The main perk of having a record label behind your backs is they will take care of your music promotion from A to Z. They have a clear path on what should be released, directions to guide their talents, their network of relations, and where they introduce new releases, having total control over capitalizing new trends, and many perks to name a few.In the age of the internet where music is decentralized, nobody is forced to sign to be successful. However, there are music promotion practices that an upcoming artist can learn from record labels.In this article, we give you 6 practices when it comes to promoting your music professionally like a record label. If you want to learn more, check out our extensive guide on music promotion.1. Build a Release ScheduleIt's more crucial to release music constantly than it is to be too critical about releasing a big album and record labels like Universal Music Group and Atlantic Records get it. Building your body of work (also known as a discography) comes from a multitude of releases, any songs will draw instant interest, however, will gradually taper off.As interest in the first song begins to diminish, you need to have enough material to build yourself a release schedule – and keep up the stamina. This enables you to maintain the momentum your singles generate. When you know that listeners are engaged, you have a substantial following in the making.Besides that, it gives out a good signal to Spotify’s algorithms to promote your songs. Learn more with our article on how to optimize your song with Spotify’s algorithms.2. Network of InfluenceFor any record label, their network of radio promotion, industry connections, publications that have influence, and individual tastemakers all create a strong mark up on how their artist's latest release will turn out - Name it streams, favorable reviews, but based on what's present in the work. Having a network of tastemakers and community builders is important for an artist's growth. If you would like to get to know how to build a network, check out our article on networking.Major record labels can spend more to get their artists broadcast at the right time, right places, and the playlists that help their artist's work gain momentum, generate profit, and attract the general audience. We also have an article discussing how you can get signed by a label.3. Build a fanbase through an email list and offers.Previously in our blog, we had an article exploring how you can build a fanbase through email marketing. This traditional method is a concrete step to capture your audience and get your name out there.Plus, releasing free music is a great way to yield interest within your music genre. People are always searching for new music, so providing them tracks for free is important to grow a level of appreciation from both sides: you and your audience. Placing it behind a download gate makes sure you get something in return. Like an email address.4. Make Video ContentThe existence of TikTok has impacted the music industry as a whole and helped artists to blow up after a night. Hence, more and more record labels are seeing this as an opportunity to promote their talents through TikTok.Even the hilarious “my record label is forcing me to make a TikTok” trend coming from artists is a smart satire of record labels’ obsession with TikTok. However, we have to admit how effective TikTok can help an artist to gain exposure. TikTok simplifies the process of having a visual presence to accompany the music and your narrative as an artist. To learn more, check out our article explaining what TikTok musicians are doing right in terms of music promotion.And of course to mention the original star-making platform: YouTube – launched many careers with long to short-form music videos that enhance the story behind the music or themes to attract the audience to what your music is about.5. Website & Wikipedia EntryEvery signed artist has a website and there’s a reason for it. One of the biggest advantages of running a website is that it gives you an advantage in your online portfolio and music promotion by having everything in one place (music video, album, merch, etc). Check out our article on how having your website is an important step in your music promotion.Besides having a website, creating a Wikipedia Styled Profile can also greatly help your brand as it triggers the Google knowledge panel. Google knowledge panel is the snippets of important info about a person that pops up on the right side of the browser and is composed of quickly compact information about the artist, such as bio, label, discography, and latest tour date, routinely compiled along with Search result when users look for information about the artist. This helps the fan to quickly gather information about you once they have a bit of interest.6. Running Social AdsFor every label, no matter major or independent, it is a key requirement that social ads have to be run to be able to reach mass audiences. Social Ads simplify the process of promotion by letting artists choose their budget, campaign time, demographic, locations, interests, past activities, occupations, and more. It is also a very interactive way of marketing, making it one of the most reliable advertising options. Check out our article on how you can choose the right Social Ads platform for your music.As an independent artist, regardless of which goal you’re aiming for, whether to get signed with a record label or learn how to operate multiple tasks as an independent act. The key step for you is to work with a legitimate partner in music promotion, who can help you run ads for your music using services like Base for Music - generating sponsored campaigns across social networks such as Facebook, TikTok, Youtube, and Spotify. We help you to build your fanbase by exposing your music to a wider audience. Sign up for your free account today!