HIP TIPS for bands: How to get bloggers to post your music video

This April marks a special anniversary for me: seven years ago, I decided that I had to make my love of music and writing and do something with it, and so I started a music blog. Seven years later, I’ve written about countless artists at all stages in their career, from local up-and-comers to Grammy winners. I receive upwards of three hundred emails a week from bands and publicists asking me to write about videos, tour announcements, and new music, and there simply isn’t time in the day to do it all.

Every now and then, musicians will ask me, “How do I get bloggers to post my band’s new music video?” I’ve got some thoughts on this myself, and since I can’t speak for everyone, for the first edition of our new “HIP TIPS” blog series, I reached out to a few fellow blogging friends to ask their input on how bands can get their attention and get blogs to post their video.

1. Tell a story.

As an independent artist trying to get your name out there in the musical scene, your music video is your most potent piece of marketing currency. It’s your chance to showcase not only your sound, but your image, to potential fans, and define your brand as an artist. Yes, you can do this through creative color palettes and filters, but the most powerful way to do this is through telling a story in the video. This story can be a visual interpretation of the song’s lyrics or something else entirely; just make sure the message is clear and that potential new fans know who you are.

2. …or, showcase your talent in a live performance video.

What’s the goal of a music video? To help you secure new fans and interest them in purchasing your albums and coming out to see you in concert. If you can show fans just how exhilarating your performances are – whether through close-up clips of each member, or wide shots showing the crowd going wild – there’s no doubt they’ll be buying a ticket next time you’re in town.

Mae Krell of Tongue Tied Mag says, “We mostly like videos that tell a story- or live videos where you can see an artist / band’s raw talent. I know those are two very different things, but both require talent + artistry, which is why we appreciate them so much.”

3. Timing is everything.

You know that feeling of being the first one of your friends to discover a new band or song, and making everyone you know fall in love with their sound? Yeah, music bloggers live for that feeling. They love being the first to spotlight a new artist and help them find new fans. Ideally, you’ll reach out to bloggers as soon as your video is released – that way, they can help spread the word to readers excited about brand new tunes as soon as possible.

We know it takes a lot of coordination and preparation in the weeks leading up to a video release. At HIP, we’ll help you secure a high-profile online premiere on one of the many blogs and websites we have long-standing relationships with, and from there, we’re ready to hit the ground running right away in getting your video placed on several prominent online outlets.

What if your video has already been released, but you’re looking to get more awareness and exposure? Try tying the video pitch to a tour announcement – an exciting visual will be a great way to interest fans in coming to your shows.

4. Tell ’em what they need to know!

Music bloggers are busy people. Remember how I said I get three hundred (plus) emails per week pitching me about new music, videos, and tours? That would be overwhelming enough on its own – but like most bloggers, it’s not my full-time job. When a band includes all of the information I would need in their first email to me, it makes my job a lot easier: that way, I don’t have to spend additional time emailing back and forth and asking you for a press photo, bio, or link to the video.

P.S.: Don’t forget to include links to your social media profiles- it helps bloggers get a better sense of your personality as a band, and it’ll help potential new fans keep up with you after seeing your video on the blog.

Alicia Maciel of The Chicago Vibe and Fifty50 Shows says, “Having links to all socials and music is very helpful. I always love when they include a handful of articles talking about their style of music or most recent release.”

5. Personalize the pitch.

Yes, we know there are tons of websites out there – but it’s worth putting a personal touch on each email. This way, bloggers know you’re paying attention to them and not just blindly throwing things out there. The most basic way of doing this is to make sure you know who you’re emailing, and address the blogger by name! I’ll say with no hesitation that any email addressed to “Molly” has a much higher chance of being opened (and therefore, read and responded to) than one that’s nameless or refers to me as “Sir / Madam”. Even better are the ones who have taken an interest in my writing: when a local band from upstate New York emailed me last summer to say, “We’ve seen your reviews, and you always write about the bands that are our biggest influences – will you check out our first EP?”, it was an immediate yes. That tells me not only are they paying attention to what I’ve written about and enjoy, but that I’ll probably like their band.

So, now that you know some HIP TIPS from bloggers how to get your music video on websites and blogs, you’re probably pretty overwhelmed at all their is to do. That’s why HIP is here: to take care of these details and allow you to focus on creating your art and maintaining relationships with your fans. With 2700 videos promoted in 17 years, we know what we’re doing – and we know the right people to talk to. Sure you could do it yourself – but why not hire a professional who knows what they’re doing, so your time and energy can be focused on doing what you love… making music?

Curious about what HIP can do for you? Email us at info@HIPVideoPromo.com or give us a call at 732-613-1779.