By Ryan Van Etten on 01/09/2011
I consider my URL selection virtualmusic.tv as a minor fail. Of course when I launched the site in July 2009 I thought it was brilliant, but truly, only hindsight is 20/20. Last summer a conversation with Bandzoogle founder Chris Vinson helped confirmed in my mind that the URL choice of virtualmusic.tv was not ideal for the core reason above—it’s no .COM.
Posted in Discussion, Editor Notes, Editorial, News | Tagged .TV extension, analysis, branding, brands, business, case study, change, choosing a URL, Chris Vinson, comparison, decision, examples, fail, identity, identity crisis, learning experience, mistakes, name change, poll, SEO, site info, story, URL, URL formula, URL selection, virtual definition, word pairs |
By Ryan Van Etten on 07/27/2010
“Decide an important action + encourage fans to do the action.” There are three phases according to Vinson: Attract fans from social networks a.k.a. “outposts.” Engage them with a “compelling fan experience.” Sell through simple calls to action. Have one concept per page—one call to action. “Artist websites emphasize an artist’s own brand.”
Posted in Design, Music, Music Flux | Tagged action, Ariel Hyatt, attract, band websites, bandzoogle, brands, call to action, Chris Vinson, communication, direct-to-fan, Disc Makers, engagement, interaction, Liz Leahy, mailing lists, music web design, New Music Seminar, NMS NYC 2010, personal brands, resources, retain mindshare, Section 101, service, social media, social music, tips, Tony Van Veen, UX, value-added communication, web design, What I Learned at NMS10 |
By Ryan Van Etten on 12/01/2009
The interviews below featuring Terry McBride—CEO of Nettwerk—offer terrific insight to the digital era of music. Terry points out that the ways in which we consume music are changing rapidly—largely due to smartphones—and that the “emotional glue” between fans and musicians is the essence of music business.
Posted in Interviews, Music, Music Flux | Tagged access vs. ownership, app stores, Apps, artist labels, behavior, brands, business, cloud, cloud computing, consumers, consumption, content, context, copyright law, culture, digital, direct-to-fan, DIY, entertainment, fans, future, interview, iPhone, kids, marketplace, media, mobile, mobility, music industry, MusicBiz, musicians, Nettwerk, P2P, partnerships, positivity, service, smartphones, social music, streaming, TED, Terry McBride, trends, video, virtuality |
By Ryan Van Etten on 11/21/2009
The internet has leveled the playing field. It has proven that content is king, and that those who work hard at delivering content can build a following. Artists have channels with live streaming video content and direct connection with their fans through mobile applications. The same opportunities exist for everyone, and they’re almost all free. You may think that endorsements and partnerships are only for megastars—but I don’t.
Posted in Editorial, Music, Music Flux, Popular | Tagged adaptation, bands, behavior, brands, business, clothing, consumers, content, Design, direct-to-fan, DIY, endorsements, engagement, entertainment, Facebook, fashion, IMVU, iPhone, justintv, Kodak, Mariah Carey, MusicBiz, musicians, MySpace, partnerships, products, revenue, Second Life, social media, social music, sponsorships, stickam, streaming, ustream, webcam, YouTube, Zi6, Zi8 |
By Ryan Van Etten on 11/19/2009
So you consider music as your profession? Then whether you like it or not, your band is your brand. You may think you are defined by your style and sound, but nowadays your are ultimately defined by your fans and their perception of you. When you look in the social-media mirror your public face should be a reflection of your private face.
Posted in Editorial, Music, Music Flux | Tagged bands, brands, business, communication, community, dopeness, economics, engagement, entertainment, Gary Vaynerchuk, identity, interaction, internet, media, music industry, MusicBiz, musicians, revenue, service, social media, thank you economy, tips, wackness |
