The Power of Online Music Videos

As a followup to my earlier post on 2006 being the year of Internet video, check out this clip from guitar player Justin King:



A music video doesn't have to be flashy. It just has to represent who you are and what you do in an interesting way -- a way that people will want to let their friends know about.

Also visit this page at YouTube and see all the options the site gives you to share video content.

(Thanks to Lanette of the Almost Patsy Cline Band for making me aware of this online video.)

-Bob

2006, The Year of Internet Video: Get Ready

When I spoke in Austin last month at a GoGirls Music event during SXSW, a fellow in the audience asked me what I saw ahead as the next big trend. My response wasn't exactly brilliant, but I encouraged musicians to prepare to present themselves visually -- because video capabilities were becoming more common online.

Well, in the weeks since then I've been blown away by what's happening with Internet video and the explosive growth of sites that offer it.

Take a look at the list of web sites below. Most will host your streaming video content for free. Some of them even allow you to edit together various video clips, photos and audio into your own DIY productions.

http://www.youtube.com/
http://video.google.com/
http://www.stickam.com/
http://www.zippyvideos.com/
http://www.eyespot.com/
http://www.jumpcut.com/
http://www.videoegg.com/
http://www.grouper.com/
http://www.vmix.com/
http://www.vimeo.com/
http://www.ifilm.com/
http://www.photobucket.com/
http://www.dailymotion.com/
http://www.vsocial.com/
http://www.metacafe.com/
http://www.castpost.com/
http://www.streamload.com/
http://www.putfile.com/
http://www.homemovie.com/
http://www.simplestar.com/

Back in December 2005, blogger and media expert Robin Good wrote about video and his prediction that it would flourish in 2006. Boy, was he right.

• First, there was blogging, which gave everyone an easy way to post and share their words (text)
  
  
• Last year, podcasting took center stage by offering the same capabilities with sound (audio)
  
  
• Sites like Flickr.com have done very well by giving people the freedom to easily store and share their photos (images)
  
  
• The next logical step is video.

Blogs and podcasts are still going strong and will continue to thrive. But you must be aware of and make smart use of video to squeeze the most out the Internet.

In fact, I've jumped on board and will continue to do more with audio, while experimenting with ways to incorporate video into the ways I get my message out.

Check out this short, silly test video I created yesterday using a paid service called Audio Acrobat:

Internet video is here. Now. So get ready.

-Bob

Voice Your Opinions

I want to hear what you have to say about my books, special reports, and audio programs -- and give you some exposure in return. If you have purchased any of my titles, please call my new Testimonials Line and record a message of up to five minutes explaining how one of my resources has helped you.

I'll use the best recordings on my web site and as breaks on my Artist Empowerment Radio podcasts.

Just call (214) 615-6505 and enter 5160 then #. (Your regular long-distance charges, if any, will apply.) After you hear my greeting and the beep, record your message. When finished, hit any number. You'll then have the option of hearing your message, re-recording it, or saving it.

Be sure to include your name, your band or company name, and web site address. Spell out any words or names that need to be clarified. I want to attribute your recording correctly.

Want to hear a fun sample of the best way to leave a testimonial? Click this link: www.audioacrobat.com/play/W0xbN9GQ

OR ... if you're feeling really ambitious, create your own testimonial recording on your own and include one of your songs in the background. Then e-mail the MP3 or a link to it. I'll let you know if I can use it.

-Bob

P.S. FYI ... my best-selling title these days is, not surprisingly, the new MySpace Music Marketing ebook. But the second most popular title on my web site is 50 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet. Click the links to see what all the buzz is about :-)

Beatle Bob and Me - Caught on Film

I'm famous. Sharing the screen with Jello Biafra, Mojo Nixon, and the legendary Beatle Bob!

A friend recently sent me a link to www.myspace.com/bb_rocks. That's the MySpace home of director Jenni Sterling and Arammana Productions, which is producing an indie documentary called "Superfan: The Lies, Life and Legend of Beatle Bob."

I clicked the play button on the embedded video player, and lo and behold, there I was -- talking about Beatle Bob. I'm the first voice you hear on the trailer.

(Not sure who Beatle Bob is? Click here to find out.)

I met Jenni and a camera guy at a local music store about a year ago and was interviewed for the documentary. Hadn't heard much about it since, until I was sent the link. Very cool.

Later in the clip, you hear former Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, right before they return to a shot of me. Another classic scene is a rant by Mojo Nixon near the end.

Again, you can watch it at www.myspace.com/bb_rocks. Note: You may have to download the latest version of Flash to have the audio and video work together.

See you on the red carpet :-)

-Bob

Indie Music Marketing Squidoo Lens

Have you heard of Squidoo? It's a cool new site described as an "online platform that makes it easy for anyone to build lenses on any topic they are passionate about."

These "lenses" are basically single web pages, hosted on the Squidoo site, that offer a unique, human perspective on things that interest the Lensmaster -- the person who created the lens.

Becoming a Lensmaster can help you spread your ideas, get recognized for your expertise, and send more traffic to your web site or blog.

I'm no dummy, so I just set up my own Indie Music Marketing lens at www.squidoo.com/indiemusicmarketing/

Check it out. And consider creating your own Squidoo lens on your special area of music expertise. Make it a useful music resource, while also directing surfers to your other sites and places where they can sample your sounds.

-Bob

P.S. Squidoo is one of the 33 social networking sites I list in a bonus section of my new MySpace Music Marketing ebook.

Viral Music Marketing - Doggie Style

From Joe Vitale (www.MrFire.com):

Munrab Entertainment wants to hold the world's
first "Canine Concert," an event where the music
is played at a sound level only dogs can hear.

In order to find the right band for the canines,
Munrab is asking people to vote on what they
think their dogs want to hear. It's all explained at--

www.CanineConcert.com

This is how you start a viral marketing buzz.

You focus on fun and you hide the selling.
Then people will spread the news like a virus.

As always, think about how you can apply this concept to your own music promotion activities.

-Bob


P.S. Do you own my original best-selling Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook? If so, consider also getting the second book in the series, Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition. "A treasure trove of hard-earned advice is here for the taking for any independent musician who discovers this book." -Micah Solomon, President and CEO of Oasis CD Manufacturing.

The Hunted Become the Hunters

You know the story. There are huge cultural and economic shifts taking place in the music business. Just read the news stories to get up to speed.

One of the biggest changes involves the evolution of the tech-savvy, modern music consumer. Here's what I mean:

Old-School Music Business

Back in the day, record labels would determine who the ideal audience was for a given act. Then they would hunt down those specific types of fans via targeted radio stations, magazines, concert venues, retail outlets, etc.

Years ago, music consumers had limited ways of gaining access to new music, so they relied on commercial, programmed media sources to filter new artists to them. Some adventurous fans made the extra effort to dig for new music via "alternative" sources such as fanzines, college radio stations, mix tapes, etc. But most people weren't willing to work that hard to discover fresh sounds.

So music consumers were mostly prey -- reactive to the efforts major labels made to track down fans and feed them the latest music.

New-School Music Landscape

Today music fans are in control. They rely less and less on programmed, spoon-fed media sources and are finding it easier than ever to discover new music on their own. Using an iPod, MySpace, satellite radio, Internet downloads, podcasts, TiVo and more ... members of the digital generation are determining what they want to hear, when they want to hear it, and how.

Consumers who in the past were primarily hunted down by the music industry system have now become proactive hunters, empowered to choose the music that's best suited for them. This shift has thrown the creation, promotion and distribution of music into a tailspin.

As an indie artist, what should you do in this environment?

You should still understand who your ideal fan is and actively seek them out. Simultaneously, you need to put yourself in the best position to be "discovered." Not by a record label A&R rep, but by a curious music fan in search of his or her new favorite song or artist.

What can you do to be "captured" by the new music hunters?

Note: The idea for this blog post came while listening to the Future of Music podcast. Check it out.

-Bob

P.S. MySpace.com has become a major player in this cultural music shift. To make sure you make the most of MySpace Music Marketing, visit this page.