You got one, right? I’m not talking about your Myspace profile. No, not about Facebook either. And absolutely not about profiles on any other social or music platform. I’m talking about a real homepage with your own URL that goes along the lines www.yourbandpage.com that you have full control over.
And before you ask: yes, you need one. Your homepage is your base that people find first when they search for you online. This is where your latest updates and tour dates are, where you link to all of your social profiles, and also where you can make sweet $$ by selling your merchandise. Sounds good to you? Bet it does.
And with all the technology that is out there, there really is no more excuse to not get one. Nowadays you can get started for only a few dollars a month, without a web designer, in about 10 minutes. There are many cheap or free hosting and content management and blog software options out there. However, for your band page I recommend a combination of WordPress (you want wordpress.org, not .com. More about that in my next post) and HostGator (use coupon code BANDPAGE25 to get 25 % off). I use that very combination myself, and for the moment I’m happy with it. You might choose a different one. Just one word of caution: if your artwork includes nudity or the likes make sure your web host isn’t located in a state where that is forbidden, or else your homepage might be down before you know it.
As your URL use your bandname.com, and only if that is taken add a word like band or music, or pick a different domain extension like .net. Just make sure to keep it as short and easy to remember as possible. Your URL is not the place to show how creative you are. You can register your URL with your web host or with a different company. With a different company it can be cheaper, but is also a bit more complicated since you then need to connect the URL with your web space. It’s really up to you if you’d rather spend a bit more time, or a bit more money.
The great thing about web hosts like HostGator is they allow you to install WordPress on your web space with just one click and you don’t need to hassle with a ftp client (that’s a file transfer program, in case you were wondering). Once that is done you can pick from an abundance of done-for-you designs, many of which are free.
If you’re still not convinced hit me up and I’ll set you up. But rest assured it’s absolutely doable.
Image: Salvatore Vuono===========================================
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this text:“Sophia Lovett is a branding and music marketing strategist helping talented musicians around the world make their band their business. Find out more at www.sophialovett.com.”
