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How to Make a Great Band Website
Ok, we get asked frequently, “should I just rely on MySpace? does our band really need our own website?”.
Yes, you need your own website, and no don’t just rely on MySpace, or imeem, or Amie St. Why send all your traffic to those sites and none none to your own, where at you can control the look, feel and message of your music? That’s a rhetorical question, but really, you want to take advantage of the massiveness of MySpace but still get people to experience your music (maybe even buy your music) at your website. We don’t think this is a contentious topic, but we understand that putting the pieces together because of time, money and technology can be fucking hard and confusing. We’d like to help you sort some things out.
Rather than preach, we’d like to show you what we feel is a great band website. Design esthetics and arguments aside, this band’s website is simple, stunning, and lists in a very accessible way, all the important information, reviews, photos and music. The band’s name is Hello Tokyo, and this is their website:
This is what we like.
- Style: hey if the band’s style is clean lines and white backgrounds, then hell, that’s their thing and it looks nice.
- Shows: left-column, lists the dates and cities, nothing ground-breaking but bands make money when more people show up to their shows…soooo, make the shows known.
- News: just below their shows, for people who care about the band’s drinking habits and shit.
- Merc: right-smack-dab in the middle of the page, first thing you look at. Again bands make good money off merch, don’t hide it, put it out there so someone can buy it.
- Photos: potential fans are asking, “how does the band look?”, unfortunately you have to show your faces (or fortunately depending on your genes) and you might as well get a good shot of you on your own website instead of on MySpace where your pic will be placed right next to some stupid banner ad asking, “Are You Stupid, take the Test!”.
- Videos: post your YouTube videos on your website. It’s really easy to do.
- MP3 Streaming: yes, yes, yes, include a high-quality stream of one of your prize songs, but please try to ease-up on the Autoplay feature of the MP3 player, some people have their speakers set to VERY HIGH volumes and having some website just start playing music is fucking hell.
- Press: Joe’s Blog said something nice about your music, include it! It’ll help.
- Other Websites: List, using those adorable and oh-so-trendy, website icons to let everyone know, yes, you’re hip with the Internet and latest hot shit.
- Email Update Signup: Surprisingly, a lot of people still like to get stuff in their email each morning. Your band’s latest news could be one of those emails. Try to get an email newsletter sign-up form on your website. Then write funny, impressive and snarky emails for your fans to eat up.
This is an exhaustive list of one website. Please comment below your ideas on what makes for an easy to use and memorable band website; and, if you want to get technical, leave information on where people can find free, open source software that can make all this cool stuff a reality…for free!
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