Save the Labels!

Record labels are in a slow decline lately with large amounts of people opting to download music instead of buying it. However their is still a use for them in some regards. If labels will begin to take a deeper interest in their artists and their fans they can find a use in the new music world. Promoting artists takes a lot of work and they will need the help especially solo artists since they have no one to share their burden of business with.

Social Media will be the answer in this world and the labels can pick up the slack in updating those many profiles they will have. Their are so many places to be on, so many technologies that require conversions (I’m sure any reverb artist needing to convert their files to Mp3 understand the struggle).

Labels will have to work with artists educating them on how social media is to be  used and simultaneously brand themselves along with artists. Labels will have to tweet updates out to followers, set up facebook pages, and update all that concert footage. They will also have to update song players on places like Myspace and Reverbnation as well as keep  blogs that promote the artist and the industry. Even beyond that they have to become curators of the music world and show everyone they still have a place to exist in this new direct marketing world.

I outlined a paper for my Social Media class that discussed all the tools my indie label will use and believe me it will be a ton of work. We will have to push artists to do some of the work themselves on top of all the work we will have to do. We will have to Tweet and blipp; along with updating facebook, ReverbNation and Myspace profiles. Each site will have to push forward useful content and promote the artist in a current manner to engage their fans in a personal way. The road will be long and tedious but as long as labels get back to the people that support them they can push forward in the music world and find importance once again.