use MySpace to take your band to the next level. Whether you want to build a fanbase, network with other bands, or even catch the eye of record labels and club promoters, MySpace provides all the tools to garner significant attention.

GET STARTED

A good profile relies on extensive content. Don’t leave any fields blank as you fill it out. Upload your best songs and offer enough information on the main page of your profile that viewers will keep reading it long enough to hear a substantial amount of music. Keep your concert calendar and photos current, and if you’re recording or touring, blog about it! A musician’s blog is like a virtual backstage pass. It’s the perfect way to give readers a sense of involvement and access without intruding on your personal life (although certain emo songsmiths have famously used diary-style blogs to their advantage). The Bulletin Board is also a good way to keep your fans abreast of upcoming shows and releases. Since bulletins appear on the home page every time a member logs in, they’ll read your reminders without the need to check your profile. Making changes to your page? Post a bulletin to let your whole list know. Finally, keep in mind that souping up your profile with a flashy background and custom formatting will do nothing but make your text unreadable. Save the design tricks for your website, which should be maintained even if you decide to use MySpace as your main web outlet. As addicting as the site can be, there is still a world outside of MySpace, and if your new fans want to investigate you further, your official site (linked neatly on your profile, of course) will be their first stop.

BUILD A FANBASE

It’s a common misconception that it is acceptable to blindly spam people with requests to add your band as a friend. Do they have your top five influences listed on their profiles? Do they play in similar bands themselves? Doesn’t matter! Random add requests from bands are about as enticing as a mailbox full of credit card applications. If you want to successfully court potential fans, a slightly more delicate process is required.

First, do a little research. Does the profile in question belong to a local person who might actually come to your shows? Does it really list bands that any fan of yours would also enjoy? If so, take a minute to write a legitimate email asking them to take a listen to your songs. It requires more work, but if they like what they hear, they’ll add you to their list. If they really like you, they’ll tell their friends about you or even list you in their “Top 8” so that anyone who views their profile will be one click away from viewing yours. And with a little luck, your next show will be swarming with beautiful internet nerds.

COLLABORATE

Attracting fans and friends is a fairly straightforward matter, but MySpace can also be used for the more serious task of networking with your colleagues in the music business. Just as you can find potential fans and email them the link to your profile, you can also get in touch with similar bands in your area. It’s as easy as writing a genuine request to play a show together, or even congratulating the band on playing a great show in the recent past. They will think better of you — and be more likely to listen to your songs — than if you shove your demo in their hand as they leave the stage at the local club.

GET ATTENTION

Ready to hunt the big game? Most record labels and clubs have MySpace profiles. Drop them a polite email requesting information on submitting your press kit or gigging at their venue, and request an add. Chances are, if you really do have the talent to fill their club, the promoter will take note of you. Be realistic — if you’re emailing a major label or a venue that seats 2,000, you’re obviously not going to get the same kind of response you might get from a local indie label or a bar. However, do take a chance and contact these folks. All they will need to do to access your music and information is click the link to your profile. Herein lies the beauty of the site. It’s a pain to coax anyone out to a show — friends, strangers, anyone — but send them your link and you’ve got instant attention.

Finally, huge acts like AFI and Weezer tend to dominate the main MySpace music page, not to mention the MySpace Records Volume I compilation that kicked off MySpace founder Tom Anderson’s fledgling record label. Smaller bands can, however, achieve a fair amount of mention in the “Featured Artists” area with little or no representation from a label of any size. To submit your band for consideration, just visit the “Help” section of the site and you’ll find a handy form dedicated to just that purpose. It may be a long shot, but that’s both the biggest flaw and greatest glory of the internet — you never can tell who’s scoping you out online.