Just like while sending a demo to a label, to self promote music, a good promo package needed. The package should have: a press release detailing the news, a short (one page) band bio, a CD (a demo recording is ok or an advance copy of an upcoming release), a package of any press coverage you have had so far - press coverage begets press coverage, your contact information (make sure to include an email address - people may hesitate to call you), a color photo or a link to a site where a photo can be downloaded. The press is more likely to run a photo if they don't have to chase it.

Contrary to popular belief, getting actual coverage - reviews and interviews - for the music online isn't much different than it is in the print world. In fact, it may be easier. Some music is needed, a press release and a database of contacts. That last one is the trickiest part if any promo is never done before, but there's no mystery. It's not glamorous, but it's a good time investment.

Broken and mistyped links are the best way of telling visitors that are too busy to attend to the web presence and sending them elsewhere. They’ll probably think that the music has been given up and will move on. The construction of the website should not be rushed to MySpace, Facebook or other online pages. It should be ensured to take the time to test links carefully, and ask friends to do it too. One of the most common areas that links errors occur is in mail outs or newsletters. A friend should be asked to check the links in the newsletter or mail shot before sending it out, as there is nothing worse than delivering the newsletter twice. At best it looks unprofessional, at worst one will get marked as spam by his fans.

Most artists, bands or labels are quite content using their MySpace page as their main web presence which is a great way to start. However laying out a MySpace page is both restrictive and tricky, and whilst achieving a lot using a professional designer or MySpace profile design tool, if desiring to be taken seriously by the music industry to register own web domain and get a well designed website.

For more info: http://www.musiciansatlas.com/