The Internet has too many social networks already. It is full of blogs, social bookmarking sites, and clever little Web 2.0 outlets that allow you to interact with people all over the world. Basically, if someone thought of something that could be done on the Internet, at least one person has tried to create a social network to make it happen. The result is a massive web of sites that are generally all very similar, but still quite powerful.
That’s why, when you first look at Squidoo, it appears to be much like every other website you have encountered while trying to market your music. It allows you to quickly and freely start your own page – called a lens – and blog about that topic. You can gather friends, comment on other lenses, and vote on how effective they are – but somehow Squidoo is much different and for someone looking to stretch a little and find new fans, different is absolutely necessary.
First, a Squidoo lens is created with the notion that it will make money. People do not create these sites just because they want to share their thoughts on something – they create them because they feel they are an expert in a certain field and can share their expertise for a general profit. This is bolstered by the inclusion of affiliate links to dozens of different services.
Say for example you want to create a lens about Monty Python. After creating that lens, you could include all of the following on the page for potential readers:
- An Amazon Plexo (listing of top products that readers can vote on) with 10-20 products.
- Ticket sales for Broadway shows.
- Google AdSense
- Targeted offers from other lenses
- Paid banner ads from major companies
- Gift ideas and links
And dozens of other possible inclusions, if you have the space for it. That’s not to say that a Squidoo lens is only for money making. It’s a marketer’s dream and the money making opportunities are only small tools to help that goal along.
For the prospective musician, the possibilities can grow even larger. Too many musicians and artists assume that everything they do in their marketing campaign must be focused on making their name bigger and reaching new audiences, but just as much good can be done simply by creating a presence for you as an individual on the Internet.
If your band falls into a specific genre or has a specific sound that you want to relay to your fans, create a lens in Squidoo that allows you to show just how much you know about that sound. Talk about your favorite bands – their histories, their members, and their albums. Talk about shows that are coming up, new bands in the genre, and of course your own band.
By combining the best of what you aspire to be and what you actually are, you can promote yourself through an exploding market. Not only that, but you can add your own show tickets, albums, and merchandise to the lens and sell them, making additional profits and spreading your music at the same time. With a couple of hours invested in writing about something you are already passionate about, you will have created a portal that can bring thousands of new fans to your MySpace profile, your shows, and – if you are lucky – the box office.
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