Welcome to the Matrix: QR Codes

     The goal of technology is to make things easier by getting  information to you as quickly as possible. A fantastic example of this within the entertainment industry is through the use of Quick Response codes. You may have seen them in the corners of magazine ads, and on band posters taped to the sides of buildings. They are little squares similar to barcodes. What are they for, you ask? They are your gateway to the Internet in the blink of an eye. Imagine Neo getting plugged into the Matrix.

QR codes are a great way to get consumers (whether in business or music) to see the specific information that enhances your brand. 

Whether it be a link to your band page,  

 the product list on your website,

or your Twitter and Youtube pages, these codes send your audience directly there. Its as simple as pressing the shutter button on your smart phone.

The use of QR codes is an amazing trend in mobile marketing. One of the attributes that make it so great, is how easy they are to use. Newer phones come with the Readers/Barcode Scanners pre-installed. There are also many free QR generators available on the web for public use. They can also be printed on practically anything, from product packaging to business cards, to decals on the side of your company car or touring van.

 Playing a gig ? Sell concert T-shirts at your merchandise table with QR codes printed right on them. That way your fans literally become walking billboards for your music. Put your album cover or band name on the front, and the QR codes on the back. The link can send curious people straight to iTunes or CD baby to listen to samples of your music and then purchase your album.

If you are a small business that sells a product or service, use QR codes to direct potential customers to coupons and special offers only available via this link. You would be surprised how many people walking by your storefront ( with a QR code displayed in the window of course!) would click the link and then come in to purchase the item associated with that special offer.

QR codes keep customers engaged without keeping them tied to a computer. They turn passive observers into active consumers. So will you take the blue pill and stick with the posters, stickers, fliers and mailers that you’ve always used or take the red pill and ride the wave of the future? The choice is yours.

"This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."~The Matrix

~All photos courtesy of the Warner Brothers film, The Matrix

Spotify: Good Idea? Bad Idea?

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Spotify, (just in case you’ve been asleep for the past month) is a Swedish music service that allows users to listen to full albums streaming on the Internet for free.  All the user needs to do is download the app and they have instant access to hundreds of thousands of songs on their desktop. They cannot download or transfer the music with this service, but they can create playlists to share with other Spotify users. Other paid levels of this service allow access to the database via your mobile device that is ad free, and available both on-line or off. It started as Spotify AB, available in Europe as of October 2008. In July of this year, it became available to the United States by invitation only. What does this mean for independent musicians?

As an independent or unsigned artist, the most important thing you can do is to expose your music to as many audiences as possible. Spotify guarantees widespread exposure by mixing your music with other major artists in the same genre. Allowing users to listen to your music for free, creates a legal way for potential fans to “try before the buy” without having to steal your music from the web. With this service, users can share playlists through social media, drawing a new following and introducing your music to an audience who otherwise may never have come across your album. Fans are also persuaded to spend their money on concerts/shows and merchandise since they have not had to purchase the music itself. Another plus are the royalties you receive every time your music is played. The service can also generate consumer reports so that you can track your audience and see what songs fans are listening to regularly.

Fans get to hear not just select songs, but your entire album for free. The number of plays is unlimited (with Premium service), so why should they bother to buy, especially if they can also listen on their mobile phone. They would be able to bring the music with them in the car and everywhere else they go.  In order to be included in the service, you must already be connected to their list of aggregators. Although you get royalties, Major labels are shareholders in Spotify and earn more money per play that their unsigned counterparts. According to a PDA: The Digital Content Blog, independent artists are getting short-changed with regards to revenue.

All in all, although you can’t count on Spotify to pay your rent, as an unsigned artist, it can only help. Building your fan base should be top priority and you will be surprised how many fans want to support you and  buy your albums anyway. Giving people a way to sample your music will bring new fans to your shows and can help pull your band from obscurity. 



~all photos from Warner Bros. animation sketch "Good Idea, Bad Idea" from the cartoon Animaniacs