Can Digital Music Marketing “Best Practices” Actually Increase Revenue?
Is it all a crap shoot or are there definable music 2.0 "best practices" that net results? Topspin Media says there are and that their mission is not only to build the tools that power the band to fan relationship, but also to share what they are learning with the rest of us.
Thus far, Topspin has been vague about exactly what their "best practices" are. You can catch glimpses in their work and in yesterday's post. They also promise to share more soon; which I promise to share with you. In the meantime they're teasing us with a calculator. "To estimate the difference between best practices execution on the Topspin platform and simply slapping buy buttons on your web site, enter your data below," says Topspin's James Lamberti. "We can’t name names, but we’ve seen artists either totally ignore or totally embrace best practices. The difference in revenue is ridiculous and we have hard data to back it up." Plug in some of your own numbers above and you'll hope Lamberti is right.
Thus far, Topspin has been vague about exactly what their "best practices" are. You can catch glimpses in their work and in yesterday's post. They also promise to share more soon; which I promise to share with you. In the meantime they're teasing us with a calculator. "To estimate the difference between best practices execution on the Topspin platform and simply slapping buy buttons on your web site, enter your data below," says Topspin's James Lamberti. "We can’t name names, but we’ve seen artists either totally ignore or totally embrace best practices. The difference in revenue is ridiculous and we have hard data to back it up." Plug in some of your own numbers above and you'll hope Lamberti is right.
Share on:
Notice anything interesting about the values behind the widget?
I did.
It appears that email addresses, google searches / month and web site visits / month are ascribed a simple dollar value:
– email addresses in your mailing list = (approx) .43 cents / 6 months;
– website visit / month = (approx) .23 cents / 6 months;
– google search / month = (approx) $1.81
Look interesting to anyone?
Here is the bottom line other than Nine Inch Nails, which I understood Topspin had a hand in but were not the primary company that did that for Ghosts, Topspin has not really had a breakaway hit. That is even with people like Paul McCartney and such. I think best practices are great and all, but really lets look at the bottom line dollars, bands who have had any success or major succsess in this area, and I can only think of NIN, were at one time major label bands that had millions of dollars thrown behind them in promotions, touring and advertising over many years. Just because a band has a list of fans, emails, social website ranking and the like does not mean anything. The fact is that the rock stars are dead in this model and the guys who make a bit of money and flip burgers in their down time reign until their parents kick them out of the house and they have to get a real job. Hypotheticals have not transferred over to real life for the indie artist, there were far more people making a real living 10, 20 and 30 years ago in music than are now. Now it is wekend warriors or part time musicians squeaking out a living. Topspin is only the magic bullet if you already have fame,a proven fan base, and major built career, if not make sure to keep your burger flipping hand in shape and the other one flexable enough to cup it when you ask for quarters.