It’s essential to create a music website that you can call your home, which will also serve as a storefront for your music. Whether you’re offering access to your back catalog, or releasing a new single, there are many ways to sell more of your music.

Here’s a look at some options to help you sell as much music as you can. 

Direct sales from your website

This might seem like a no-brainer, but if you’re planning to sell music online, you need to make a website to be your “base”. It should be the central hub that you draw your fans back to with every promotion. 

Selling music on your own website is commission-free, in a place with no ads or distractions. If someone has reached website, they’re likely already interested in you, having clicked through from a different avenue, or Googled your name. 

Now that they’re on your website, close the sale by selling music directly to them, in an easy-to-find, clearly labelled music player or store.

Diversify: sell your music in multiple places

On your website itself, take a moment to add your music in multiple places. If you’re trying to sell a new track or album, set that as the call-to-action on your Homepage. 

Next, set up a dedicated music page as well. Make this more than just a music player by adding text and images that illustrate the story behind your album. 

In addition to website, make a list of all of the places your fans might go to buy your music. Put your music on Bandcamp and iTunes, and then add it to streaming sites (Spotifty, Beatport) as well to be sure you’re taking advantage of the discovery those platforms provide.

Adding music videos to YouTube is a good practice for further discovery. Just be sure to add a link in the description that goes to your website where your music is available to buy.

Have a plan in place to sell your music

Don’t just put your music on your Music page and hope that people will buy it. When you’re recording your music you should also already be thinking about how to sell it. 

Set up a release schedule that includes promotion on your social media channels and your email list. Timing is important; build hype and then follow up regularly. 

Even if you don’t have music coming out soon, sit down with a calendar and mark out a few times throughout the year to focus on a music marketing blast. 

Take advantage of special dates, like the anniversary of your previous album to remind people about your music. Send an end of summer or end of year e-blast wishing your fans all the best, and reminding them of the music you’ve released within the last year. 

Sell music in creative ways

Even though you’re not a salesperson, you’re probably very creative. Focus on a few ways to drum up interest in your music and sell it that way. 

Start with a few social media content posts that share your music in a fun, relatable way. Then follow that up with a contest. You could offer a free shirt to the first 5 people to buy your album within a certain time frame, or plan a giveaway on your website’s blog, choosing a commenter at random to win. 

People can sense your authenticity a mile away, and true fan engagement will turn your listeners into interested buyers. Don’t just send 50 auto tweets assuming someone might click and buy your song. Every bit of marketing you create should be well-thought out and reflect who you are.

Using more than just the songs to sell your music is a great marketing technique that will lead back into making more fans, and setting up sales in the future.

Sell your music in bundles

If a new fan who hasn’t purchased your music before gets to your website and sees a bundle option, they might go for that in order to support you. You can also pair singles with merch items to drum up interest and get more music sold.

The more options you provide (think: t-shirt plus album, or a bundle that includes 3 previous albums for a good price) the more people will be likely to buy. Selling custom bundles through your website is a great way to offer more options.

Add some fun options that reflect your personality, or your music. For example, branded hot sauce bundled with an album, custom guitar picks along with a single, and more.

Sell all of your music

Just because your album has been out for a year or two doesn’t mean no one will want to buy it any longer. If you’re playing a live stream show, make a point to play a song from your previous album. Talk about the song for a bit, then let people know it’s still for sale, and where they can get it.

You can decrease the price for your older albums, or put them on sale. Many fans of indie artists are happy to shell out money to support your music and will look to buy your back catalog. If you’re making new fans, they may want to pick through your older songs and albums as well.

To help with sales, set your older albums as ‘pay what you want’ to allow people to donate as much or as little as they’d like. You may be surprised at the value your long-standing fans will place on your music.

Sell your music at a good value

Music fans and supporters, like everyone else, love a good deal. Run a few campaigns per year where you supply discount codes for certain albums. Give these codes out in a time-sensitive way – a special holiday discount, for example, or pick a day to blow out your stock. Then promote it to make sure people know they can use the discount code for a limited time.

You can also reward your mailing list or fan subscribers with a special discount code that gives them a deal on your music. They may not yet have all of your albums, and you can encourage and remind them that you have so much great music for sale. 

While marketing and selling your music may not come naturally to you, it’s worth putting in the effort. After all, you’ve spent the time and energy investing in these songs. Make sure your fans get to hear them, and put some money in your pocket for that next release at the same time.