The 8 Pillars of a Well Defined Artist Brand

When people talk about music marketing and promotion, they talk endlessly of social media tactics, triggering the algorithm, and hacks galore.

But none of that works if you don’t have a well-defined brand and overall strategy for the success of your artistry.

When I work with artists, these are the main pillars we work on.

Until these are defined, everything else can wait.

Under every pillar are a set of key points and questions you need to ask yourself along the way.

The Brand

• What defines the artist?
• What does it look like?
• Is it consistent with the music?

The Story

• How did you get here? 
• Why do you do it? 
• What will fans say to their friends when talking about you?
• What values are you trying to project into the world?
• What do you care about the most?
• What are your principles?

The Audience

• What do they look like?
• Where do they hang out online/offline?
• What resonates with them? 
• What are their values?
• What keeps them up at night?

The Content

• What content can you put out that will attract your ideal audience?
• Where can you distribute your content to reach your fans?
• What content model can you create that will allow you to consistently deliver value to your followers?
• What’s the call-to-action?

The Funnel

• Garner attention 
• Convert followers into subscribers
• Nurturing subscribers and converting them into fans

The Products

• Adding value to the proposition of buying music
• Productising the music, exclusives, premium releases etc

The Fans

• Who are the core group that support you the most?
• Do they feel valued?
• Do you have a direct line with them?
• Have you rewarded them accordingly?

The Business

• Feeding the funnel
• Building the shop
• Sustaining your efforts

Once you have defined all of the above, you’re on your way to building a lasting brand.

Don’t expect to this to be done in a single session, this is an ongoing pursuit.

Much like your music itself, you are always growing.

Photo by Tarang Dave on Unsplash