Web Promotion 101 for Bands
By Doug Fry - 8/29/2001
Editors Note: Doug
Fry plays guitar and sings in the band, We Don't.
So. You're in a great band and you've just completed your first web site Yes! All that hard work at the keyboard, with your cramped fingers crouching over the mouse, has finally paid off. Just like magic you and your band mates type in the www. and away you go to your special place on the web. Then, after a few days of bliss, you decide to try a few search engines to see if they find your band. After all, it is a great band and should be easy to distinguish from the other 650 gazillion other unsigned bands on the web, but something is wrong. None of the engines can find you! What is it?
Sound familiar? This is basically what I went through last year when I established the first web page for my band WE DON'T (www.we-rock.net) a southern Ohio rock group. Here's some very basic advice that might help you if you are still in the early stages of developing you "web presence."
a. Content is King! All search engines use text to execute searches, so use your core message on each page.
b. Register your domain name. This is your www address and must be bought before you "own" it.
c. Easy on the graphics. Content is king, and lots of "white space" or other plain backgrounds helps the reader. Plus, simple pages load faster and are more pleasing to view.
d. Register your site with search engines. 90% of web traffic is generated by Yahoo and Alta Vista, so be sure to register there. I suggest sites like www.addme.com that use a submission robot to help you and are FREE.
e. Use reciprocal links. Simply link to related sites, and more importantly have them link to your site.
f. Join Web Rings. Yahoo and others offer "rings", "banner exchanges" and other methods of free promo.
g. Vary the content weekly or at least monthly (a' la' Athens Musician Network). This brings return readers.
h. Use Meta Tags. These html "markers" help search engines navigate through your site.
i. Promote the site. This means on and off the web too-cards, flyers, banners, CDs, T-shirts, on your guitar...anywhere.
I. Visit the WE DON'T site at (www.we-rock.net)
Good luck! Our WE DON'T site is weak in my opinion, that's why I keep working on it (yuuuk, gotta change that background). Although, I do suggest trying our provider Yahoo Geocities for a great free provider of hosting for your site. They provide enough free space for several mp3 files and graphics. Plus, they have no problem linking your domain to their geocities page if you want. Happy surfing!
