Part 3 of 3: Tarek Al-Hamdouni of J Records graciously agreed to answer a few questions and give us a rare look inside a major label's digital marketing efforts.
HYPEBOT: What advice would you give other digital marketers about what is really working in this field and what should be avoided.?
TAREK: Digital Marketing is a hit or miss endeavor. The most important thing is to find acts that can stand on their own. Digital marketing is about letting the fans build the artist for you. Through social networking, blogging, and webpages, fans create more fans... nothing draws a crowd like a crowd.
- If you have an idea, run with it, the rewards are high.
- Don't spend a large amount of time on something with low rewards. Focus your energy on your best bets.
- Do your research. The internet changes by the second and if you're not ready to ride the
newest wave, you'll get stuck drifting off to sea. - Get to know web owners. They can be your best friends... don't stick to inviting newspaper writers and magazine writers to events... chances are, you're going to get a more honest review from a blogger or a digital magazine as most of them are avid fans or music or outsource their reviews to fan-writers.
- Everything you publish should be presentable and professional. Don't throw up junk onto a webpage just to get it on there, banners and graphics are great, but a sloppy banner or image can damage an artist.
- Avoid anyone that is looking to charge you for just about anything. Advertising is one thing, but a lot of small music groups are looking to make money on your ignorance. Triple check all of your investments.
- Don't wait to get your music out! Like I said, if people will like it, they will find it. The easier it is to find, the more people will find it. Don't spend 6 months recording and rerecords music to make it "perfect." Fans appreciate honesty and can see through a fake act.
