25-step music production process checklist and video workshop >>>

The New Web Music Business: 4 Ideas
You Must Know & Use...

The new web music business throws music business as usual out the window so music producers and artists need to get creative.

This page lists 4 key ideas you should know about and apply to your own music business as an independent music artist.

The ideas I refer to are...

1 Do It Yourself

The DIY spirit and ethic is alive and kicking in the age of the Interwebz because the Web allows you to do so much more by yourself than was ever before possible.

You can now for example digitally distribute, promote and market your own music by yourself for very little cost in time and money.

So you can do many things for your business by yourself...

... just not all of it!

You cannot create any real web music business success by yourself.  You need other people to grow your music business into something which gets you more than beer money.

The trick of DIY is to figure out what you want done and how to do it by yourself or with a bit of help from others. Next, create a plan and see which parts of it you really want to do yourself.  Then,  find other capable and trustworthy people to help you do the things you can't or don't want to do.

Master the above DIY trick and you'll be able to focus on what you love while still getting what you need done by people you can trust.

2 Content>Traffic>Pre-Sell>Monetize

This idea comes by way of the Internet Marketing world.

I build my web businesses with a system called SBI! which has been invaluable to me.  The SBI! Action Guide shows you how to apply the C>T>P>M process for success in web business.

What's C>T>P>M?

SBI! is based on the Content>Traffic>Pre-Sell>Monetize process which explains how small business works on the Web,  plain and simple.

The process in short is...

Create and publish quality content about a topic you are passionate about, get traffic because of your content,  build trust (pre-sell) due to your content and then monetize (cringe!).

Now,  as you can imagine,  web business isn't as easy as the above sentence may make it sound.  This is about building a real web business and as you know by now any business takes work.

SBI! and C>T>P>M works for people who are able to apply their own brains and motivation to achieve the business success they want.  This is not a way to get quick money on the web.  Quick-money isn't a business and get-rich-quick schemes will only leave you disappointed.

I suggest you follow the Action Guide videos and then get SBI! (that's my affiliate link yes) for yourself because there is quite a learning curve involved and again, a whole lot of work.

I can recommend SBI! to you with peace in my heart because I know the product and company like the back of my hand and have never come across a solution which gets the results SBI! does.

3 Direct To Fan

The next key idea you need to nail down for web music business success is Direct-to-Fan...

You know the new deal.  Cut out middlemen between you and your tribe whenever you can,  especially those care nothing for your art.

Direct To Fan is a business model(ish) approach used by music artists to reach out to their tribe of supporters and potential supporters.

Good old Wikipedia has a decent little write-up on the approach which mentions the different areas it covers. The Wiki also includes a list of companies who offer services and products you can use to go direct to your own supporters.

The great thing about the companies which offer DTF tools and services is that they are mostly non-exclusive.  These companies will either charge you flat fee or take a percentage out of your sales.  These services are invaluable for the independent web music business.

Research, know, use!

4 Connection with Fan + Reason to Buy

This idea comes from Michael Masnick from the notorious Techdirt...

How well do you connect with your fans?

What reason do you give anyone to take money from their accounts and zap it over to yours?

These are important questions you must answer for yourself.

Your music may be reason enough though this is unlikely when music is available for what feels like free.  You have to create something which is less common and combine it with a great online presence should you want to peddle your wares on the web.

Understand: The reason to buy will usually be an emotional choice based on the relationship and trust you have with your supporters.  What your supporters actually want is a piece of your world, or at least the world you've created.

So, there you have 4 key ideas to apply to your own web music business.


Hand on mixing desk with text. Text reads: What's that? You want more?

Learn to understand equalisers and frequencies to supercharge your mixing skills and get results, fast...


New producer? Learn everything you need to produce your first professional track right now...


Would you like to discover the simplest and easiest way to learn music theory as a music producer?



Share this post. Spread the knowledge so other producers can benefit too:



ⓘ Some pages contain affiliate links so I might earn a commission when you buy through my links. Thanks for your support! Learn more