Make promotion for your music video a game and ask your fans to share
I’m starting to learn that music promotion is not just about amazing content, it’s about how you share it. Let’s assume you have amazing, high quality content, like a music video posted on YouTube that you just spent weeks pouring your heart and soul into, and it hasn’t quite gone viral yet. How can you boost views and downloads and likes without bugging the heck out of your fans or spending a gazillion dollars on ads?
After months of trial and error, I found one promotional strategy that actually produces results.
Create a game
I don’t mean re-invent Chutes and Ladders. I mean make a game of a short term goal that you can measure, like getting up to 1,000 YouTube views on your new music video in 24 hours, or to get 1,000 Facebook likes by the end of the week, or trying to get 20 shares on your iTunes single’s link. I create a game once a month or so and present it to my fans. I always see positive results, even if the game isn’t “won,” i.e., our exact numbers weren’t reached.
Make a powerful, direct, specific request
Make a request in such a way that people will take an action. For example, “my new video is up on YouTube!” is not a request. “Check it out” is a request, but it’s not powerful, specific, or direct. “I’m playing a game to get 1,000 views on this music video before the end of the day tomorrow. Will you please share this link today?” is powerful, direct, and specific.
It’s powerful because it’s straightforward and honest. Plus, people like to play games and you have invited them to be a part of yours. It’s direct because you are asking them directly to share the link, not just posting a link hoping they’ll share it. It’s specific because there is an action they have to take by a certain time (sharing your link, today, or choosing not to). They will think in their heads “no,” or they will share it. Either way, making a powerful, direct, specific request causes people to take a second to think about what you are asking.
Acknowledge every share
Once you’ve made your request, people will share your link, I promise. Stay on top of the shares, and make sure to acknowledge every share, whether “liking” the share, or commenting on their page, thanking them. Keep track of and respond to all comments. By creating this game, you have also created a community. Anyone who shares is now part of it and wants to win. It has gone from being about you winning to them winning, too.
Keep the players updated
Throughout the designated time you’ve established for your “game,” post updates on how far you have to go, how far you’ve come, etc. Keeping tabs on the progress will also allow you to post mentions of the game without feeling like you are bugging people to share. You’ve made the request and now are following up on the results and keeping your fans informed.
It’s not about winning the game, by the way. It’s about generating more views and a connection between you and your fans. If you hit your marker, cool. If not, you’ve tightened the bond between your fans and your content and presented yourself in a powerful light.
Cheryl B. Engelhardt is a singer/songwriter and composer. Her website is cbemusic.com and you can follow her on Twitter @CBE. She authored the killer eCourse, “In The Key Of Success: The 5 Week Jump Start Strategy,” which will get your career moving in the direction you want (go get it now). Check out her composing reels and her new epic music video, complete with rock climbing and helicopter shots!
Read More
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YouTube Monetization for Songwriters
Use YouTube For More Than Music Videos
Managing Your Online Videos
How To Leverage Your YouTube Music Channel
Wait! Don’t post that music video on YouTube without a sync license!
 Now it’s time to get out there and jam out to your favorite artists.
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Hello,
My name is Randy, But I rap under the name RanMC
Thank you very very much fot the tips !!
I try to get more views, but I know I must come up with better content.
Although, I try to push our music video to the 2000 views.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrN5Og1nYGE
And again, thank you ! #Bless
all incredible points! please keep em coming!
http://www.youtube.com/user/QueenSelinMusic
Everything sounds like good words of advice to me. I think I’m ready to give it a shot. Thanks Cheryl!!!!
Glad to hear there are still people out there who value that kinda stuff. Its SO tempting to buy a million views. But it’s also tempting to shoot my music video naked. I know its the easiest way to get views, but is that what I’m going for?
Post writing is also a fun, if you know then
you can write or else it is difficult to write.
This sounded really good at first, until I tried it. I got a whopping FIVE extra views! Which were probably from me checking the video to see if the count increased. Kind of a bummer when you know your video is informative, entertaining, and to a few, offensive.
http://youtu.be/ZjipWQWzOgk
Excelent advise and very cool !!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHZ2IA7fCZo
If you think the ideas in your article are so good, then how come you don’t have so many views on your own videos?
It seems that I have more views on my videos, although my music and videos are not as great as yours…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_tA9qZNAl0
Hey Mi. Congrats on the hits and thank you for the compliment. I don’t really like to compare video views (or even content) because it’s so hard to tell what drives views… certain keywords, timing, how long the video’s been up, etc. I know there’s lots for me to learn, and this article was about an observation I made during a social media experiment. I can’t play the game of “1000 views in a day” all the time, or it would lose its impact. At the same time, over time, I’m glad that more and more people are seeing the video and that’s all that matters to me, whether 40 in a day or 4000. I am getting to share my music and I count that as lucky!
That’s funny… games?!?! :>) Anything GAME related on Facebook I automatically ignore. I can’t imagine why anyone would waste their time. Obviously others may have different taste, but I question the quality of anyone who would fall for something like that.
Thanks for writing Ricky. I approach it as i’m playing a game and inviting others to play with me, and there’s nothing to “fall for” because I’m not manipulating or attempting to trick anyone. It’s another form of interaction and as a musician, knowing that fans are interested in interacting with a music creation process is all we have (at least with this online world!). Of course, if the word “game” triggers you in a negative way, you can replace it with something else that is more inspiring to you and doesn’t make you feel like you’re trying to get people to fall for something. It’s also a context shift- is it possible that you think that anytime you ask fans to view your video that you are actually trying to make them fall for it? Shifting from “i’m tricking people” to “I’m sharing something special to me” has been powerful for me and made me unattached to the result- as in, if they view it, cool, if not, oh well.
If anything could be done to promote CD Szolar, I’d appreciate it! It’s already on Airplay Radio, with a favorable
responce.I’m interestedin the 1,000 times a day play if there is a free trial offer.Cell#1-253-514-3392,William.
Can, and do have other original tunes, Latin,Standards,Rap-with different beats, and it can go either way on
words, can be a co-write.Thanks,William a friend.
Well, in the end you only get out what you put into it. The sad part is that
99.99999 will just be getting fake plays, and they will never be successful in
the music business. That’s the fact. If you are not on one of the reality music shows
you probably will never be noticed. Just think of your favorite artists from a few years
back. When was the last time you heard their music not he radio, TV etc, you don’t.
Thank you so much! I was thinking of doin this but this inspired me to do it, and be motivated to keep an impact. Cheers.
I agree with following up! I interact with my fans as much as possible – Come interact with me! 😉
http://www.facebook.com/sabrinabeesigns
I was thinking of a way to help my childhood friend out when I stumbled onto this website. I hope doing so will give him the peace that his word is getting out. Yesterday, my friend released a song based on his mother. I didn’t realize how powerful the song was until I actually heard it. I could feel the pain in his voice and the power as well. If nothing, please help him get to the place he has wanted his whole life. There’s no fame. Just the thing that a son wanting his mother to see that he’s growing up. Please listen. I promise you on my life you won’t regret it. It’s my word.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTDIUwfSeWI
I’ve worked with Amy Grant, The Chipmunks & Stevie Ray Vaughn & a whole lot more and I can tell you, your advice on follow-up is HUGE! Even the old model of reaching out and being a friend to your “support team” is the BOMB! Blessings Cheryl, and all the best and we were crazy enough after 35 years in the business to get out of the studio, work up 100 LOVE songs and hit the road at 55. Nobody has done that I can assure you and Youtube is what MTV and Ed Sullivan were, back- back – back in the day.
adventuresofrodeoandjuliet.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d8pRwa_1WI
Thanks Christopher!!
Music is a tool that brings people together and a weapon against any syatem
Personally, when my facebook feed is clogged up by bands(or anyone really) sharing the same video until they get to a certain amount of views makes me click the unlike button. Its the music equivalent to watching a PBS pledge drive and it looks desperate and annoying. I think you’d get more views by piggybacking your music video on youtube pages of other music videos your music is similar to. Or writing to music blogs and websites to promote your video. If there’s a good story behind the video people will be more prone to watch it than if someone just wrote, ‘hey check out my new vid so I can get a bunch of likes’. Its the same problem that is making facebook more and more boring and unenjoyable to be on. If I had a nickel for every 14 year old that created a fb page and spammed everyone with it I’d be richer than Mark Zuckerberg.
Already taking you up on your challenging advise and posted my video 🙂
I’m playing a game to get 500 views on this music video before the end of tomorrow. Will you please share this link today? 🙂 x
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yx8DcPhJY0
Oh, now this is priceless, thank you!
Excelent advise and very motivating. I’m on it. MHD
Awesome Michael!!