When we are getting ready to release new music there are a number of things we need to take into consideration. By doing so we can be sure that we’re putting our best foot forward. A single release and a video release should neither be random nor hapless. You certainly want to do your very best to grab all the attention you can. Making a decision on a Song or Video First is where it starts, but there is a lot that goes into it.
Here is a what it takes to make new music and promote it:
- a great deal of effort
- a great deal of time
- a great deal of money
The ideation and actualization of a song and a video is a major undertaking. No one wants to spend all of that effort into the creation of something only to have it go unnoticed. So that brings us to an Important question:
Which should be released first the Single or the Music video?
While there are no definitive rules our best recommendation is to release the single first with a lyric video to be released soon after that, then finally a music video to be released as the final iteration of the song and aside of continued promotion the conclusion of the release cycle.
It goes without saying that if you were to release the music video first, people would immediately hear the song. So at that point how would you build any anticipation for a single release?!?
On the flip side, by releasing the single first you are able to introduce the song to your audience and keep the music video release to reenvigorate the promotional efforts later. Since the video is the visual component of a song you can promote to the anticipation of how that will be depicted.
Simultaneous Release
Another approach that many artists take is to release both an audio recording and music video simultaneously. Depending on your release schedule this could be fine for you especially if you are releasing songs very frequently.
This can work for artists who do a very good job of promotion. If you are a novice and can not manage implementation of your marketing strategy this may be difficult. You may find it hard to keep your song in the attention of your audience without a staggered release. First the song and then the supplemental components such as lyric and music video which prolong your promotion.
The Release Strategy For Your New Song
A release strategy is your plan and method for implementing the chronological promotion. The strategy will define the release of the various components related to your new single. Those components would include the single, lyric video, music video, and any other promotional posts across social media.
A good idea is to allow yourself time for experimentation in order to discover what works best for you. Experimentation does however work best over a longer period of time.
If you are just beginning; it is our recommendation to attempt a “single first then music video” release strategy. Then, as time goes by and you’ve released more and more songs. Go ahead and attempt variations as it makes sense to do so.
Be sure to track and measure your results. The information and insight that you gain from keeping a journal will come in handy. Keeping in mind what has worked and why will help to inform how you roll out future releases.
One major factor to maintaining a regular release strategy are the timetables. Music video production has clear timeframes for each step of the production. If you need to know more about that we have guide to help. You can find it here!
Consistent Release Cycle
In order to build your audience and widen your base, you you must be consistent with your content release schedule. We suggest that new artists should regularly strive to release new music each month.
Here is a link to an article that discusses the why’s and why nots of making music videos for each new song. Check it out!
The idea behind that is your consistent release can become an expectation for your audience. This regularity can help them form a bond with your schedule. It does this by leveraging expectation and anticipation. If you are so fortunate to build a following that happily await your next update it means one thing. It means you have put in the hard work.
More established artists that have a wide base of followers may have a bit more flexibility with their schedule. They can change the regularity of release to suit whatever idea or purpose they may have.
A Release Strategy
Before you release your single on streamers like Spotify you’ll want to post some notices or video shorts about the upcoming release. This will help to get the attention of your potential audience and then to share your excitement about the release. Doing this can be critical to pushing people to your streaming pages.
Create Anticipation
Use your imagination and come up with clever ways to go about this. One suggestion would be to have a daily countdown when you are nearing the release date. In your video clips you may want to share images or video from your recording session. You may even want to share a snippet to get your listeners excited.
When your new song releases you’ll want to continue to post regularly. This will be to further encourage your followers to download or stream the new music. Don’t forget your email list either it is an important tool to connect with some of your biggest fans. Be careful not to bombard your email list with updates the same way you can on your social media. If you do your emails may begin to be ignored.
If you like the idea of setting up an email list but are unsure where to start, We have an informative guide that explains the easiest way that independent artists can get their email list strategies up and running. You can read it here!
Lyric Video Promo
Follow up your single release with a lyric video a week or so later. A lyric video is simple to create and produce on your own. So doing that as a follow up to the single is a good idea.
The lyric video won’t need promoted as aggressively as you would the single or the music video. The lyric video is a great way for you to continue your promotion. It is a tool to help maintain the excitement that you are building around your new song. The lyric video is great because its adds an alternative visual representation of your song. It effectively allows you to re-release the song again for the second time. It also gives your more serious fans a chance to learn the words. Learning the words is something more serious fans enjoy doing.
The Main Event
The third act is the music video release. The is a lot that goes into making a music video, and that includes time. Its imporant to be aware of how to schedule for and plan the timeframes of making your video. If you want information about this and how long in advance of the music video release the video should be shot; Read here!
The music video release should be a week or so after the lyric release. You can start another daily countdown for your music video after you’ve released the lyric video. The countdown should begin a few days before the music videos’ scheduled release date. You can use clips from your video set to promote the release. Anything you can produce to help get people excited and interested in the video is worth a try. You want to drive excitement for people to tune in to see the music video. After the music video has been posted you should continue to promote it until you begin the next song.
For a short read on where to release your Music Videos, check out this recent article we’ve posted. It’s bound to help you!
In Conclusion,
Releasing new music is multifaceted. It demands careful planning and strategic execution. As artists, we invest so much into crafting our songs and music videos. It’s crucial to ensure that this hard work does not go unnoticed. To achieve the best results, it is essential to have a well-thought-out release strategy.
Our recommendation is to start with a single release followed by a lyric video shortly after. This staggered approach allows you to introduce the song to your audience, and build anticipation for the other components. It allows you to maintain excitement throughout the entire release cycle. Implementing a daily countdown and posting engaging social media content will keep your fans engaged. Thats good news for your new music.
For more insight and actionable steps to thriving as an independent musician; we’d like to share a link to a recent article that talks about overcome the obstacles you will have to build your brand. It is certainly thought provoking; Here is the link!
Lastly, The key to making a lasting impact in the competitive music industry is consistency. By putting our best foot forward and embracing innovation in promotional techniques, we can maximize our effort. Doing that is your best chance of capturing the attention of a broader audience and achieving an even greater success. Good Luck!