Musicians and the Web: Choosing the Best Domain Names and More
It used to be that bands had to be ready to play anywhere, even sometimes paying to play in dismal venues, before they could become famous.
But these days, posting a video on YouTube ends up getting pop stars million-dollar record deals before they have even graduated high school, and plenty of independent artists build an entire career entirely around the fact that it's possible to use the power of the web to book shows and sell CDs.
For creative types, in particular musicians and DJs, the internet is a great place to promote oneself, to truly grab the right person's attention, and to succeed.
But it's crucial that artists know the best steps to self-promotion, and avoid the trouble that many people who aren't skilled in promotional work and web design find themselves in by not thinking far enough ahead.
When creating one's presence online, there are some seriously important decisions to be made.
For anyone who has realized the importance of moving beyond a Soundcloud or Bandcamp as the only means of fans being able to have access, choosing the right domain name can mean the difference between people actually finding a page and checking out music, and being forgotten by the entire audience, even after delivering a blistering performance.
For bands with particularly common or overused names, managing to grab one of the remaining domain names that makes it possible for fans to actually find one's site is particularly important, as otherwise, it's going to be difficult to register on Google or pop up in a timely manner.
One incorrect assumption that many musicians and DJs make when people begin to talk to them about methods of promotion is assuming that deciding to register a domain name automatically means the stress of throwing together an entire website.
This is troublesome because of the fact that it dissuades people from investing in a.
com or.
net, instead sticking with a third-party hosting site as the main URL that goes on everything from flyers to business cards.
It's possible to purchase a domain name, only to have it redirect to one's actual website of choice.
So for bands who have most of their music up on Soundcloud or Bandcamp, the purchase of obtaining that.
com is simply so that someone who searches a band name first by throwing a.
com on the end of it actually comes across the right account and gets to connect, meaning one more fan and potentially more cash down the road.
After opting to go the route of the domain name, there is then the actual hows and whys of the choosing.
While milage may vary with different ideas, depending on the markets and the taste of the artists themselves, there are a few general rules of thumb that apply to all situations.
Keep names as short and concise as possible, without nixing important details.
A long URL is tough for users to remember, and might mean someone never making it to a site in the first place.
When possible, opt for the.
com instead of the.
net, as people tend to use the.
com as their first instinct.
Other than this, how and why one chooses is largely a matter of personal choice.
But these days, posting a video on YouTube ends up getting pop stars million-dollar record deals before they have even graduated high school, and plenty of independent artists build an entire career entirely around the fact that it's possible to use the power of the web to book shows and sell CDs.
For creative types, in particular musicians and DJs, the internet is a great place to promote oneself, to truly grab the right person's attention, and to succeed.
But it's crucial that artists know the best steps to self-promotion, and avoid the trouble that many people who aren't skilled in promotional work and web design find themselves in by not thinking far enough ahead.
When creating one's presence online, there are some seriously important decisions to be made.
For anyone who has realized the importance of moving beyond a Soundcloud or Bandcamp as the only means of fans being able to have access, choosing the right domain name can mean the difference between people actually finding a page and checking out music, and being forgotten by the entire audience, even after delivering a blistering performance.
For bands with particularly common or overused names, managing to grab one of the remaining domain names that makes it possible for fans to actually find one's site is particularly important, as otherwise, it's going to be difficult to register on Google or pop up in a timely manner.
One incorrect assumption that many musicians and DJs make when people begin to talk to them about methods of promotion is assuming that deciding to register a domain name automatically means the stress of throwing together an entire website.
This is troublesome because of the fact that it dissuades people from investing in a.
com or.
net, instead sticking with a third-party hosting site as the main URL that goes on everything from flyers to business cards.
It's possible to purchase a domain name, only to have it redirect to one's actual website of choice.
So for bands who have most of their music up on Soundcloud or Bandcamp, the purchase of obtaining that.
com is simply so that someone who searches a band name first by throwing a.
com on the end of it actually comes across the right account and gets to connect, meaning one more fan and potentially more cash down the road.
After opting to go the route of the domain name, there is then the actual hows and whys of the choosing.
While milage may vary with different ideas, depending on the markets and the taste of the artists themselves, there are a few general rules of thumb that apply to all situations.
Keep names as short and concise as possible, without nixing important details.
A long URL is tough for users to remember, and might mean someone never making it to a site in the first place.
When possible, opt for the.
com instead of the.
net, as people tend to use the.
com as their first instinct.
Other than this, how and why one chooses is largely a matter of personal choice.
