If there’s one thing all independent musicians would like, it’s the opportunity to make some more money from their music. Of course, the creation of music is a labor of love, but still you’ve got to eat. Wouldn’t it be better if you could make a living doing what you love? Thankfully, there are a few ways for musicians to make more money from their music – some of them quite overlooked! Don’t just go chasing after gigs and record deals — take matters into your own hands.

Share Your Music For Free (Digital Distribution)

In the internet age, people want to be able to access everything for free. Thankfully, there are several platforms that will allow you to make money while distributing your work for nothing. This is a great strategy for new artists who have lots of material, as the exposure and audience feedback online can be phenomenal.

Here are some of the main platforms to consider:

• YouTube: Lots of artists use YouTube to share their music. You don’t need to worry about whether or not you have video-making skills, as many people choose to upload the music alongside a single static image (though it should be a high quality, professional image). Money can be made by enabling advertising on your video. You are paid based on how much engagement you achieve
• SoundCloud: A platform made specifically for the sharing of music tracks. No need to worry about video here. This also gives musicians the chance to make money from their work in the same way as YouTube – ads played alongside tracks provide a source of income for the artists
• Patreon: This is a website that you can use to directly ask your fans for monetary contributions. If fans give you money, you reward them with exclusive content – it could be vlogs about the production of your music, or perhaps tracks that are otherwise unavailable. By offering content for free, you hook people in and then give them a chance to make optional contributions through Patreon

You can also try dedicated digital distribution services (this one lets you test things out with two free songs).

Selling Your Music Online: The Multichannel Approach

Once you’ve cultivated a following, you can then start to sell your music online. There are a few different ways that you might like to try this; here are some of them:

• One of the biggest online music download services is iTunes. Thankfully, it’s open to submissions from independent artists, so it’s a platform on which anybody can sell. Links to buy songs can be posted alongside free tracks listed on other platforms
• One option that you might have overlooked is to create a online store. Having your very own ecommerce website will help to cement the professionalism of your band. As well as selling your music, you might like to sell a few pieces of official merchandize too
• After iTunes, Google Play is probably the biggest platform for music downloads. Thankfully, just like iTunes, it’s a platform that’s open for independent artists to use. It gives you a great deal of control and isn’t too difficult to set up
• You might also want to upload your work to be considered for syncs in independent TV and radio shows (check out specialists VersusMedia) — this can be a great source of ‘passive income’
• Personalized songs and pieces can really help you bring in the cash, so consider whether on-demand composition is for you

Offline Selling: Don’t Miss Out

As great as the advent of the internet is, it’s important not to lose sight of the money-making opportunities available to you in the offline world. Here are a few ways to make money without the internet:

• Each time you do a live performance, bring CDs and other merchandize for fans to purchase. Having just seen you live, they’ll know exactly how good you are and will be in exactly the right mood to buy something. Think outside the box here and don’t just fall back on tshirts and mugs — quirky stuff can work really well
• Take the time to properly engage with your audience at the end of a show. Leave a strong, positive impression on them so that they like you as a person, as well as a musician. This will encourage loyal fans who will come back for future gigs and spend a lot of money on your work — your personal brand is something worth cultivating, and monetizing, in the form of super fan meetups
• Of course, you should also be checking for opportunities to perform locally as often as possible. It depends on where you live, but the more chances you get to perform, the more exposure you get. It might be the case that you have to do some free performances in the early days, but once you’ve done a few, it will be easier to find paying gigs, especially if you can prove that you’re good at drawing in a crowd! Party gigs are also very lucrative for bands and musicians, but you might need to play some covers too…

With everything that the internet provides, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of these offline methods. Using these alongside a strong online campaign could really help to kickstart your musical career.

Making money with your music is not quite as difficult as you might first imagine. The more money you make from your music, the more money you can invest in it. If you want insights from somebody who has actually made it in the industry, check out this interview with Christian James. How, if at all, do you make money from your music?

This article was written by Victoria Greene: Brand Marketing Consultant and Freelance Writer. She works with ecommerce businesses & marketing teams to create content and targeted SEO strategies. Running a band is just like running a business – many of the same principles apply!