Many scientists believe that music developed alongside language in the human brain. If this is true, music is an integral part of the human experience. This also means that almost everyone loves and has an opinion about music, and that there are many performers in the world. Therefore, musicians and other audio performers need more than just talent in order to be recognized. Fame is not necessarily a driving motivation for all musicians, but some level of popularity leads to professional recognition, payment, and increased performance opportunities. There are many ways to become recognized as a musician.
One of the first ways to become well-known as a musician is through word of mouth. This is an advertising buzz word with a simple meaning: people talking about you positively. Anyone from your mother to your previous employer may report your talent and how easy it is to work with you.
The better your reputation, the more likely a random stranger is to look you up and possibly even buy your music or attend a concert. This basic issue of reputation is one of the reasons it's important to cultivate a good attitude and avoid behaving like a diva or a jerk. Not only will it make your everyday interactions more pleasant if you are kind, you will receive better word of mouth advertising. The best part of word of mouth is that it costs you nothing and requires no additional effort on your part.
Once you have some performance experience and possibly some recordings, the next step is setting up your own website. With all of the low-cost options available, many musicians have websites even before they have much content. This is a fast way to increase your visibility online.
It's better to have a simple and clean page up quickly rather than waiting for the perfect web designer. As soon as you have a website up, you can begin sharing it on your social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Another important step in web presence is search engine optimization, or SEO. This is another buzz word that many musicians don't understand. Before comprehensive search engines, people had to dig through pages of results to find the website they wanted. "Smart" engines try to anticipate what people are looking for.
However, if you have a common name or your webpage is brand new and receives little traffic, your website may not automatically drift to the top. Rather than wasting money on expensive SEO services that may or may not help, it's faster and easier to list your website on a web directory. It quickly increases the number of backlinks and keywords on your site, and makes your site easier to find on a search engine.
Becoming active in multiple musician communities is another way to increase your visibility and draw more traffic to your website. Join a local music ensemble, volunteer your musical services, or become involved in the community in some way. You will automatically begin networking with other musicians and building connections that may lead to future work. There are also active communities online, such as forums or musician websites. If you have particular expertise in an instrument or electronic music program, share your insight and help others build their skills. They will recognize your name and remember you as a helpful person who's easy to work with.
Make your music available online, even if you're not completely happy with the quality. You can always re-record or put out a new version later when you have the equipment or resources you want. Post your music on your website, and also release it on online music stores. Even if you don't make much money through these venues, you're putting your name out there and hopefully gaining some dedicated fans who will follow you as you progress.
There is no magic way to become a famous musician. However, through dedication and a positive reputation, you will begin to build a career. With a strong online presence you will gain recognition worldwide and begin to spread your music and your brand. Through a few simple steps online you will be on your way to success.