A musician needs a website to frame their digital area outside of the social media stream in this day and age of constant internet discourse. Your website serves as your online base of operations; it is where you sell your music, advertise forthcoming gigs, and cultivate a fanbase.
You might be a little confused about where to begin if you are more skilled at writing songs and melodies than developing websites.
What should a band’s website content be, you ask? This checklist will walk you through each item you need to include on your band’s website.
Creating a band website: A complete checklist
#1. Get professional photos.
Get professional images before deciding what website design will work best for your music. Photos of your brand should be clear and appealing and instantly convey your message. Please ensure the photographs are professional because they will create the initial impressions on your website.
#2. Choose a template.
Select a short web template that complements your music. Upload a picture that accurately represents your band’s style. You may cross those requirements off your list because all Bandzoogle templates allow e-commerce and instantly adjust to mobile.
#3. Organize your navigation.
Select the pages you want to include in your navigation menu. You can also include an About, Music, Shows, Photos, Videos, Press Kit, and Contact page on your home page. Using this straightforward framework, you can decide what information to add to each page.
#4. Create an effective homepage.
Your homepage, which serves as the entrance to your complete website, should be well-organized and provide a preview of the other pages. You should also include a brief bio, a striking image, your music, and any recent or forthcoming events.
#5. Add an artist bio.
A musician bio is essential to have on your band website for several reasons, including the fact that it allows those who are interested in your music to discover more about you; makes it simple for music venues, bloggers, or the media to copy and use; and improves the SEO of your band website. Create a current bio and place it prominently on your website.
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#6. Upload music to stream and sell.
Gather your music files and add music to your homepage, whether you plan to release new music soon or just want to highlight your favorite songs. Create a dedicated music page where all your tracks can be listened to or purchased to provide people access to your whole body of work.
#7. Add an events calendar.
Make sure to add a gig calendar and keep it updated with your planned performances, whether you are playing a cross-country tour, local pub shows, or presenting Livestream events.
#8. Add photos and videos.
Look up your favorite YouTube videos and add them to your Home and EPK pages. Videos are simple to add and are adored by fans. Next, add a gallery of your expert photos on a photo page. Make sure to include a few high-resolution photographs on your EPK page so that media outlets and venues can quickly access the materials they require to advertise your work.
#9. Create an EPK.
Choose from the pre-built EPK page options on Bandzoogle, then enter the information following your music’s objectives. You will require the following items for this page: A quote, a brief biography with an image of yourself; a few press photos; a sample track; and a sample video. Done!
#10. Add an online store to sell merchandise.
Set up a store with your CDs, vinyl, t-shirts, and other items. You will need photos of your merchandise to do this (cover art for albums). Additionally, you may link your Printful account to your website for quick and straightforward print-on-demand sales. After that, you will be prepared to begin selling merchandise with no commission!
#11. Add an email sign-up form to build your mailing list.
Email is still vital for staying in touch with your most devoted followers. You can expand your contact list by including a sign-up form on your home and contact pages. Gather those emails as a practical strategy to reach individuals with your newsletters.
#12. Provide a way for fans to support you.
Creating a band website is a terrific idea to establish a relationship with your followers and provide them with a means of giving you support. You might consider adding a tip jar to your website if you do not have any items for sale. Consider crowdsourcing or selling fan subscriptions as additional methods for letting fans support you.
#13. Customize your design with colors and fonts.
Once you have established your pages and added information, designing a unique look for your band website will be more straightforward. Select a music website template that fits your site’s dimensions and musical style. Then, make the parts, backdrops, sections, and fonts your own to fit your style.
#14. Choose a domain name.
Once you have added your material and modified the design, you should pick a unique domain name for your music website. This turns into a personalized URL where people can always find you online.
#15. Set up custom email.
Create a unique domain-based email address so people can contact you once your domain name is established. Your communications will become more professional because of this (plus, you can check email from your phone on the go).
#16. Optimize your website for SEO.
Google makes it quite clear that it will regard your official website as the best source of information about you. Once you have put material online, you should optimize it for search engines to improve your website’s ranking. To get started, refer to this SEO checklist for artists.
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Logo
By explicitly stating your artist name, you ensure website visitors know they are in the appropriate spot. Create a brand logo for this purpose, then upload it to your homepage.
Anywhere on the page can accommodate a website logo. Place your logo on the upper left of the center of your homepage to make the most of it. Your homepage will load when your band name or logo is clicked, making it easy to make sure that your visitors return to the home page (which acts as a template for the rest of your website content).
Header image
Your first chance to leave a lasting impression is with a firm header image. Select a header picture that effectively conveys your band’s identity and musical taste. Make it count because website visitors may get a sense of your music from this image even before they hear your songs.
To begin with, put eye-catching pictures of you or your entire band on the header section of your homepage. It is crucial to bear in mind that visitors to your website will also be using mobile devices. For best results, choose a picture with some white space around the edges rather than a close-up portrait.
Use the header image you have added as the foundation for the rest of your website. It needs to be in harmony with your subject matter. You can also draw colors from this image to choose the color scheme for the remainder of your website.
Try replacing your website’s image header with a video header to add some motion and interest. Then, examine how it fits into your overall design.
Call-to-action
You have a few seconds to make an excellent first impression when someone visits your band’s website. Use a Call-to-Action element on your site to draw visitors’ attention to anything you want to promote.
Make the Call-to-Action feature very apparent to get the most out of it. Use a contrast color for the button and a straightforward, easy-to-read website typeface. The button itself should be visible from a distance and stand out against the design of your homepage.
Depending on your current focus, you may also regularly alter your call to action. Promote a forthcoming event to sell tickets, highlight your most recent song or album to increase listeners or purchases, or include a mailing list registration form to grow your network.
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Navigation
A simple menu with clear page names should be on your website’s home page. This will guarantee that anyone visiting your page can locate what they are looking for promptly. A site visitor might be someone looking to book you for a show, a journalist looking for your EPK materials, or a venue looking for your bio. They should be able to swiftly and efficiently find those resources on your homepage.
A clean, well-organized menu will also enhance the SEO of your website. Your site includes the text that appears when someone searches for your brand name plus “music.”
Add simple page names, then pick a simple, high-contrast typeface to make your website’s menu both aesthetically pleasing and straightforward to browse. A menu might benefit from employing capital letters and a black or white typeface to stand out from your graphics. If your menu is difficult to read, consider placing a bar or a block of color below the text on your page names.
Short artist bio
In order to gain new internet admirers, use your site as a means of introduction. Add a brief musician bio and headshot as you can control the narrative on your website. Consider a blogger or venue owner visiting your website to copy a brief description of you.
Please give a brief description of your musical genre and how it sounds. Write something concise, to the point, and engaging. You can design a layout with precise placement of your artist bio, a photograph, and a link to your entire bio page.
Mailing list sign-up form
Your mailing list is one of the best ways to advertise your music online. Utilize the homepage of your artist’s website to create that list. Add a mailing list signup form to your homepage’s content if you do not already have one there.
A variety of visitors will view your website’s main page, and turning them into fans should be your objective. Request an email address in exchange for a free song or file, and then regularly offer your followers high-quality content to keep them on your mailing list.
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Music samples
Offer samples of your music on your homepage, assuming someone is visiting your band’s website to learn more about it.
Use a site-wide player to make sure your music is heard. This displays your music on every page, making it simple for people to stream it as they browse your website. You can also regularly change your music. In order to get your fans eager for a new release, if you have a new single that will soon be available, include a brief description of it on your site.
Video
An intelligent technique to increase interaction is to include a video on your homepage. You have their full attention because they have already arrived at your website. In order to win them over, show them an impressive video. Giving your current followers something original and exciting to watch on your website might help engage them.
Include a YouTube embed so people can find you there and on your homepage, and frequently change the featured video there. Add a link or button to your video page to invite people to watch more, especially if you use videos to grow your fan base.
Latest news / upcoming shows
It is always a good idea to update the homepage of your website with new material. It demonstrates that you are a working musician and piques people’s curiosity about what is happening with your music. Additionally, it helps your SEO because search engines prioritize websites that are updated often.
Use a blog to add news to your homepage, and make sure the blog is displayed simply so the postings do not take up the entire page. Including events is another way to liven up and add interest to your homepage. You do not need to include every performance you have done; instead, include a few forthcoming performances in the content area. Make sure your news and events are easy to read, have prominent titles, and are balanced in columns or sections on the page.
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Social media icons
There should be a few other options for people to get in touch with you on your official artist website. Make sure your admirers can find and follow you on their favorite platforms by adding social media icons to your homepage. You do not have to use every social network or streaming service, but you should concentrate on a few and put their icons on your website. These social media icons will direct your followers to the channels you use, making it easier for them to keep up with your posts.
The homepage of a band’s website serves as the main entry point to the remainder of the website’s material. Thus, it should accurately represent the thought and effort you put into your music. Your website visitors will be rewarded with a strong impression of who you are as an artist and be inspired to browse the rest of your website if you add the above components to your homepage and update them frequently.
A strong homepage shows your fans that you are committed to developing a career for your music and will help you gain more online followers.
FAQs
#1. What Is A Band Website?
The band’s website has a press kit for new music. It is essential to promote your music. Online networking now dominates the music business. Therefore, searching is required. Additionally, you need to offer search results that are up-to-date, fascinating, and well-designed.
#2. Do Musicians Still Need A Website?
Considering whether musicians will still want a website in 2021, given the enormous diversity of social media platforms available to the general public today is vital. Contrary to what you might believe, you are accurate in your judgment.
#3. What Is The Best Platform For Musicians?
– Musicians are turning to YouTube as their top social media site of choice.
– Facebook.
– Instagram.
– Twitter.
– Bandcamp.
– SoundCloud.
#4. Is Squarespace Good For Musicians?
Musicians benefit from using Squarespace. On Squarespace, there is a significant range of themes for musicians. These themes contain features that let you communicate with your fans, stream and promote your music, and sell concert tickets with a slick, polished appearance.
#5. Is Bandzoogle A Good Website?
With Bandzoogle, a fantastic web hosting choice for anyone in the music business, you can sell CDs, merchandise, and concert tickets on a customized website. There are several imaginative layouts created to appeal to music fans. Additionally, you can effortlessly transfer an existing domain to Bandzoogle if you already own one.
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Conclusion
The homepage of a band’s website serves as the main entry point to the remainder of the website’s material. Thus, it should accurately represent the thought and effort you put into your music. Your website visitors will be rewarded with a strong impression of who you are as an artist and be inspired to browse the rest of your website if you add the above components to your homepage and update them frequently.
A strong homepage shows your fans that you are committed to developing a career for your music and will help you gain more online followers.
