Web platforms for independent musicians

Recently I decided that I want to continue my hobby of making and performing music. I realized that I need a website for my hobby. I looked around and had three options:

1. build one on my own (very simple html/css with a cool image and an audio player, possible a one-pager),
2. use wordpress (there’s a number of suitable templates that can be used as homepages for performing artists and musicians)
3. get on an online platform for musicians online.

Below are the results of what I found.

My requirements were

• tool for bands to make and manage websites online
• tool for bands to promote their creativity
• tool for bands to distribute their content viraly
• tool serving independent rock folk segment
• audience is russian speakers

Went to google.com to collect a list of available platforms.

Here are the contenders

• Jamendo.com
• ReverbNation.com
• BandCamp.com
• MuxTape.com
• PureVolume.com
• MySpace.com
• Last.fm

Went on alexa.com compare traffic

• Jamendo.com on Alexa.com
• Last.fm on Alexa.com
• ReverbNation.com on Alexa.com
• BandCamp.com on Alexa.com
• MuxTape.com on Alexa.com
• PureVolume.com on Alexa.com
• MySpace.com on Alexa.com

See something that I missed, please let me know. See something that you’ve used and would like to comment on? Feel free to leave a comment, I will be extremely happy!

How companies benefit by using Twitter

Just reading an article at iMediaConnection about Twitter Experiments and how companies are using Twitter to get closer with their customers, create and enrich the conversations. I’m still one of those who has no solid idea on how to use Twitter productively for business purposes. Please let me know how your company benefited by twitter. In turn I’ll post my insights on the tool. Below is the snippet of the article with URL.

Article Highlights:

• H&R Block’s feed is 75 percent @replies
• Glam Media’s Tinker allows brands to sponsor filtered Twitter feeds about hot topics
• A mobile L.A. eatery uses Twitter to keep customers aware of its location
• Microsoft sponsors a collection of tweets from top executives

To read the article: 5 Twitter marketing experiments