It’s no secret that one of the most important parts of becoming a successful musician is effectively promoting your music. The Internet has made is possible for musicians to reach a potentially huge fan base through social media, but how can you use websites like MySpace and Twitter to your advantage? Let’s look at 3 ways to promote your music with social media.

1. Social Networking. In recent years, MySpace has shifted its focus from social networking to music. The website now offers users the ability to locate new music by genre and listen to their tracks online, and making a band profile page is an easy way to increase your chances of being seen. However, recent social networking powerhouses Facebook and Google+ boast more page views and monthly hits than MySpace, making it a good idea to cover your bases by setting up profiles with each of these services in an effort to build your overall social network presence. Customize your page to reflect your band’s type of music, post some photos from a recent show, and upload some tracks so that your audience is more inclined to follow your page. Ping, iTunes’ social networking site, is another great way to promote your music as a part of SongCast’s music distribution services. Ping enables users to view your artist profile and follow your band similar to MySpace and Facebook, but it also incorporates the best of these websites by allowing others to see what their friends have recently listened to, commented on, and followed.

2. Blogs. With the recent popularity of blogging platforms like Tumblr and micro-blogging services like Twitter, blogging has quickly become one of the most popular ways to share interesting information, photos, and videos. Starting a blog is simple and free with websites like Tumblr, WordPress, and Blogger. It’s worth noting that Tumblr offers the ability to “follow” other users, similar to following someone on Twitter. This enables you to add others and promote your music by actively reaching out to members of the Tumblr community. In regards to what you can put on your blog, the ultimate choice is up to you, but some ideas are to include behind-the-scenes anecdotes about recent gigs, photos from concerts or album art, and information about your band. Blogging is an informal way of visually communicating with others, so have fun with it!

3. Sync and update frequently. You’re not going to effectively promote your music if your MySpace page or blog hasn’t been updated in a while. Sync your blog to your Twitter feed so that it’s updated whenever you post. Follow users who have similar music interests, and actively engage your audience by updating frequently. Many popular blogs offer the ability to queue posts throughout the day so that it updates even when you’re not there, and if you have a smart phone, posting a Tweet is as easy as sending out a text when you have a spare minute. As long as you stick with actively reaching out to potential fans and keeping them updated, social media can effectively help you promote your music.

Tell us what you think! Do you have a blog or Facebook page? Do you have any social media tips to share? Let us know in the comments!