Live video is immediate, authentic, and interactive. It’s an opportunity to engage with a built-in audience in a way that’s truly social.

BEFORE THE BROADCAST – HAVE A PLAN!

TEST your setup before going live. You can set FB live to “only me” in the live video publishing settings — do a test run and make sure your A/V is up to snuff.

Don’t be the artist who goes live and says, “I don’t know if you guys can see me or hear me yet…”

Think of the test run like you would a recorded rehearsal. Look at it objectively and make sure you are represented the way you want to appear — look, sound, demeanor, banter, background. Review it yourself and fix anything you don’t like before you go live.

Remember, you’re the sound engineer, the lighting director, quality control — it’s all you. This is your career. Artists are reinventing themselves every day. There will be artists who make their mark and launch their careers at this time by being creative and innovative. Be one of them.

Sure, we’ve all seen pro musicians who just turn on their phones and start recording. As celebrities, they will get views regardless. But higher production values will set you apart. Streaming apps allow you to run your live stream like a real production with transitions/split screen, multiple camera angles, title cards/graphics, test streams that are only visible to you, and more. If your app allows for multiple smart devices to be used as cameras, mess around with different angles. A singer/keyboardist with two cameras could do a close-up of the keys and a wide angle showing the room, for example. Bonus points if you have a friend that can be a roaming camera.

TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS! If you are using your phone to stream, turn your notifications off. Remember to turn “Vibrate” off or to set your phone to Do Not Disturb. You won’t want your listeners to hear “Rrrrrrr, rrrrrr” every time your friend messages you.

MONETIZE IT.

People pay to hear music and to go to concerts. Think of your viewers as your patrons, your supporters. They care about your art and your welfare. Many people genuinely want to help out, and especially during a time of distress. Platforms such as Venmo, Twitch, Patreon, Bandcamp, and others allow viewers to contribute to your livelihood. Use them!

Remind people where they can buy your recordings or your merch. Have links posted on your stream — graphic overlays or scrolling text are a continual reminder for viewers to contribute or buy, or simply linking in the comments (don’t put links in the video description as it will nuke the algorithm when Facebook etc thinks you’re “selling”).

Mention your contribution options often, especially if you are doing a long stream, realizing that viewers may come and go. You will likely have new viewers show up during every song.

If you don’t need the money, then pick a charity to link to your stream. This will help you build an audience and support a noble cause at the same time.

Legal Considerations
You are responsible for seeking clearance for any music used in the livestream (Facebook now has a blanket music license — covers will eventually be removed / muted!)

Broadcast Partner Considerations
Producing a livestream, especially with high production value, can be expensive. It may be more cost-effective to consider partnering with a relevant brand to help offset production costs. This can mean including their brand within the stream, enabling crossposting abilities, or using the Branded Content Tag tool. Request access to the tool here.

Find an Organic Partner
Leverage partner Pages that would benefit from crossposting or sharing the livestream. Common partners include: venues, promoters, labels, music magazines, and featured artists.

Scheduled Live
We recommend scheduling your broadcast in order to formalize the livestream ahead of the broadcast, build anticipation, and allow fans to be reminded. You can schedule a broadcast up to one week in advance.
When you schedule a Live broadcast, two posts are automatically created:

• An announcement post: As soon as you schedule your Live broadcast, a post is published to your Page, letting your followers know there’s an upcoming broadcast. People who see the announcement post can click the “Get Reminder” button to receive a one-time reminder notification shortly before the broadcast begins.
• A post containing the Live broadcast: At the scheduled time of the Live broadcast, a post containing your Live stream is automatically published. People who expressed interest via the initial announcement post receive a notification directing them to the broadcast.

Organic Social Media Promotion

• Use all available digital & social channels to drive fans to the “Get Reminder” post created when scheduling a Live broadcast.
• Encourage all partners and Pages to use Facebook & Instagram (feed and Stories) directing to the “Get Reminder” post.
• Use the Countdown Sticker on Instagram Stories to build anticipation ahead of the event.
• Add a link to your Instagram bio or use “swipe up” to link directly to the livestream from Instagram.
• Avoid sounding too promotional – Keep the tone of your content conversational and highlight the content of the livestream to get fans excited.
• Use Facebook & Instagram Polls (can be used in Stories or in feed) to solicit feedback or generally interact with fans.
• Ex – “What song do you want to hear during the live show?”
• Don’t distract from the broadcast by polling too much!
• Find relevant Facebook Groups that may be interested in your broadcast; invite them to host Watch Parties or share the livestream link amongst Group members

DURING THE BROADCAST

Crossposting Vs. Sharing
Crossposting a livestream means that the stream view counts are combined but the conversation in the comments section is kept separate. If you’d like to consolidate the conversations, consider sharing instead of crossposting.

AFTER THE BROADCAST

Post-Broadcast Editing
Livestreams often start before the action begins, and that stand-by time can make the first few seconds of a recording less engaging. Use the trimming feature to specify exactly when you want the VOD (video-on-demand) version to begin and end.

Driving VOD Views

• Create content (clips and highlight videos) that drive back to the livestream VOD URL
• Continuing to interact with the Live broadcast video (replying to fans, commenting, etc.) will give Facebook signals that the video is still relevant
• Embed the video on your website, in your newsletter, and any other owned digital channels
• Consider rewarding fans who have interacted with the broadcast by offering merchandise, tickets, or messages from the artists.

IGTV

• It is not possible to connect to IG Live via the API; this is only available on mobile & for a maximum of 1 hour.
• If you have the rights, we recommend uploading the horizontal video to your IGTV channel. Learn more here.

IGTV Promotional Considerations:

• Share a preview to your Instagram news feed (this will be an option when uploading)
• Create an Instagram Story linking to the video
• Share the Facebook Live or IGTV link across all owned digital channels

Be sure to check out more of our Free Advice!

7 Ways to Enhance Your Law of Attraction Results

The Law of Attraction works. Many musicians, in fact, swear by it, and Lady Gaga, notably, has been vocal about her use of this concept. Furthermore, she always gives her heartfelt gratitude to her fans and works on genuine connections. Consequently, this action generates more success for her in return.

Moreover, thoughts of gratitude and love, as a matter of fact, can help you attract more of the things that you desire too.

However, if you’ve tried this approach and it just doesn’t seem to be working for you, here are some tips on how to kick it into high gear.

To begin with, a slight tune-up might be all that’s necessary to get the most from your efforts.

Think of the Law of Attraction as a recipe. If, for instance, you skip an ingredient, or use the wrong amount, you won’t be pleased with the outcome.

Here’s how musicians can use the Law of Attraction:

Law of Attraction Rule #1: Be consistent.

It’s important to apply the Law of Attraction on a daily basis. Just like exercise, after all, you won’t get good results from an exercise program if you only exercise once. Daily effort is crucial if you want to see results. It’s the exact same process you would follow when learning how to play a new instrument.

LOAR #2: Be action-oriented.

One of the most common errors in applying the Law of Attraction, on the other hand, is the belief that you don’t have to take any action to create results. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Whatever it is that you desire, for instance, won’t just materialize out of thin air. You can’t expect a Rolling Stone feature or a sold-out tour to happen solely out of wishful thinking.

Instead, believe that the Law of Attraction is bringing opportunities to you. Consequently, it’s your job to recognize them and make the most of them. Take action when opportunities present themselves.

Law of Attraction Rule #3: Be 100% comfortable with what you want to attract.

You must be 100% comfortable with the thing, person, or situation that you are trying to attract into your life. If, for instance, you have any reservations, you’ll be unsuccessful.

Visualize being successful in your efforts and notice how you feel. Do you have any reservations? If so, that’s a sign that you need to work on the resistance you feel. Importantly, it’s totally fine to have reservations if you’re jumping into something new, like exploring a new genre of music or finally making a full-length studio album if all you’ve ever produced were singles and EPs.

Visualize doing what needs to be done in order to be successful. How does that feel? Are you 100% comfortable with the steps you must take? If not, you have some work to do.

LOAR #4: Make use of the time right before falling asleep and immediately after waking up.

These are, without a doubt, the two most effective times to program your subconscious and reach out to the universe.

Create a habit, for instance, of visualizing success at these times. Keep it 100% positive and focus, in particular, on feeling happy, excited, and proud of yourself. Success might look different, it’s worth noting, depending on what stage of the album cycle you’re in. If, for example, you’re in the recording process, you could visualize coming up with an idea that will lead to creating your lead single the next day. If you’re touring your album, success looks, no doubt, like performing a great show the next day.

Law of Attraction Rule #5: Avoid worrying about how you’ll accomplish something.

Be focused and clear, instead, on what you desire. Avoid stressing over how you’ll make it happen. There are many ways to achieve something. To clarify, you don’t have to worry about it. The right opportunity will present itself when the time is right.

Worrying about how you’ll accomplish something, it’s worth emphasizing, shows doubt. It’s a negative outlook. This doesn’t work well, as you might expect, with the Law of Attraction. Great music, to put it simply, won’t write itself if you’re being clouded by doubt and second thoughts.

LOAR #6: Be grateful for what you already have.

It’s possible, indeed, to strive for more and still be grateful for what you have. Allow yourself to feel gratitude each and every day. Make a list each morning and evening. It can be a mental list or a written list. To enumerate, see how many things you can come up with. Whether you’re a new name in the music business or a seasoned mid-level artist with experience, the best artists are, in any case, the ones that recognize the progress they have made on their craft, no matter how big or small.

LOAR #7: Follow your intuition.

Your intuition, undeniably, is part of the process. If you have a sudden urge to call someone, pick up the phone. Want to take the song you’re working on in the recording studio in a new direction? Without a doubt, do it. You’re much wiser, after all, than you realize. Give your wisdom the benefit of the doubt.

The Law of Attraction, in conclusion, works well if you do your part. Some of the biggest mistakes, it’s important to note, are a failure to take action when an opportunity presents itself, consistency, and comfort with the desired outcome. Remember, above all, that you can’t attract what you’re not attracted to. You also can’t attract anything except chaos if you’re not willing to do any work.

Be sure to check out more of our Free Advice!

One of the best things you can do to have a successful music career is finding the right people to make connections with. Attending festivals, conventions, and other events with key music professionals, meeting the right people can lead to a plethora of opportunities. This is why we put together this guide to help you with social skills in your music career.

You might want to sit home and watch Netflix over making time to be a part of your local music scene. Meeting other musicians, potential managers, songwriters, and music industry professionals can have a huge impact on your future in the music business. The stronger your network, the more opportunities will come your way. Some people complain about having to know people to get anywhere, but the people that “know” people that can help them go there by putting in time and effort. They’ve supported others in their work, so that when it’s time to reach out to these people to get their support, they are happy to help.

If networking isn’t a skill that comes easy to you, here’s some tips that may help:

If you are a musician trying to find a new income channel, YouTube is a great addition to add to your bag of tricks. With the right strategies, YouTube can become a lucrative platform for monetization Let’s talk about three must-follow tips to help you maximize your YouTube revenue and grow your channel. So, grab your guitar and your camera, and let’s discuss hot to Maximize Your YouTube Earnings.

First, the hard part: Build an engaged audience

The first and most crucial tip for monetizing your YouTube channel is to build a loyal and engaged audience. You need people who genuinely enjoy your content and keep coming back for more. But how do you achieve this?

You can start by identifying your niche and creating content that caters to your target audience’s interests and preferences. Be authentic, unique, and consistent in delivering high-quality videos. Interact with your viewers through comments, live chats, and social media to foster a sense of community and connection. Remember, a strong and engaged audience is the foundation for successful monetization on YouTube. It can be a full-time job, but you want a full-time income from it, right?

Second, optimize your videos for Search

YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, and optimizing your videos for search is essential for discoverability and channel growth. Here’s how you can do it effectively:

a) Keyword Research: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, TubeBuddy, or VidIQ to identify relevant keywords and phrases with high search volumes. Incorporate these keywords naturally in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to increase your chances of ranking higher in search results.

b) Compelling Thumbnails and Titles: Create eye-catching thumbnails and click-worthy titles that grab viewers’ attention. Make sure they accurately represent your content and entice people to click and watch.

c) Video Descriptions and Tags: Craft detailed and keyword-rich descriptions for your videos, providing context and additional information. Use relevant tags to help YouTube understand your content and improve its visibility in search.

Third, diversify your revenue streams

While YouTube’s AdSense program is a popular way to monetize your channel, it’s not the only option. To maximize your earnings, explore additional revenue streams. Here are a few ideas:

a) Brand Partnerships and Sponsored Content: Collaborate with brands that align with your niche and create sponsored videos or integrate product placements into your content. Remember to disclose any sponsorships transparently. You don’t want your audience to think you’re just trying to get them dollars – but instead, you are there to educate them on things that you stand behind.

b) Merchandise and Merch Shelf: Develop your own branded merchandise and promote it on your channel. Utilize YouTube’s Merch Shelf feature to showcase and sell your products directly to your audience. I can’t recommend enough to use an option like Printful. It’s print-on-demand, so you can be fast and flexible with your designs, and you’ll never end up with a box of t-shirts in your closet. If a design isn’t selling, make something new.

c) Patreon or Memberships: Offer exclusive perks, behind-the-scenes content, or early access to your videos through Patreon or YouTube Memberships. This allows your most dedicated fans to support you directly. But beware, if your fans are paying monthly, you better deliver value monthly!

Monetizing your YouTube channel requires dedication, creativity, and strategic planning. By building an engaged audience, optimizing your videos for search, and diversifying your revenue streams, you can increase your chances of turning your YouTube channel into a profitable venture. Yes – it takes a lot of time, MAYBE EVEN YEARS, to create a channel with enough subscribers to quit your day job, but listen – you could EVENTUALLY quit your day job!

More Free Advice

We actively live in a bizarre paradox – a world overflowing with too much new music. Yet our ability to truly appreciate and connect with this overabundance diminishes. The shocking consequences demand attention, as The Guardian actively explores.

In an era of unprecedented music accessibility, you’d think we’d revel in this endless bounty. But the stark reality remains – we drown in a relentless overabundance of new releases, struggling to keep our heads above water.

The streaming revolution ushered in infinite choice. With millions of songs at our fingertips, the musical options paradoxically paralyze us. We’ve become ravenous consumers, insatiably bingeing on this overabundance. But we’ve sacrificed our ability to truly savor and emotionally connect.

The Illusion of an Overabundance

On the surface, an endless stream of new tunes seems a dream. However, endlessly swiping through overwhelming feeds ultimately provides an unfulfilling experience. It leaves you unsatisfied, craving more from the overabundance but never feeling full. The Guardian highlights this vicious, mindless consumption cycle.

The illusion masks emptiness. With so much new music vying for attention, we are numb to its impact. We listen passively as each overabundant song gets just a moment before the endless shuffle.

Paralyzed by an Overabundance of Choices

With too many options in the overabundance, making a choice becomes agonizing. We spend more time shuffling playlists than actively listening. It’s paralysis robbing the overabundance’s joy.

Paradoxically, more options make choosing harder. We drift from one recommendation to the next, never immersing in the overabundant experience. Paralysis sets in amidst the overwhelming possibilities.

Art Commoditized by an Overabundance of New Releases

When everything is instantly accessible, the overabundance makes nothing feel special. Music becomes disposable, cheapened by the overabundance of new releases. We consume mindlessly rather than savor an exquisite meal.

The magic dissolves when the latest album drops mundanely amidst the overabundant deluge. Music loses its artistry, reduced to mere data overflowing our senses.

Eroded Emotional Connection from an Overabundance

In this constant overabundance of new music, forming emotional bonds becomes nearly impossible. We drift aimlessly, never allowing the overabundant songs to resonate. We tragically disconnect from music’s soul-stirring essence.

When we consume this overabundance voraciously, chasing new thrills, we forfeit true emotional resonance. Each overabundant song provides fleeting pleasure before being swiftly discarded and forgotten.

Artists pour their souls into the craft, but the impassioned work often falls on deaf ears amidst the insatiable overabundance hype cycle.

Rebel Against the Noise

It’s time to rebel against the mindless, gluttonous cycle of consumerism poisoning our appreciation for the art form we cherish.

Rather than passively allowing ourselves to be swept away, we must curate our playlists purposefully and listen to each song with intentionality. Take the time to forge deeper connections with the artists, albums, and sounds that genuinely move you. Savor the experience and allow the music to permeate your soul.

Because an overabundance is mere soulless static cluttering our senses. We crave the resonant signal piercing the pandemonium of overabundant releases.

So let the deluge of disposable releases rage on. We will be the focused few, confidently navigating the tumultuous waters to seek out the genuine gemstones glistening beneath the torrential surface noise. For that is the only way to experience music not merely as a commodity, but as the profound communication from artist to audience that it was always meant to be.