Getting the word out about an album release as an unknown artist can be a daunting task. Most likely, you don't have a huge list of fans and a huge budget to advertise your list of songs to an audience. You will need to get creative and think outside the box with your music marketing efforts to make sure your songs get noticed! Here are a few tips that will help your promotion and marketing efforts.

Promote Before The Release

Be sure that to gather your list of fans and listeners before your release to let them know that your album is coming. Have a definite album release date before the project is even finished. A common way of promoting an album is to release a single along with specific details of when a full album will be available. As an indie artist, it's a good idea to make this single free to attract listeners.

Spotlight 3 Contrasting Songs

Highlight 3 songs that each have a slightly different feel to showcase the musical range of your project. Since you are most likely an unknown artist, it's a good idea to give the listener a deeper sense of your style rather than just 1 single that may not grab everyone's attention.

Create and Distribute a Press Release

Press releases are underrated for getting the word out about your album release. Most indie artists these days aren't promoting an official project like a CD, event or tour, so getting your name out in the form of a well-written press release is a great way to get on the radar of established music news sources.

Sign Up for Distribution 

Be sure that your work will be available on popular music consumption platforms like iTunes, Spotify and Google Play. The easiest way to do so is with a distribution company like CDBaby or TuneCore, which will distribute your album to the most relevant music stores and streaming companies. Skipping this step will be a huge loss!

Reward Referrals 

Getting someone to spread the word about your album is way easier if you offer them something in return for it. The reward can be something small and simple like an official shout out on your next video or a free giveaway. When encouraging listeners to refer your album to people they know, keep social media sharing in mind.

Bulk Copyright

The application fee for copyrighting music to protect your work through Copyright.gov is $35, but this doesn't mean $35 per song. When copyrighting your original work, you can spend $55 to cover an entire series of songs. Don't spend more than you need to by copyrighting your songs at separate times. 

Don't Go Overboard on CDs

It's not a bad idea to get a pack of CDs to distribute physically, especially if you are touring or have a street team where people often interact with your music physically. 50-100 physical copies of your CD is a good place to start, but try not to overdo it! You may end up with hundreds of CDs in your closet that will sit for years. Remember that digital music consumption is in demand these days; physical CDs aren't a big thing anymore.