An online place you can call “home”
You probably feel like you have a ton of “sites” online. You’re on Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud, and handfuls of other places you barely remember creating an account for. Yep, you’re out there.
And so is everyone else.
Their profiles and feeds look just like yours, because you signed up for the same service, were given the same general design/settings options, and you all follow the same rules and guidelines, because you’re part of a community. And that’s totally cool. Services like that are integral to a musician’s success these days, and they’re absolutely useful and beneficial.
But what these services are NOT is something that is wholly yours, and maybe more importantly, something you’ve taken the time to create, maintain, and take pride in. And that matters. A lot.
Why you need to have your own band website
Ask anyone who writes about music, books bands, or works in the “industry.” Sure, you might not be completelywritten off if you don’t have your own site, but you’re going to be taken much more seriously if you do, and you’re going to build a bigger email list, see more social traction, and get more gigs. Here’s why:
* Having your own site makes you look professional. It shows that you put in the extra effort and are taking your career (or at least your music) seriously.
* People want a one-stop destination. If I’m checking out a new band, I hit their website first. It’s the easiest way to get a quick overview of what they’re about, where else they’re active (through links to social sites), and to sign up for a mailing list if I’m feeling intrigued enough.
* You are at the center of the experience. Along those same lines, a standalone website is really the only place a band or artist can effectively display their “brand.” Other sites may let you mess around with color schemes and other elements, but your own site is the only place where people can get the full experience of you and your work.
* Your own site gives you total control, meaning you never have to worry about whether or not people are actually seeing your updates, or if they’re getting lost in the shuffle. Anything you post will be right there until you don’t want them to be.
* Social media platforms come and go. While website styles may change, having your own site isn’t going to go out of style. I tried to tell this to the tons of bands who pressed up their CDs a few years back with their Myspace URL on them, but they wouldn’t listen. Think they’re still updating that page? Nah. Think they might still have those CDs for sale? Probably.
