PR is Changing in the Music Industry - Here’s How We’re Changing With It
It’s no secret that the music industry is rapidly changing with every day that passes. It’s nearly an entirely different industry than it was 10 years ago or even 5 years ago… heck, it’s changed even in the last 6 months. As the industry changes, so do the needs of independent artists… and PR strategy is no exception. PR strategy is one of the elements that arguably has changed the most in the last 5 years, and it’s on track to continue evolving as things continue to be revolutionized.
Below, we break down some of the major trends independent artists should be aware of, discuss how publicists should be utilized in this new age, and walk through some of the changes we are making in our own PR department (Pressed PR) to keep up with the times!
ARGUABLY, THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS THE ACCESSIBILITY OF EDITORS AND JOURNALISTS.
Gone are the days of traditional PR, where you need a publicist for ANY type of media coverage. The invention of the internet and social media changed that. Now people (specifically, editors and journalists) are so much more accessible than they were in the days when you needed a rolodex of contacts to be able to connect with the right people to get your music heard. With a little bit of research, pretty much anyone can find out how to get in contact with their favorite writer. Does it take time? Yes. It’s not always easy to find - especially for top-tier media outlets (top-tier media may actually be the exception to the rule…. These writers and editors are not typically found to be available to people outside of their professional network). But it can be done.
For independent artists, the game has changed even more drastically with the rise of platforms like Submithub, MusoSoup, and Groover. Most independent artists are seeking coverage in indie music blogs to build their press resume before they go after the mid-top tier media. The good news…. Most independent blogs are reachable on these platforms. As bloggers have grown in popularity, platforms like these have allowed them to make a little bit of money to recoup the effort it takes to grow and expand in size. As a result, many bloggers have changed their model to where they can only be contacted through these platforms as a way to ensure they aren’t writing and working for free. That’s great for independent artists - it means you don’t need a publicist to pitch the indie blogs, you can do it yourself, get guaranteed feedback, and save a ton of money in the process.
ANOTHER MAJOR CHANGE IS SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY.
Now more than ever, social media is playing a HUGE role in PR strategies for artists. Just as media placements increase fan awareness and visibility, social media is another extremely useful tool to do the same. The creation of influencers is a prime example. Artists can work with influencers to share their music to broader audiences, or become the influencers themselves creating trends and viral moments that propel their music to the spotlight.
Another defining factor is the evolution of two way communication between an artist and their fans. Unless you intentionally choose to create a barrier or “air of mystery” around your brand as an artist, the reality is that fans can access and engage with the artist 24/7. This is a GAME CHANGER and it’s vastly different from the past, where fans could only connect with an artist through an in-person meet and greet, a concert, or maybe by receiving a newsletter. This lower barrier between the two entities is something to truly plan for in a PR strategy in order to leverage it to it’s fullest potential and avoid having a “wasted moment” of connection.
ADVERTORIALS ARE ON THE RISE BUT AUTHENTICITY IS KING.
With a decrease in the journalistic workforce and an increase in the amount of music industry and artist news there is to write about, paid media opportunities (aka advertorials) have risen dramatically in the last 3 years. It makes sense for publications…. They need to make money and they have less reporters on their staff to help manage the constantly increasing workload. Paid media is the obvious choice.
We call these paid media placements “advertorials” because, essentially, you are paying for an ad that looks like an editorial article. But do advertorials have the same effect as earned media placements? In our experience - it depends. Without a doubt, earned media is still the king because it is authentic and genuine. Someone chose to write about your music, and wasn’t paid to say nice things…. They meant them. In publications with a credible reputation in the industry this means a TON to the consumer. They trust that publication to share the best, on-the-rise music and they trust their opinions and recommendation. Put yourself in the listener’s shoes…. Are you more likely to check out a band that you read a glowing review on from your favorite music discovery publication? Or one that you read a really cool interview with where you became interested in that artist’s story? Or are you more likely to check them out if you see an ad for that artist’s new release? You may click the link on the ad… but it doesn’t come with the same level of interest and intrigue that organic discovery and connection through earned media fosters. That organic connection is authentic to the listener… and translates into a more genuine fan in the end.
In some cases, the general public will never know that this placement was paid for… and in these cases, the advertorial was a great investment because it still has the effect of an earned media placement. In others, the word “sponsored” might appear, generating a less-than-desired effect as it translates as an ad to the reader, rather than a genuine review. Both can be useful in a PR strategy - and it’s inevitable that you will have to use both at some point in your career - but it’s important to remember that authentic, earned media (or at least the perception of it) is still the most valuable.
BLENDING OF PR AND MARKETING
Talking about advertorials brings us to the blending of PR and marketing. What used to be two distinctly separate departments is now inching closer and closer to merging as one…. Primarily because they are working closer than ever before. Marketing teams and PR professionals share the same goal - create awareness for the artist and engage their fanbase. It’s been proven that when these two departments work together, those goals can be reached faster and in bigger ways than working with one department alone. Advertorials are a prime example of this, but there are so many ways we are seeing these two departments leverage each other’s resources for maximum impact.
EXPERIENTIAL PR BRINGS A NEW ELEMENT TO THE TABLE.
One of the ways in which PR and marketing work together is in experiential marketing and PR. Technically, this isn’t a brand new concept…. It’s just been rebranded from it’s former glory as a “pr stunt”, and now enlists the help of the marketing department to truly make a splash for the artist’s fanbase.
The rebrand has been focused on… you guessed it, authenticity. The primary goal of experiential PR is creating an experience for the fan that look outside of traditional media placements to foster a moment of connection. This can range from in-person events, to virtual live streams, to branded activations on social media. Experiential PR may be harder to accomplish on your own, but nonetheless, it’s worth factoring in.
SO….WHAT DO INDEPENDENT ARTISTS NEED A PUBLICIST FOR IN THE NEW AGE OF PR?
Even though the landscape is changing, a publicist still plays a vital role on an artist’s team. A key role of the publicist is helping an artist understand and shape their story across all aspects of the PR strategy so that it is effectively communicated through the various platforms and methods utilized. Publicists are also able to aid artists in understanding their analytics and role in the marketplace. Measuring the effect of a playlist add, a radio spin, a particular media placement, etc can be highly valuable in determining who your audience is and what are the most effective ways of reaching and communicating with them.
Overall, publicists are most valuable in being able to pitch and position your music effectively - in front of the right audiences, the right people, and the on the right platforms to truly effect an impactful change in your career’s trajectory. Publicists are the ones responsible for establishing your credibility in the industry - which can then be leveraged for bigger opportunities in things like booking, recording deals, growing your fanbase, and so much more.
What We’re Doing to Stay Relevant and Help Our Artists Do the Same:
Based on these changes in the PR industry, our PR department (Pressed PR) has initiated a few internal shifts in the approach we take to increasing the hype and credibility of an artist in the industry. In short, we’re focusing on quality over quantity. In terms of media placements, this means we will focus the majority of our effort on landing top-tier media. While we will still service our roster’s music to blogs in their genre, we understand that our influence in landing bigger media placements has a bigger impact. Our goals will be to land a couple of top, reputable, credible media placements for each artist, rather than a smattering of blog posts (the blog posts will be nice cherries on top for SEO!). In addition to this, we will be placing a much bigger focus on podcasts, live radio/TV interviews, and showcase opportunities as well.
Experiential PR and social media strategy are also going to be playing a much bigger role in our day-to-day. Focusing on influencer relations and helping our artists adopt a storyteller approach in their social media content will be the key to leveraging the media placements we land for them in an impactful way. On top of that, creating experiential moments of connection for the artist and their fans will expand the possibilities artists have to convert followers into authentic fans.
Overall - if this blog did anything for you, it should be a reminder that change is the only constant. And if you’re not ready for it, you’ll be wishing you were. If you’re interested in discussing your PR Strategy with our team, book an artist strategy session or get in touch via our contact form to enlist our services!