how to promote your mixtape online

[corporatethief]

If your serious when trying to promote your new hip hop mixtapes online you will have to start thinking of where to get started. Some of you might already know this but some don't and won't know where to get started and this here for them.

There are lots of site out there that will help you promote your mixtape and most of them are free.Some areas it will cost you but you will need to invest a little to get your name out there.

When we talk about free promotion of mixtapes sities, yes we will have to put a little time and effort in to our craft and promotion to get them best possible start.

Before I do Id like to say I must state that some of these will have some minor return on your time but at the end of the day your trying to promote your mixtape for one reason which is to get more fans and I encourage you to use ever possible area to promote your mixtape online when in some are when its free.

It's a good idea to follow the moment and what ever popular at the time if its kanye, nas,lupe, jay z, drake, wiz kid cudi lil wanye have a hot beats behind a now and then popular song you should jump on the band wagon and include it on your mixtape with a freestyle just like singer song writers do covers before thier albums or ep comes out....

Here are some places to get started promoting your mixtapes online

Datpiff

Datpiff is the biggest mixtape provider online and its free to use.Its use for free promotional use only and you can just set up an account and upload your mixtape.Now you have a reference where you can send people to download your mixtape online.

Use you download link every where you can.I think that datpiff is a great to start becuase alot traffic comes to this site any way, lost of people use the site including famous dj who host mixtapes here. So if you make a good buzz about your mixtape and start getting it out there promoting your mixtape everywhere people may come to you about collaborating or shows and concerts.

You can use this feature of sponsored downloads which is a fee of $50 but it means anyone can download with out joining the site.

Plus I would strongly recommend uploading videos here too as you will hit more views than mixtape and more chance of getting feature with less competition as less people avail of this resource.

Livemixtapes

This site is similar to datpiff you can upload your mixtapes and use the download link every time for your mixtape.But you have to find a dj in the indie section host it. Both sites are similar its up to you which site you need to promote your mixtape online.

Datpiff has more traffic and a much nicer interface and is very easy to use for people to download your mixtape online than that of livemixtapes.

"yourownwebsite".com (Make your own website)

Its vital that you have your own website when you are trying to promote your new hip hop mixtape online.This creates your BRAND.

Yes you will need to pay a little, like hosting and domain name for it but its your brand name that's getting you out there.

Website hosting may cost like $2-$5 a month and domain name $9 a year. Use a wordpress site to get your self started, as it very easy to use and if can use one anyone can use one. The sites I mentioned above have embed codes for the hip hop mixtape that you have uploaded put this on your site and start sending people here to download your mixtape.

Twitter

Twitter is a great tool to use when promoting your mixtape online. Start using twitter and follow people at least 50 people a day to building a solid following.

Follow that are interested in the genre of music you make.Like hip hop dirty south west coast new skool ect. Using the "#" tags within your short message will help your message to be found easier.eg "my new #hiphop #mixtape is available for #freedownload here..... at datpiff"

The thing with twitter its a social network site so try to post some interest and music that you like and hit the retweet button of other peoples messages now and then to include yourself into the network.When your promoting your mixtape on twitter your personality has to shine through so people like and listen to your music. Helping others will get other to help you.

You will need a welcome message autoresponder. I use "socialoomph"
Here you create an automatic responder that sends a welcome message that links every new twitter follower to your mixtape. Change you welcome messages every month so people read the new messages too.

This will cost you $4 dollars a month but you can use it for more than 10 twitter accounts or your linkedin accounts or google buzz accounts.

This automatic welcome gets near 30% of my traffic to my website and vital for my promotion and will be usefull time saver when promoting your new hip hop mixtapes online.

Reverbnation

I love this site. It has so much to offer you with your promotion of your mixtape online. You can build a following here and climb up the Hip hop charts in your area. Its fan reach program is perfect people can sign up to your FREE mailing listen.

This free mailing list amazing, because its free and it gives you the ability to contact everyone who follows you here to update them every time you have a new mixtape coming out.You can display your shows and concerts collab here plus you can sell you own merchandise here and link them to all your social network sites and back to the mixtape your promoting online.

Sign up for the fair share program here and the more fans you bring to reverbnation account you can earn a little money on the advertising.

Rap forums

recommended: rapbattles or similar

Rap forums are a great way to get some word out by taking part of some battle before your mixtape drops and build a buzz around the mixtape. You can place your mixtape in your signature or at least a link to your mixtape.

Plus these rap forums are great for getting a response from others on how good your music is and maybe you can find some one to collaborate with on you mixtape that means more people that will help you promote your mixtape online for you that more collabs you got the more exposure you will get.

Its a good idea to be active on these forums weeks before your mixtape comes out build a little hype and continue getting people to follow you. Plus give them a taste of what to come.Those are the main beat-selling sites that I've had some experiences with. Again, even though some of the sites are a bit lacking,

I can't stress enough that it is not a bad idea at all to sign up anyway for exposure and promotional purposes. These little things can go a long way in establishing yourself as a musician the online community and how to promote your mixtape online!

Daniel Hartnett is a music producer aka the corporatethief if you felt like you learned alot here please go a check out how to promote you hip hop mixtape online part 2 here at my website for more in dept ways of promoting you mixtape online here: (under articles at right hand side panel)my website link is in my signature

[Trey Poemz]

Ok.

[Memphis Pro]

this is not a real good insight on how to promote,this is like telling you some common sense shit.. anybody that takes music serious will know this.. and matter of fact,a good way to promote ur music is actually word of mouth. and pushing yourself,like doing shows or open mics,any platform that has something to do with ur area of talent.. internet is a great place to promote,but remember one thing,with an over saturated market. what makes you stand out.. and what kind of work ethic do you have.. im not knocking this thread,but maaan.. this is very shallow.. of course you can use those web sites.. but shit thats not promoting... posting shit is just that,posting shit.. u gotta get ur name out there.. u gotta do some ground work.. research ur core that you are trying to reach.. its a business,treat it as such.. u gotta have a good team behind you.. even if its just 3 people.. theres alot of dope music out,but not alot of good business minded artist.. not alot of promoters either.. ppl's marketing skills are lacking.. u cant just make a mixtCD and drop it on datpiff or whatever.. that doesnt work.. ur just wasting ur time.. u gotta work on image and promotion.. like getting people to hear you and getting ur name heard and recognized..

i dunno,but I do know this thread wont help you.

[corporatethief]

reply to Pro

I respect what you have to say and thats your view.
Some people dont have a website yet and and they talk about
brand and image. And I see that you dont have your website even in your signature or anywhere on your rap battles page and that seems like common sense shit.


Some use rapid share links for there mixtapes and miss out from the exposure of using datpiff and livemixtapes.

reverbnation has amazing tools to get people stated and not many people are using it.

twitter can be one of the best ways of getting music out there
yet people people dont even have these tools on there website or get people to follow them, and they have autoresponder. which can bring large traffic and save time ..

[Jak D. Ripherbs]

id say both of you are right it couldnt hurt to hit a few sites especially twitter you never know you could get lucky when you re tweet @ snoop and he listens to it but yea i do get hat your saying pro

[Memphis Pro]

reply to Pro

I respect what you have to say and thats your view.
Some people dont have a website yet and and they talk about
brand and image. And I see that you dont have your website even in your signature or anywhere on your rap battles page and that seems like common sense shit.

Some use rapid share links for there mixtapes and miss out from the exposure of using datpiff and livemixtapes.

reverbnation has amazing tools to get people stated and not many people are using it.

twitter can be one of the best ways of getting music out there
yet people people dont even have these tools on there website or get people to follow them, and they have autoresponder. which can bring large traffic and save time ..

thats because,i battle.. nothing to promote,now when i start making music.. i will mos def,not only post a link in my sig.. imma find ways to get it out there,searching for responses and reactions.. but i understand your view,and i mean no disrespect.. but promoting has more depth than that,true enough youre giving a blueprint to where u can start promoting,but yet starting and doing is another thing.. u need more than just a platform.. you need business sense,the motivation to do tedious work to promote yourself..

1.first you need honest ppl around that will listen to your music,and give honest criticism.. make sure what you have is appealing and worth listening too,or the quality is good..

2.Take the single/track that gained the most positive feedback and push it,rather that be thru forums.. which is good,if u keep your feelings out of it,or passing it out for free as promo at clubs/open mics/schools/parties/gas stations.. make sure your image is intact,nobody wants to see a bummy ass nigga handing out CD's..

3.hopefully you gained a little buzz,then start reaching out to Dj's and connecting with people to see how u can get some air time.. rather it be the radio/clubs/house parties/pool parties/skating rink or whatever..

4.start step 1 over again with new single..

5.Put out a mixtape or ep.. pushing it the same way..

i dunno.. thats my idea.. i know its missing alot.

[corporatethief]

I know you didn't mean any disrespect man its all good I agree with you.Debating is all good man (if you feel i was disrespecting you my apologies hit me up and ill send you a free beat lease for your mixtape as a kind gesture on my part corporatethief@gmail.com)

I studied all this internet marketing shit to help promote my music online and what i found is that the internet is about making small amounts of traffic for your website in turn for your mixtape album ep all over the internet.

just looking at the traffic that comes to my site its all from little pockets all over the internet 30-50 here and there and these little hits add up .....

its all good peace and good luck with your music.

[Opie M.]

What he's saying (I think) is that your advice is extremely basic. But it is a start for people with no idea where to begin.

I actually do viral marketing as a career. It's way more complex than this. It also takes a great amount of creativity and out of the box thinking to execute a truly successful marketing campaign.

And when marketing music, online mediums are necessary, but they should be your smallest focus. Local buzz is far more important for a number of reasons.

[Memphis Pro]

What he's saying (I think) is that your advice is extremely basic. But it is a start for people with no idea where to begin.

I actually do viral marketing as a career. It's way more complex than this. It also takes a great amount of creativity and out of the box thinking to execute a truly successful marketing campaign.

And when marketing music, online mediums are necessary, but they should be your smallest focus. Local buzz is far more important for a number of reasons.

yes.

.. ive studied marketing for a bit,and true enough,you have to be very creative in the way you ,market an product.. its like advertising.. you gotta grab the peoples ears and hearts.. and thats my point Opie,u gotta have an local fanbase before jumping any further... the internet is good if u can find a new way to appeal to ppl.. but thats rare.. but this was a good thread.. great conversation piece..

[Memphis Pro]

I know you didn't mean any disrespect man its all good I agree with you.Debating is all good man (if you feel i was disrespecting you my apologies hit me up and ill send you a free beat lease for your mixtape as a kind gesture on my part corporatethief@gmail.com)

I studied all this internet marketing shit to help promote my music online and what i found is that the internet is about making small amounts of traffic for your website in turn for your mixtape album ep all over the internet.

just looking at the traffic that comes to my site its all from little pockets all over the internet 30-50 here and there and these little hits add up .....

its all good peace and good luck with your music.

dude,youre cool.. i just hope u stick around on this site.. keep the convos going,and spark some ideas! and i will take u up on that idea..

[Jak D. Ripherbs]

id like to get some more feedback on this thread

[Opie M.]

About what, specifically?

[corporatethief]

its all good im more often than not in the audio drop area

[Outss]

this is not a real good insight on how to promote,this is like telling you some common sense shit.. anybody that takes music serious will know this.. and matter of fact,a good way to promote ur music is actually word of mouth. and pushing yourself,like doing shows or open mics,any platform that has something to do with ur area of talent.. internet is a great place to promote,but remember one thing,with an over saturated market. what makes you stand out.. and what kind of work ethic do you have.. im not knocking this thread,but maaan.. this is very shallow.. of course you can use those web sites.. but shit thats not promoting... posting shit is just that,posting shit.. u gotta get ur name out there.. u gotta do some ground work.. research ur core that you are trying to reach.. its a business,treat it as such.. u gotta have a good team behind you.. even if its just 3 people.. theres alot of dope music out,but not alot of good business minded artist.. not alot of promoters either.. ppl's marketing skills are lacking.. u cant just make a mixtCD and drop it on datpiff or whatever.. that doesnt work.. ur just wasting ur time.. u gotta work on image and promotion.. like getting people to hear you and getting ur name heard and recognized..

i dunno,but I do know this thread wont help you.

^ that was the most inciteful post on here lol