You’ll all agree that most people have a vague idea of what copywriting is. For instance, some might even get a connection with advertising. However, not everyone is familiar with copywriting in music.
Here’s the deal: copywriting in music is essential in getting the fan base going as well as to secure cross-platform reach for your campaign.
As a music expert, you might ask: ‘How can I actually use that?’
This is exactly what this post is going to deliver. I’ll show you how you can use copywriting in music as a great tool while you thrive for success.
The activity or occupation of writing the text of advertisements or publicity material.’ (Oxford)
Why is copywriting important for music industry companies and experts?
As a start, let’s recall Nora Ephron’s’ famous words: “Everything is copy”. In other words, all of your written output is ‘copy’.
What is more, all of your written content can be a way to interact and engage your audience. By all means, that is going to make your album/tour/merch e.t.c. sell.
Another key point is that great copywriting can bring a new perspective on already established bands or musicians.
Copywriting can invigorate the fan-base
Additionally, it will make the fans curious about what’s next.
As a matter of fact, great copywriting ‘looks’ good. All in all, people are very visual beings.
Coherent copywriting can transport a unique tone to the fans, making them connect with the artist or campaign you are selling. Don’t sound like the snake oil salesman, write copy that your fans can identify with.
In traditional advertising, you are using copywriting to solve the customer’s problem. For example, people had problems with ugly large mobile phones.
In additions to that, apple’s copywriting served a sleek and stylish look. What is more, it transported the design as a feeling to the customer.
You might be wondering: what problem could my bands next album solve? Or what problem is this next tour going to make better?
Why do humans need music?
Now: there are endless discussions on why human beings need music. For some, it’s the meaning of life. Likewise, many say that our brains are just simply wired for music. Others will argue that it is a whole mammal thing and that even whales sing.
What’s the bottom line? People have a need for music and the lack of (good) music is one problem you can solve with your offer. Another problem could be that people can’t travel to every concert they want. Your solution would be bringing the artist to them on tour.
Do you see where this is going? Try to connect with the audience problems in an emphatic, relatable way. Transport passion and impact, communicate with the fans in a no-bullshit way.
Keep the fan at the heart of your copywriting and always try to be as informative as possible while building up the hype.
Copywriting use-cases in the music industry
Want to know the best part about copywriting in music? There are already a lot of outlets you can use for your amazing content.
Most importantly, social media. Here you can catch the fan with a multitude of engaging posts or social media advertising.
Keep in mind to write a distinct copy for every platform and stay within the character limit. For example, for Facebook it is recommended to write posts that are between 63 and 200 characters long.
Similarly, merchandise stores online. Again, you want to solve the customers’ problem. The customer might be unsure how the sizing of the shirts is going to fit them.
Or they are worried that the shirts aren’t eco-friendly. So for example, you could write a long text about the fabric you are using. Moreover, where was the shirt produced? Write about your trip to the production site.
That’s not all. There is a very shockingly neglected place that 99% of music companies have, but don’t use properly.
Use the space available on your website
And this is their websites. I get it, Content Management Systems isn’t everyone’s delight.
Read my WordPress for music experts tips to learn more.
Fortunately, a website offers ample space to deliver great copywriting to your fans. Don’t let your webspace turn into a text wasteland and only posts the band new biography every odd year.
To illustrate the amazing time your band is having on tour, let them (or your PA 😉 ) write a tour diary. Ask the frontwoman to write an in-depth road map on how she came up with the new songs and what they mean to her.
You see, there are endless possibilities on how to use your website more wisely.
In another case, you can use your newsletter for a bit of long read. Maybe let the CEO of your company write a text about what made her start in music. Or you let the intern write about their experience in your company.
In the same way, use a fan app whenever possible. I hear you, that might be a bit advanced. But if your artist is anything like Tyler, the Creator, then you have the perfect spot for amazing copywriting.
Lastly, there are the wonders of ticket stores. How often is the only text you can read next to the ticket button, the same boring biography you already read on the poor website? Make it exciting and use a text just for the ticket store. Maybe explain the gear you are using on this tour. Or perhaps, introduce the tour manager as cool as possible. Whatever strikes your fancy, but use the space that is available for you.
SEO Copywriting
Copywriting for SEO means that the text is optimized for search engines. The most popular one is without a doubt Google.
The search engines will ‘crawl’ the text in order to classify it as valuable. If you type a word/phrase or question (known as keywords) into the search bar, the engine will rank websites that are most valuable for your questionnaire based on an algorithm.
Important to realize, your text can perform better if you keep some SEO rules in mind. Of course, you don’t want your text to sound like written for a robot.
You already have a plus point if you write about your established band or their tour. Because that in itself is already a great keyword that people search for. However, if you write about someone you just starts out, you’ll have to try harder.
Use subtle ways of optimizing the content while still keeping in touch with the fans. Above all, try to be informative and useful to the fan as well as be authentic. Further, try to create high-quality content that is interesting to read. And not to forget, make the text long, aim for at least 2000 words.
Copywriting Technics
- Use storytelling: what is the story behind the new release, tour, merch
- Show the benefits: ‘180g signed vinyl’, ‘organic cotton merch shirt’, ‘amazing tour show with pyrotechnics’ …
- Structure the content: produce content that the fan can consume quickly and easy. Imaging where your fans will read your content, in the tube to work? Maybe even at work?
- Eliminate hesitation: there is so much new music coming out all the time, you have to get past that hesitation that has come with that and pack the fan.
- Make the fan feel important: offer them exclusive content, maybe a crazy long read by the cute drummer. Include it into a subscription newsletter and you’ll kill two birds with one stone.
- Use the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) technique to your heart’s content
- Ask your fans to contribute: maybe they can write about cool fan moments or the bands’ song that changed their lives.
- Use data analytics: find out what the most searched artist related questions are and answer them with the copy.
- Make use of social proof: enlist a music legend to write a text about the new album, tour, …
- Always write your key facts on the beginning and repeat at the end. It’s called the serial position effect.
- Do AIDA: grab the reader’s attention, offer interesting information, develop a desire and create the action.
- Create a fan persona: you can use that to pitch your content to. Use analytics of your fan base or the fan base you want to enter for more information.
- Define the purpose: write as precise as possible. Don’t do: ‘write something about the band for promo’. Rather, do: ‘write long read content about band member xyz experience on tour 1876 for the newsletter’
Examples of good copywriting
If you are still unsure about how to do great copywriting, it is always a good idea to search for outstanding examples. Here, you can find names like Mary Wells Lawrence, Joseph Sugarman, Phyllis Kenner Robinson, David Garfinkel or David Ogilvy.
However, I found a much more approachable take. Below you find examples on how to improve your copy:
MEH: “Buy our new album out Tuesday via our website.”
BETTER: “After months toiling away in Derek’s basement, we’re so proud to announce that our brand new album, Copywriting Rocks!, is available for pre-order NOW via our website! It drops on Tuesday, and the first 50 copies sold will be personally autographed!”
MEH: “Our summer concert schedule is up at ourbandlovescopywriting.com.”
BETTER: “We’ve planned your summer concert season for you! Check out our full line-up of shows at ourbandlovescopywriting.com. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philly – we’re coming for you!”
Copywriting is very important for the music industry
In conclusion, copywriting is as important to music experts as to any other industry. For one thing, it can help you transform your campaign from ok to perfect.
In this blog post, you learned about the importance of copywriting for the music industry. Secondly, use-cases of copywriting were discussed.
Then, SEO copywriting followed. Coupled with copywriting technics and examples of good copywriting.
Don’t let the opportunity of copywriting in music go unused. Explicitly not when it is as simple as described above!
*header graphics and music notes