Musician Website: Still Relevant in 2024?

In the age of social media, it’s easy to think that traditional websites are going the way of the dinosaurs, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, a musician website is still an essential component of a professional artist's public presence.

If you're serious about going from amateur to pro — in the eyes of fans and industry insiders — you need a website showcasing you, your brand, and your work. There is no substitute. Fortunately, modern tools have made website creation easier than ever.

In this article, we’ll explain why you still need a musician website in the social media era plus provide some tips on how to get started making your own site.

Why You Need a Musician Website

While social media is the primary way artists find an audience and connect with fans, it’s only one piece of the self-marketing, brand-building puzzle. Websites offer unique benefits, not as a frivolous formality, but as a complementary companion to a robust social media presence. Basically, your website is your digital calling card.

However, be sure to keep an eye on the big picture. The greatest website in the world won’t matter if your content is sloppy or mediocre. But, if you’ve mastered your craft and optimized your social media, creating a personal website is a logical next step.

Here are some of the key benefits of a musician website:

Total content control

While social media gives you unprecedented access to a global audience, you have no control over what these platforms do — including nuking your account for no reason. With your own website, you’re in control, free to post whatever you want without fear of being shadow-banned or deplatformed.

Showcase your brand

A website allows you to highlight your brand beyond the narrow limits of social media (e.g., profile bios). Using visual and narrative storytelling, you can create a complete picture of the artistic persona you want to present to the world. Plus, social media is a ruthless competition for eyeballs and attention. With a personal website, the focus is entirely on you.

Algorithm-friendly

If someone Googles you, they’ll usually be taken to one of your social media profiles. However, if you have a search-optimized website, Google will most likely put your page near the top of the search list, driving visitors to your site. Don't miss this opportunity to meet the needs of your fans.

One-stop shopping

As your social media presence is likely spread across multiple platforms, a website helps consolidate all your stuff in one place. Along with all your music, photos, and videos, your website can include social media handles, merchandise, reviews, blogs, schedule, booking information, contact information, electronic press kit, and more.

Professional credibility

If you want to go pro, you have to act like a pro. All successful professional musicians have dynamic, on-brand websites that show the world they're serious players. If you want to look legit in the eyes of both fans and industry insiders, a musician website helps establish that credibility.

Tips for Creating a Musician Website

Going into detail about building a website is beyond the scope of this article, but we can highlight some general guidelines that can help make sure you're moving in the right direction.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Pick your platform

If you're not an experienced HTML coder, your first step is to find a website builder. Fortunately, intuitive platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress make the process of creating a website simpler than ever before. The whole process is plug and play — no coding skills necessary. Pick the platform that suits your budget, sign up, and dive in. You can have a basic site set up in no time.

But remember, the goal here is to present yourself as a pro to the world, so don’t DIY your site unless you’re confident you can get a professional result. While most modern website builders are easy to use, don’t hesitate to hire a professional developer if necessary. Posting an amateur-looking site is worse than having no site at all.

Find the right theme for your musician website

Customization and design possibilities are endless, but don’t go wild just for the sake of it. As we said above, your site has a specific purpose of presenting your brand to the world, and your site's design and theme must reflect that. Your goal is to project your personality and voice — not to just make something cool or flashy.

Use high-quality materials

Think of your website as a permanent archive showcasing  your artistic life. Don’t post low-quality photos, videos, or sound recordings. Always put your best foot forward. And if you don’t have high-quality materials for your site (e.g., professional photos), that’s where you need to start.

Leverage available tools

The functionality available to modern web designers is staggering. Websites can basically do anything you can imagine. Be sure to use all the tools you can to maximize impact for visitors. For example, be sure to set up easy-access mailing lists and embed your music for a seamless user experience.

Check and test

It’s important to make sure that your site performs well and is user-friendly. Navigation should be clear and intuitive, your shop should be easy to use, and links should be live and working. And as most traffic is from mobile users, you have to be sure your site scales correcty for mobile screens. The last thing you want is for a visitor to excitedly seek out your site only to be let down by technical problems.

Keep your musician website up-to-date

Don’t leave out any relevant information. If a fan or industry professional visits your site, they should have all their questions about you answered — and more. Also, be sure to keep your site fresh and up-to-date. Nothing looks more amateur than a bunch of inaccurate or outdated info.

Musician Website Takeaways

When it comes to fan engagement, there’s no doubt that social media is king for both aspiring and established artists. That’s just the age we live in. But if you ignore traditional websites, you could be leaving opportunities on the table. Don’t think of a musician website as an alternative to social media, but rather as a way to round out a complete digital footprint. While you don’t need a website on day one, you’ll need it eventually.

If you’re an aspiring musician and you’re ready to take your music to the next level, it’s important to partner with an experienced distributor you can trust. Sugo Music Group has been helping artists distribute their musical recordings worldwide for over 30 years. By working with one of the industry’s top leaders, you can get your music the exposure it deserves and become the musician you’ve always wanted to be.