In today's competitive music industry, where artists signed to major record labels dominate the scene, there's a powerful and often underestimated method that can give independent artists a significant advantage—live streaming your music. While it may seem slow, the potential benefits are substantial, particularly for young, independent artists looking to make their mark.However, live streaming is not for everyone. If your branding does not lean to the outgoing, ‘relatable’ side, live streaming can be exhausting and might not align with your identity. On the other hand, if your artist branding is that ‘girl next door’ and you enjoy sharing your life with the fans, this is your opportunity to boost your visibility to a wider audience. Or, to learn more about other strategies for your music marketing plan, check our review on Top 4 Music Marketing Strategy, exclusively for independent artists. Think music live-streaming is for you? Let’s dive into our guide on how to create your music live-streaming plan now! Why consider live streaming in your music marketing campaign?Live streaming works similarly to social media, allowing you to showcase your personality and authenticity online, but in a faster and more efficient way. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when we were all locked inside, artists sought new ways to sustain their passion for music. And audiences, too, look for ways to support their favorite artists and discover new music. How does that work - you may ask? Instead of sharing stories through social media posts, live streaming enables direct, real-time conversations with your audience.When you share photos and videos on social media, the visibility of your posts isn't guaranteed. In contrast, live streaming, particularly on platforms like Instagram, holds a unique advantage. Instagram notifies your followers instantly when you go live, assuming they haven't disabled notifications for your posts (fingers crossed they haven't!).This market of live streaming has become rapidly popular. Through live streaming, you can connect with your audience on a more personal level, answer their questions on time, share your music, and cover song requests from new audiences, showcasing your voice and style to potential fans. This method has brought many artists the opportunity to rise and succeed in their music careers. For instance, Pomplamoose gained popularity by engaging with their audiences on Twitch and YouTube in real time. Taking song requests and interacting through live chat, they have now achieved a dedicated fanbase of +1.7M on YouTube. How to plan your music live stream strategy? Your music live-stream schedule The optimal live stream duration is typically around 2 hours, which gives a balance for reaching viewers and accommodating your planned activities. Based on your strategy, consider hosting 1 to 2 live stream sessions per week. This consistency helps your audience know when and where to find you online. Your music live-stream sessionAccording to research, live streams typically don’t reach the peak number of viewers after the first 30 minutes of broadcasting. It’s important to keep this in mind when planning your streaming strategy. Within the first 30 minutes, use them as an “ice-breaking time”. For instance, you can have small talks with your audience, introduce yourself to the audience, and engage with them. This is an essential step to take since not everyone knows about you before the live stream. So be sure to let them know who you are. Check out our tips on how to build your music identity to understand how you can showcase yourself more effectively. Once you’ve reached a sufficient number of views, transition to your performance stage and start your music live stream. Remember to have breaks between songs and actively engage with your audience. Continuously singing for extended periods can be overwhelming, so these breaks not only give you time to breathe but also offer valuable opportunities to receive feedback and insights from your growing fan base. To end your live stream, consider dedicating time to a Q&A with your audience. Encourage them to ask questions about you, fostering a more personal connection. Use this moment to invite them to follow you on other social media or streaming platforms for more content and updates as well! What’s the best live-streaming platform for independent artists? With the variety of options available, you can choose your platform depending on your goals. Instagram LiveSince your live streaming on this platform is typically visible to your followers only. To be able to get your live stream on the explore page, you need to have high engagement, as well as align with the audience’s interest. So this platform is ideal for enhancing engagement with your existing audience rather than building a wider fan base. To learn more about what to talk about on your Instagram live stream, check out our article How To Understand Your Fanbase and get more ideas from there!YouTube LiveYouTube serves as a great platform for live-streaming your music. Make your stream public to allow everyone to discover it, and YouTube’s algorithm will recommend your content to the audiences based on their viewing history and patterns. Keep in mind, though, that the audience here often leans toward music videos and other kinds of video entertainment. So, while your live stream may reach users outside your active audience, achieving expected engagement could vary based on user preferences. Twitch That leads to our highly recommended live stream platform for independent artists, Twitch - a dedicated live-streaming platform where users actively seek streams to watch. Enhance your discoverability by adding relevant categories like “Music” or “Just chatting” for your live session, making it easier for interested audiences to find and engage with your content. Announce the live stream and captivate your audience Just as you announce your upcoming releases to your fans on social media, don't forget to share your live stream schedule with them. Whether as a dedicated post or a story, include a reminder and the link to your upcoming stream.Speak to your audience conversationally, just like you would with friends. Inform them about your upcoming livestream and share a juicy secret to stir their excitement. For instance, you could tease a "New Song Premiere" or promise to answer the most embarrassing questions exclusively during the live stream tonight!Check out our tailored tips to stand out on different social media platforms here - we will help you navigate through where and how to post your announcements! Continue to promote your music with Base For Music While live streaming is a valuable component of your music marketing strategy, it is not the ultimate solution. Broaden your online presence and music to a wider audience through a dynamic approach like using social ads. Unlike organic promotion methods which can take lots of time and effort to build a fanbase, social ads offer targeted efficiency, boosting your music’s reach to the right audience at the right time. At Base For Music, we specialize in guiding artists through the challenges of advertising. Choose to promote your music seamlessly across social media and streaming platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Spotify,... through our all-in-one dashboard. Contact us today for a tailored approach to boost your music career!