TikTok Sets Off To Become Record Labels’ Biggest New Competitor
By John Reynolds
Record labels have taken a new form and it looks a lot like TikTok. The short-form video-sharing company has plans to increase its share in the marketplace by distributing music for independent emerging artists. Is TikTok The Biggest Competitor?
Music label companies and TikTok have had a pretty rough start and although they’re on good terms amid the multiple revenue-sharing deals, it seems the feud is set to rise again, as the platform wants to expand its dominance in the industry.
The giant labels are aware of TikTok’s power to create chart-topping hits and they wouldn’t miss an opportunity like that to invest their money, especially when they can give potential up-and-coming artists a chance to shine.
But with over one billion users and over 200 million downloads in the US alone, TikTok is slowly paving the way for its expansion, and with the launch of SoundOn, it’s only normal that the traditional record labels feel threatened.
It wasn’t long ago that ByteDance(TikTok's parent company) started up the all-in-one platform for music creators and independent artists, where musicians can hold 100% ownership of their songs and receive 100% of the royalties. All these flexible contractual clauses have made it easier for them to promote their music and reach global audiences.
Now, it appears that ByteDance is also on the hunt for A&R scouts. Rising to the task of offering all the services of the traditional music business; finding, signing, and marketing artists, TikTok with the support of ByteDance has become a full-circle label company.
According to Murray Stassen (MBW), ByteDance is hiring new A&R managers in LA, NY, Miami, and Toronto. The job description requires candidates to “focus on the US music landscape, to sign and develop artists within the independent music community.”
ByteDance is targeting independent artists by marketing itself as the “#1 partner for artist development, promotion, and monetization.” In addition, TikTok has over 100 new music-related job openings in all parts of the world, including Europe (Germany, France, UK), South America (Brazil), South Africa, and Asia (India).
Major music and entertainment businesses like The Orchard (Sony Music Publishing subsidiary) will have no choice but to compete with TikTok’s parent company. The tension is already building up between TikTok and Sony Music, as the latter recently pulled its catalog from the music streaming platform Resso (Owned by ByteDance).
Further new restrictions are being set, as substantial businesses are now asking the fast-rising platform to change its licensing deals on a revenue-share basis. If this gets applied, music industry giants, along with the artists, will get paid every time their music is played in a monetized video on TikTok.
Stay connected with MusicPromoToday to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments. Visit the MPT Agency Blog to find out more about what’s going on in the music industry and what’s to come.
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Posted on October 7, 2022
The Best Way For Artists To Create The Ultimate Brand Message
By Yvonne Martin
What is the definition of branding and how does one create the ultimate brand message?
Simply put, it is an organized guide to your company's look, feel, or vibe. Be it the more physical assets like colors, shapes, styles, and themes, as well as the non-physical assets such as tone, mission, and vision.
For music branding, the artist has to create a personal brand and then adapt the main branding guidelines to each album or musical asset that is being created.
Through verbal and nonverbal cues, your brand communicates its distinctive value proposition and personality with this family known as brand messaging. The objective is to have these different elements aligned in a logical order, that can convey what you stand for as an artist.
Ultimate Brand Message tips to follow when thinking about what kind of message you want to work with.
Identify properly who you want to talk to in different groups
Have a clear mission statement and vision for your art
Create a visual identity that includes all elements from shape to color to a soundscape
Fine-tune your story and journey as an artist that has led you to this point
The individual color or accessory item is empty when alone, if you are creating a well-differentiated brand in comparison to the market, think of the hows and whys in your message. Fans may be inspired and motivated by your messaging, which will encourage them to engage with posts, listen to more music, and spread the music themselves.
To build your ultimate brand message, ask yourself these key questions:
Why do I make music?
Why do I play this style of music?
How do I feel when I make my music?
What is the feeling when I listen to my music?
How do I want others to feel when they listen to my music?
The story of your brand is ultimately told by the combination of Albums, performances, and designs that you put forward, and how that story is told is controlled by your marketing team and your public relations agency.
What steps should you take to create an ultimate brand message that your target market would love?
Your target audience and distinct musical assets are two things you need to know like the back of your hand. Decide who you are, what you perform, and who you do it for.
Your brand message must respond to these inquiries:
How do you set yourself apart from your rivals?
What sets you apart from the competition?
Which messages make sense to the people you're making this for?
Whom are you trying to reach?
What are they concerned with?
Does your company's messaging have a plot?
What objectives has your brand set out to accomplish?
What values does your brand uphold?
Why should they care about you?
Keep in mind that your brand message responds to the "why". As you answer these questions and start to sketch out your brand identity, keep in mind that these answers will evolve over time but will maintain their core elements.
Core elements for your market-friendly brand message
To align your brand with the fans, create fan personas that reflect their distinct characteristics and objectives. Maintain your attention on the brand positioning that will be catering to these personas.
The persona is there to represent your audience or at least the most common audience member you are catering to. When writing any content, ask yourself, "Is this true to my crowd's values?"
Connect with your audience:
Use your buyer personas and brand messaging document while creating content to make sure you're discussing topics that are pertinent to your audience.
Avoid being flawless:
Neither people nor brands should be perfect. Avoid making excessive promises and conveying your perfection because doing so will come out as dishonest. Albeit the message is perfect the person behind it seldom is.
Spread your message far and wide:
Consider your brand messaging in everything you publish and all of your marketing choices. Your text needs to convey your brand message whether you're writing it for your website, crafting slogans for packaging, or marketing an event.
The MPT Agency's ultimate suggestion for a brand message: "Keep it Simple"
Ensure simplicity. People won't relate to you if your brand's personality or core beliefs are unclear or difficult to understand. The last thing you want to do is to develop a brand message that confuses your audience.
With MPT Agency, your music and your brand message are one and the same. We align both these elements and do not really focus on which one comes first. After all, as a musician you are expressing your story through a song, the brand message is the way that song is put together.
Make sure you check our blog on the EPK, which is one of the key tools that describe your brand to the world. We also regularly post artist tips and insights on our socials. Follow us on Instagram for more music marketing-related updates.
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Posted on September 30, 2022
The Ultimate Truth Behind Media Interviews, Tips & Tricks For Musicians
By John Reynolds
To Ace A Media Interview you need to accept the ultimate truth behind media interviews. One of the finest methods to inform your audience about who you are in your own words is media interviews. However, going on an interview is nerve-wracking, especially if your career is just getting started.
Interviews frequently do not feel natural. It's hard to shake off the sense of being recorded or the fear of saying poorly chosen words that harm your career.
In truth, media appearances are another sort of performance. They are quite helpful for gaining new fans and creating buzz. But, you have to put in the same level of preparation that you do for a live show.
Since interviews are all about your biggest passion —your music— there are more media outlets than ever seeking to interview musicians. Magazines, blogs, podcasts, radio and television programs, YouTube channels, etc.
In all the scenarios you will either be contributing background information and quotations for a story as the subject of the interview. Or the audio/video of your interaction will serve as the article's actual content. Therefore, you should have thought out some of the topics before getting on the phone or the air with a journalist.
Pretty Much Everything We Know About Interviewing
Sure, you can certainly wing it and still deliver a captivating interview if you are quick-witted and self-assured. But for the rest of you, here are some tried-and-true pieces of advice to ease follow.
Stay Calm
Interviews are just conversations. Keep in mind that the interviewer possibly feels the same way if you are feeling nervous. Reporters and journalists are taught to carry on uninterrupted conversations.
They'll frequently take extended pauses since they know you will have to talk more to fill the awkward quiet. Do not give in to the pressure. It is OK to take your time and consider your response before responding.
Be Sincere And Honest
It is OK to avoid being "politically correct" or to support topics you do not genuinely care about. Both interviewers and readers can see straight through it.
Consider your fanbase's moral standards and passions, and reach out to those you share. Otherwise, you risk being the target of an internet witch hunt. After all, is defending your position on the day's most controversial issue worth endangering your career? Definitely not.
Investigate the team behind media interviews
Before engaging with a newspaper or channel, do some research to make sure that your morals are aligned. To make sure it is a good fit, research its demographics, topics, and overall reach. Look up previous articles written by the journalist you will be chatting with. This might help you anticipate their questions.
Give a chance to smaller, regional blogs despite that. You never know what companies those bloggers may eventually work with. Additionally, visitors of smaller blogs sometimes follow them with far greater devotion, potentially creating devoted followers.
Be Well-Prepared
Unless there is an urgent matter, arrive on time for your interview. Don't change your schedule because it is very unappealing. It can harm your reputation with prospective publishers forever.
If you are doing an email interview, make an effort to use proper grammar. Copy editing is ultimately their responsibility. But doing your part shows the reporter that you are aware of their time-consuming duties.
Be professional! This benefits you in the long run since journalists communicate with one another.
What’s Your Story?
Do you know the details of your musical journey? What's the best part? Why would a stranger be interested in your music or story if they had never heard of you?
Get it. Know it. Bring to a boil.
Do not give everything away! Reserve the best material for each interview you are on.
Practice Makes Perfect: a fundamental Truth Behind Media Interviews,
Ask yourself questions frequently. Create some intriguing responses to make sure you have covered all the essential parts.
Then, say your response loudly. Why loudly? Because your breath flutters and your heart beats quicker when you are anxious. You also start to stutter. Then you are doomed!
Hence, you can reduce your anxiety by practicing aloud before the event.
Avoid One-Word Answers
Do not be hesitant to go into depth; the interview's goal is to learn more about you and your music.
There is a distinction between providing in-depth, engaging responses and endless rambling, though. Allow the interviewer to intervene if necessary to keep the dialogue moving.
Therefore, With a Partner like MPT, you'll know the truth behind media interviews,
Remember these techniques the next time you are feeling anxious or nervous before an interview. Do not allow fear to stop you from going for the job since one amazing interview may lead to a career full of them (and one terrible one typically will not ruin you).
For independent musicians, MPT Agency offers realistic and efficient SEO-based music marketing services to increase exposure and offer substantial social evidence for long-term success. To find out what other services can improve your musical career, make sure you check our blog regularly and follow us on Instagram for more music marketing-related updates.
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