Independent artists wear a lot of hats. Without the promoters, marketing agents, social media experts, and press teams provided by a record label, independent musicians must fill all of these roles themselves.
Most of the artists we meet definitely aren’t experts when it comes to writing up press releases, reaching out to editors and influencers, or coordinating data-driven marketing campaigns. This is where we come in and try to help.
According to Joey Brabo, Respect My Region’s Chief Operations Officer,
“Artists need to be strategizing their content and releases at least 45-90 days in advance of the release. You can definitely see success with less time but the reality of the music and marketing world is that it takes notable effort and time reaching out to publications, influencers on Instagram and Tiktok, and then following up a few times to get something solid worked out.
If you’re not promoting the release of your singles and videos at least that far out, gaining support will probably be tough for the artist or their team. We get sent content to promote from the likes of Warner Music Group, Insomniac, and even from independent artists too. The groups who give us time to coordinate things generally get featured more often, and especially so if what they want published adds value to our content strategy.
Continue reading on for tips on how to write a quality press release and submit it to music blogs. At the end of this article, we encourage you to email us for a free press release template and a list of music blogs to submit to in 2021.
Why Write a Press Release?
The press release is one of the best promotional tools indie musicians can use to get attention from the right people. Any time you make a move in your music career, you should send out a press release. Upcoming tours, contributions to charitable causes, a new song, EP, or mixtape, collaborations with other artists, pretty much anything music or brand-related should be part of your publicity strategy.
How to Write a Press Release
A press release should be eye-catching, newsworthy, and factual. Find a narrative around yourself or moves that will create a story people will care about. Inject your brand and personality into your press releases, but follow this basic formula to gain the best results.
These tips can help you get the most from your press releases.
- Start with an attention-grabbing headline that makes people want to learn more.
- Write in the third person, like writing a bio. Use identifying pronouns like he/she/they or his/her/their so media outlets can use your text as-is.
- Write in plain language, avoiding fancy words or elaborate statements.
- Stick to the facts. Answer the five W’s: Who, What, When, Where, and Why? Address these in the first paragraph of your press release (referred to as a lede).
- Include secondary but crucial information in the second paragraph. Provide additional details in order of importance. You could add positive reviews by media, press, or fans here.
- Avoid using exclamation points, which make the information seem less credible and more like hype.
- Ideally, you should limit the press release to one page, maybe two. A good press release should fall between 300 and 500 words.
- Include a call to action (CTA). Invite them to visit your website, follow you on social media, download a free track, buy your album, pre-order your upcoming release, etc. Make sure you provide links to your CTA.
- Provide a short bio and contact information at the end.
Free Press Release Template
Email us at info@respectmyregion.com to get a free press release template to help make crafting your press releases simple and effective.
How to Reach Out to Music Blogs
One of the easiest and most effective ways to get your press release seen by the right people is to submit it to music blogs. Why?
- People who already listen to music read these blogs, watch content, buy things
- Major label scouts and agents read music blogs to find potential new artists to sign
- Other musicians read music blogs and may offer to collaborate on a project if they like your work
- The Instagram Verification process requires press coverage from respected sites and publications
- The SEO and discoverability of your music, social media, and website can all benefit from credible links
But music bloggers might get hundreds of emails a day…
When reaching out to a music blog, you have to stand out from the rest. So when pitching your press release to a music blog, keep it short, professional, and easy to read.
Follow this formula to get their attention.
- Start with a compelling subject line that makes them want to learn more.
- When possible, add a personal touch to your email by addressing the blogger by name and referring to their blog.
- Copy and paste your press release into the body of the email. Attachments can get lost on the page, and many people avoid downloading attachments from unknown sources and may delete the email.
- If your music hasn’t been officially released, provide a link to a private Soundcloud or YouTube page instead of attaching an MP3.
- Include links to your social media, website, and other press releases if you have them. Provide a Dropbox or Google Drive link to your portfolio and requisite assets (logos, photos, and full artist bio).
Join the Respect My Region mailing list to receive practical tips and helpful content such as a free email template or music blog contact list.
Send an email to info@respectmyregion.com using ATTN email template or using ATTN music blog contact list if you’d like more information.
