Let’s face it, the music business can be grueling! In most cases you certainly don’t walk on to your first live performance – or first 20 for that matter – making millions of dollars while playing for thousands of screaming fans. Of course, the goal is to increase that fan base so you can gain popularity and start making the big bucks doing what you love. Unfortunately, you have a bit of a Catch 22 because you can’t make money in the music business without advertising, which costs money, right?

Even though this may be true, there are plenty of ways you can market your music without spending a fortune. Starting with social media sites is essential to blasting your information to the world, so it’s there for everyone to discover. However, once you’ve drawn someone in, you need to be able to offer them more information, which means directing them to a dedicated website. Here are some tips for musicians interested in creating a website, without the unlimited funds to hire a master web designer.

Do It Yourself and Save

With all the tools available today, you can easily build your own website and publish it. There are HTML editors (for free) that allow you to simply enter images and text so that they can do the formatting for you. Then, domain name and hosting can be purchased for an incredibly low price. Look at the options on services from hosts like GoDaddy, which can cost less than $200 for an entire year.

How to Do It For Free

Maybe ‘cheap’ isn’t good enough for your circumstances. Have no fear; even those in the music business without a penny to their name can get started on a website. WordPress provides everything you need to create a basic web presence. You get hosting, a page name, multiple pages, text and image options, search engine optimization fields, and more.

Also, WordPress can be upgraded with plugins that add value to your site. Some of these are free, and others can be added for a minimal cost. Consider adding these additional options to your site as your fan base grows and you have a little extra money to put toward the effort. With WordPress, you can also have a blog attached to your website, which you can update regularly and post about in social media so that you always stay fresh in the public eye.

When you first start to make your way in the music business, you probably find yourself with a severe deficit of both time and money. When it comes to money, it’s just a matter of building and promoting your image, which takes a lot of time but does NOT have to cost a lot of money. When it comes to having your website to promote your music and maintain your online presence, it’s much less painful to do it yourself than to come up with the funds to pay someone else. Take your time and learn whatever web design elements you are employing, and create something you’re proud of for free!