Congrats on taking this next big step in your music journey! I think this is one of the most overlooked areas of marketing yourself as a musician. I think it's because “branding” sounds fairly unartistic, like you’re trying to commodify yourself. So let’s change that narrative, because that’s not the right perspective. Branding is about consciously framing the message that you’re sending out to the world. It’s everything that people interpret about you directly, indirectly, consciously, and subconsciously. The biggest problem is not that artists are sending the wrong messages; it’s that they aren’t sending any coherent messages at all.
You need to think about your brand and then act accordingly. If you don’t, it doesn’t mean you won’t have a brand; it just means that your brand is likely to fall into the “boring” musician category just posting news announcements like “streaming now!” or “keep your eyes open for…” That’s not worthy of attention. We have enough of these basic news announcements shoved in front of us every day.
We are interested in stories, in learning, in belonging. We want to be inspired, turned on, shocked, humored, challenged, etc. The question is, how can your content be framed in a way that tells a story about you and/or why you’re doing this at all? What makes you unique as a human and an artist?
Whatever your answer(s), authenticity is priority number 1. It builds trust and community, and it’s sustainable over the long haul.
<aside> 🌎 There are tons of benefits to having a strong and clearly defined brand. First and foremost, it will attract the fans that you want: people that love your music AND love you or what you stand for and therefore are far more likely to spread the word. It also makes spreading that word easier because they’ll have something to say about you besides, “I like their music.”
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<aside> 🐠 With endless options for new music, it’s often the branding (backstory, image, or message) of an artist that differentiates one option from the next. That’s the power of branding. Without it, you’re just another little fish in the Spotify Ocean. You’ll disappear out there.
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<aside> ⚠️ Developing your brand is an ongoing effort. Both in clearly defining what it is and figuring out how to communicate that to the world. I think one of the best places to start is with what you SHOULD NOT do:
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Not standing for enough. A lot of artists just want their songwriting style and average everyday look to be their brand. This can be a part of it, but it’s probably not going to be enough unless you’re eccentric in at least one small way. You don’t have to take a political stand or get face tattoos or be outrageous (although they are all strong brand identifiers), but if you don’t have anything at all that separates you from the crowd, then there is no story.
Your unique factor can be a collection of very small things. Don’t reinvent the wheel; just try to paint a more colorful picture and get nuanced about who you are and/or what you really care about. Embrace your inner [insert your defining characteristic: geek, romantic, weirdo, rockstar, diva, activist, to name a few].
Trying to be too different. I get it - I just told you to find something that separates you from the crowd. But don’t force it. Authenticity here is critical. You have to be able to sustain this brand appearance for a very long time. If you’re truly authentic to yourself, or if the theme or persona you’re encapsulating aligns with your values, it’s easier to maintain. Think about the long term - What do you want to be remembered for? What little differences set you apart?
Refusing to be clear or consistent with anything. Without any boundaries up, the brand becomes confusing and hard to define. Branding is both who you are, and who you are NOT. That doesn’t mean you’re trapped in a box of your initial choosing. Many artists switch their branding for each big release. (Think Taylor Swift’s music style, image, and persona evolution over the years). But within each release, the brand is clearly defined, from music style to the media stories, all the way down to the merch.
Your brand is what you stand for and value, but it’s also how people feel about you and talk about you to others. The goal of this guide is to intentionally decide how you want to show up to the world, who you want to connect with, and what message, story, or vibe you’re expressing. The people that share these values are the ones most likely to become followers and make up your fanbase.
Everything makes up your brand. It’s your music style, the way you dress or look, how you communicate (or don’t communicate) with others, what your social media looks like, what your music videos look like, your logo, etc. It all adds up to this overall impression that people get of who you are and what you’re about.
Answer these to the best of your ability right now. If you’re stuck, just keep working through all of them and then circle back. These don’t necessarily need to be completed in order. Skip around if that helps. You may not know exactly how you want to position yourself until you actually start trying to. It’s good practice to re-evaluate these questions once in a while and see how they change, evolve, and/or get more specific.
ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: These questions are referencing YOU and YOUR MUSIC. You should keep both subjects in mind in reference to the questions. Your brand is your online personality just as much as your brand is the music itself.