MUSIC MARKETING: WHY RAP ARTISTS SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN WEBSITE (Original Publish Date June 9, 2020)

Yes, social media is a crucial tactic, but is it enough to convey your music while seeing monetizing results?

I have to say, the music scene in Chicago is brutal. I say this humbly, though, as our drive to create authentic and raw content is still at our advantage. However, think about it, out of all the great rappers in Chicago, we can only name a hand full of people who have taken this work of art to the next level. A level that goes beyond just being Chicago famous, but a group of stardom that puts you living next to Kanye West or Common.

There are layers to making it out of Chicago, resulting in many artists getting lost and found. This scary place does not deserve anyone who has dedicated much of their life to mastering this career. So how do we do this? Provide a larger-than-life persona.

When you mention prominent rap artists who made it like G Herbo and Juice Wrld conjures an immediate rush of visual and musical connotations. Building a strong personal brand in Chicago is more significant than making music. Creating this entity in your career can help you speak to their fans in a way that allows you to be taken from just a rapper to an icon.

Artists' brands are linked to their success; however, with the blessing of living in the digital age, technology has taken branding to another level. Today's brand image creates an increased hunger to know more about a person or entity. This idea can challenge most independent artists who deal with an internal battle. This is a battle between being a mystery that helps make them fascinating and the idea of revealing too little not to make them seem so aloof.

Thanks to the internet, we can leave this baggage right here because the opportunity to control your image is easier than ever!

One of those ways is using Social Media, which is cited as the number one tool at an artist's disposal. Think about it, though, has Facebook and Instagram ever surpassed the use of a traditional website?

Not!

Rap artists heavily overlook websites, which results in a loss of advantages that allows them to control their professional image completely.

Social media is always an excellent platform to help artists build their brands but not complete control. On the other hand, having a fully customizable website can provide rap artists with the complete creative freedom to design a space the way they want. Rap artists can control design elements like layouts and colors that reflect their vision. This allows visitors to get an immediate impression of what they represent.

Artists' websites also help to leave a more professional impression than social media pages. It conveys to fans that the artist has created an online presence that allows them to connect with the community. This is also a good place for fans to collect music, images, and contact information in one place. You can also post tour dates, pre-sale information; ticketing links laid out neatly for fans.

Overall, owning a website allows rap artists to curate their brand more extensively than social media. This can give the fans a space dedicated to their favorite artists. In addition, it provides artists control of their content, brand, and future development of their online reach. Rap artists can dedicate their terms online rather than relying on a corporation to provide you with an online platform.