SEO for Artists and Record Labels: How to Get Your Art Discovered Online

Written by: Steve Berg

Silhouetted rock band performing live on stage with an energetic crowd and dramatic lighting.

In today’s digital world, even the most talented musicians and music businesses can get lost in the noise. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is about cutting through that noise by improving your visibility on search engines like Google. Think of SEO as ensuring your “online stage” is well-lit and easy to find. It’s a way to help potential fans, customers, or collaborators discover you organically (for free) when they search for music, services, or content related to your work. This comprehensive guide will demystify SEO and show how musicians, indie labels, music shops, and other music-related businesses in North America can use it to their advantage. We’ll cover SEO basics, break down its main types (with music-specific examples), highlight current SEO trends, peek at what major record labels are doing, and share case studies of independent success. By the end, you’ll also get practical tips you can use immediately – no technical background required. Let’s dive in!

What is SEO (and Why Artists and Record Labels Should Care)?

SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” In plain English, it means tweaking and improving your online content, whether it be images, general text, or video, so that search engines can find you more easily and rank you higher in search results. When someone types a query into Google (or Bing, Yahoo, etc.), SEO helps ensure that your website or profile appears prominently if that query is relevant to your music or business. It’s like making your website a neon sign in a massive record store – you want your sign to catch the eye when someone is looking for what you offer.

For musicians and music businesses, SEO is about growing your visibility online organically (without paid ads) so more of your target audience can find your "product" effectively. This could mean showing up when a fan searches your band’s name, ranking for a genre plus location query like “jazz band in Toronto,” or appearing in results for related topics (e.g. a guitar shop showing up when someone searches “best acoustic guitar for beginners”). In short, SEO helps connect you with people already looking for music or services like yours – it’s a vital component of digital marketing for artists in today's rapidly changing digital landscape. (This article, written in 2025, may become outdated quickly due to the current rate of change.)

Even if you’re unfamiliar with marketing jargon, the key idea is: better SEO = higher visibility = more chances to be discovered. As one music industry SEO expert put it, “in today’s digital age, SEO is no longer optional for music businesses. It’s a necessity to cut through the noise and reahttp://SEOwebfx.comch your target audience effectively” (denovoagency.com). Whether your goal is to increase streams, sell concert tickets, gain recognition at a record store, or expand your fan base, SEO can play a significant role in making it happen.

The Four Types of SEO (Tailored to the Music Industry)

SEO isn’t just one single thing – it’s a combination of strategies. We can group these into four main categories: on-page SEO, technical SEO, off-page SEO, and local SEO. Each type covers a distinct aspect of optimizing your online presence. Let’s break down each one with definitions and music-specific examples:

1. On-Page SEO for Musicians and Music Businesses

On-page SEO refers to optimizing the content on your website itself. It’s about ensuring each site page communicates its purpose (to both users and search engines) and targets the relevant keywords. For a musician or music business, on-page SEO includes things like:

• Relevant Keywords in Your Content: Use words and phrases that people would search for. For example, a singer-songwriter might naturally include genre terms (“folk-pop artist”) or song themes in their bio, or a guitar shop might have product pages with names like “Fender Stratocaster electric guitar.” If you’re a recording studio, you’d mention services like “mixing and mastering” on your pages. These keyword cues help search engines know what queries your site should rank for. Always weave keywords in a reader-friendly way – write for humans first, but ensure you’re also using terminology fans would use to find you.

  
  

• Page Titles and Meta Descriptions: These are the text snippets that show up in Google results. Ensure your page titles clearly say who you are and what the page is about (e.g., “The Jazz Cats – Official Website of Toronto Jazz Band”). Meta descriptions, which are summaries of search results, should be inviting and include one or two relevant keywords. Most website platforms (WordPress, Bandzoogle, Squarespace, etc.) allow you to edit these elements without requiring coding skills. For instance, on your “Music” page, a title could be “Music – The Jazz Cats | Listen to Our Albums,” and the meta description could mention your latest release and genre.

  
  

• Headings and Text: Structure your pages with headings (like H1 for the page title, H2 for sub-sections) that include relevant terms. An “About the Band” section, a “Tour Dates” section, and so on, each with clear headings, helps readers and signals the content structure to Google. On a music shop site, you might have headings for categories like “Electric Guitars,” “Acoustic Guitars,” and “Keyboards,” which align with what customers search for.

  
  

• Quality and Relevance of Content: Ensure the content itself is high-quality and relevant. This might involve crafting a compelling bio, detailing your music releases, maintaining a blog with news or behind-the-scenes stories, or writing articles that address fan questions and concerns. The key is not to just stuff keywords – Google prefers natural, informative content. Data shows that top-ranking pages tend to use fewer, but more meaningful, keywords these days, as search engines become better at understanding context and intent. So, you might write a blog post about the inspiration behind a song – it naturally could rank for queries about that song or topic, while genuinely engaging your fans.

  
  

• Examples in Action: An independent folk artist in Austin, Texas, might create a dedicated page for “Live Performances” where they list past and upcoming gigs. On that page, they might include a line like “Jane Doe is a folk singer in Austin performing at local venues and festivals,” which helps her rank for local folk music searches. Likewise, her homepage could highlight her new album with phrases like “2024 Austin indie folk album release,” capturing those searching for new local music. If you run a record label’s site, your artist pages would each be optimized with the artist’s name, genre, latest album info, etc., so that a search for that artist quickly leads to your official page.

  
  

In summary, on-page SEO is about making your website content clear and keyword-smart. It’s something you can control directly. Every page is an opportunity to tell search engines what you’re about so that they can send the right searchers your way.

2. Technical SEO (The Backstage Setup)

While on-page SEO focuses on content, technical SEO deals with the behind-the-scenes aspects of your site’s performance and structure. Think of this as the soundcheck and stage setup before a show – it’s not glamorous to the audience, but it’s crucial for a smooth performance. Technical SEO ensures that search engines can crawl and index your site without issues and that users have a positive experience. Key technical SEO factors for music sites include:

• Site Speed and Mobile-Friendliness: Music sites often feature rich media, including images, audio, and video. It’s vital to optimize these so your pages load quickly. Fans won’t wait 10 seconds for a heavy page, nor will Google – fast-loading sites tend to rank higher in search results. Compress your images, use modern audio and video embeds sparingly (or host on YouTube or Spotify rather than self-hosting large files), and utilize a mobile-responsive design. With most searches now occurring on mobile devices, Google employs mobile-first indexing, which means it primarily evaluates your site based on its performance on mobile devices.
  

• Crawlability and Indexing: Ensure your site is structured in a way that allows search engine bots to navigate it effectively. This means having a straightforward menu and internal links (logically linking your pages). Avoid putting important info only in images or videos without text – for example, if your tour dates are in a JPEG flplacing important information only in pictures or videos without text – for instance, if your tour dates are in a JPEG flyer image, also list them in text; otherwise Google can’t read it. Similarly, avoid music websites built entirely in Flash or overly fancy JavaScript that doesn’t load content for crawlers. Use descriptive alt text for images (e.g., <img src="band_photo.jpg" alt=" The Jazz Cats live at Toronto Jazz Fest 2024">), so that search engines (and visually impaired users with screen readers) know what the image is.

In short, technical SEO is about making your website healthy and accessible, much like ensuring the stage is sturdy and the sound system is functioning correctly. It may require some setup work or the help of a web-savvy friend, but many things (site speed, mobile layout, and basic meta tags) are manageable on DIY platforms with the correct settings. And the payoff is worth it: better technical SEO = easier for Google and fans to use your site = better rankings.

3. Off-Page SEO (Building Your Online Reputation & Backlinks)

Off-page SEO is everything you do outside of your website, at the very least,  to improve your search rankings and online reputation. The most significant factor here is link-building – getting other reputable sites to link to your site signals to Google that you’re an authority or at least worthy of attention. It’s akin to word-of-mouth or referrals in the music scene: you gain credibility if many reputable voices talk about you.

For musicians and music businesses, off-page SEO can take several forms:

• Backlinks from Music Blogs and Press: When a respected music blog, magazine, or local news site writes about you and links to your website, it’s gold for SEO. For example, if you release a new album and a blog reviews it, that review might link to your official site or Bandcamp. These backlinks act like “votes” for your credibility in Google’s eyes. The more quality links (from relevant, high-authority sites) you have, the better. Major labels can easily secure backlinks through press releases that are picked up by the media. As an independent artist, you may need to hustle more: send your music to bloggers, collaborate with YouTubers, or do something newsworthy in your community that local press covers and links to you.

  
  

• Social Media and Content Sharing: While links from social media are usually “nofollow” (meaning they don’t directly boost SEO the way a normal link does), having a strong social presence can indirectly help. If you share a great blog post or video from your site and it goes viral, many people will see it – some might write their piece and link to you, or at least you’ll get more branded searches (people searching your name after seeing you). Google does notice overall online mentions of your brand. Also, maintain consistency: use your artist/band name across profiles so Google knows they all refer to the same entity. Off-page SEO extends to platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and others – for instance, your YouTube video descriptions can link to your site, driving traffic. While not a traditional “backlink,” it’s part of your web presence.

  
  

• Collaborations and Features: Featuring on someone else’s track? Touring with another band? Those are opportunities for cross-promotion online. Perhaps you could write a guest article on a music education site about “10 Tips for Beginner Guitarists” (if you’re a guitarist) with a link to your site. Or a gear company whose instruments you use might feature you on their blog. All these activities create inbound links or at least brand mentions, boosting your off-page SEO profile.

  
  

• Local Citations and Directories: This overlaps with Local SEO (next section) but is worth noting: ensure your business (if you have a physical location or service) is listed on relevant directories. For example, a record store or venue should be on Google Maps, Yelp, or maybe niche directories like AllMusic or Indie on the Move (for venues). These listings often allow a link to your site. They help people find you and contribute to your site’s link profile.

  
  

• Example – The Indie Label Approach: Independent record labels can utilize content marketing to establish connections. One strategy labels use (big and small) is creating helpful, informative content on their site – e.g., articles about the music industry, artist interviews, behind-the-scenes videos – which other sites might reference. A label might publish an article like “The Making of [Album Name] – An Interview with the Producer” on their blog. Fans and other blogs may share or link to this. Over time, this builds the label site’s domain authority. In an SEO-driven growth strategy for a label, you’d see efforts to boost domain credibility by developing content and growing backlinks from respected music websites and artist sites. Independent artists can mimic this by writing a detailed blog post on their own site about how they wrote a particular song or overcame stage fright – content that others might find valuable and link-worthy.

In essence, off-page SEO is about establishing and maintaining your online reputation. By getting other sites to talk about and link to your website, you send signals that you’re a noteworthy entity. It’s like getting more people in the industry to drop your name – eventually, Google takes note. Focus on genuine engagement: reach out to relevant outlets, create shareable content, and foster meaningful relationships. Not only will this grow your audience, but it will also improve your search visibility over time.

4. Local SEO (Getting Discovered in Your Hometown and Beyond)

Local SEO is crucial for any artist or business with a regional presence, which is the case for those discovered by people in your local area in the music world. Suppose you’re a band targeting a local scene, a music store, a recording studio, a venue, or even an artist trying to dominate your hometown before taking on the world. In that case, local SEO helps you get found by people near you. It’s all about geographic relevance.

Key elements of local SEO for musicians and music businesses in North America include:

• Google Business Profile: Formerly known as Google My Business, this is the starting point for local SEO. It’s a free listing that lets you appear in Google Maps and local search results, showcasing your location, hours, contact information, and more. For example, a local guitar shop or a rehearsal studio must claim their Google Business listing so that when people search for “[business] near me” or “[city] recording studio,” they appear in the map pack. Even a band or solo musician can use this if they provide services like music lessons or want to be recognized as a business (some performers list themselves to secure bookings). Ensure that you fill out all details, select relevant categories (e.g., “Music Store,” “Live Music Venue,” “Music Instructor”), and keep the information updated.

  
  

• NAP Consistency and Local Citations: NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone. Consistency means your contact information should be the same everywhere online. If you’re a music school called “Harmony Music Academy,” don’t list it as “Harmony Music Academy Inc.” in one place and “Harmony Music School” in another – slight differences can confuse Google. List your address and phone in the same format. Apart from Google, get on other map services (Apple Maps, Bing Places) and local directories (Yelp, Yellow Pages, any local arts directories). Each listing is a “citation” that reinforces your local presence (and often includes a link to your site, helping off-page SEO too).

  
  

• Local Keywords on Your Site: This ties back to on-page SEO but with a local twist. If location matters to you, include location keywords in your content naturally. A mastering studio might want to rank for “Vancouver mastering studio,” so they should have that phrase on their homepage and perhaps in page titles. Artists: if you want to be known in your city’s scene, mention your city in your bio (“an indie rapper based in Chicago…”). When people search for “Chicago indie rappers” or local media write about “rappers in Chicago,” those keywords count.

  
  

• Localized Content and Events: If you gig locally, blog about it! Post your upcoming show schedule (and past show highlights). Each event is an opportunity to appear in searches like “[Your Band] live in [City].” Also consider creating content around your local scene – e.g. a blog post like “My 5 Favorite Jazz Clubs in Toronto” if you’re a Toronto jazz artist. It’s counterintuitive, but promoting others in your scene can get local backlinks and establish you as part of that scene online. Venues and labels often create event pages or news posts for shows – independent artists can do the same on a smaller scale (Facebook Events are good, but having it on your site is better for SEO).

  
  

• Reviews and Ratings: Encourage happy students, customers, or fans to leave reviews on your Google Business page or other platforms. A music shop with dozens of positive Google reviews attracts more customers and signals to Google that it’s a popular, trusted location, potentially boosting its ranking in local results. You might not have a traditional “review” on Google for a musician, but you will get social media reviews or comments. While those don’t directly boost SEO, you can showcase testimonials on your site. And if you list yourself on GigSalad or similar platforms to get gigs, reviews indirectly help your visibility.

Overall, Local SEO puts you on the map – literally. It’s about ensuring that when someone in your city (or the city you’re targeting) searches for an artist or business like you, they find you and not just the big-name competition or random results. For independent musicians, dominating your local search can be the first step to building a loyal regional fan base. For music businesses, it’s often the primary driver of foot traffic and inquiries. So claim those listings and represent your locale!

SEO Trends in 2025: What’s New and Noteworthy for Music

The world of SEO is constantly evolving, and 2025 is no exception. For artists and music businesses, staying aware of broader SEO trends can help you adjust your strategy and stay ahead of the curve. Here are some of the latest SEO trends (as of 2025) and how they apply to the music industry

• Quality Content & “E-E-A-T” Principle: Google has emphasized content quality heavily with its recent updates. E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness – criteria Google uses to evaluate. For musicians, this means it’s crucial to create content that showcases your expertise and authenticity. In practical terms: share your personal experience (e.g., a blog about songwriting tips you’ve learned from your journey – that’s “Experience”), demonstrate expertise (accurate info about music if you write educational posts), and build trust (have a professional website with an about page, link to your social profiles, get other credible sites to mention you). The trend is that thin or auto-generated content won’t cut it – Google rewards depth and originality. The good news: as an artist, you have unique stories to tell, which machines can’t replicate. Lean into that; search engines will favour your content and rank you higher in related search results.

  
  

• AI and Search (Rise of Smart Algorithms): Search engines are getting smarter thanks to AI. Google’s algorithms in 2024 started using AI to understand context and intent better. Instead of matching just keywords, they grasp meaning. For example, someone might search “how to promote my music without a label” – Google can serve up an article that doesn’t have that exact wording but covers the concept (like a blog titled “Independent Music Marketing Tips”). The practical upshot: write in natural language and answer the questions your audience might ask. AI-driven search also means the search engine can pull quick answers. Some of Google’s new features even generate AI summaries from websites on the fly. To be included in those, your content must be clear and factual. Focus on user intent – why is someone searching, and what do they want? – and make sure your content satisfies that. For musicians, an example might be creating an FAQ on your site addressing things like “What genre is your music?” or “When are your next shows?” because people do ask those in search.

  
  

• Voice Search Optimization: With the proliferation of voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant), more searches are spoken these days. By 2024, voice search has grown immensely – over 1 billion voice searches happen monthly (growthjockey.com). Voice queries tend to be longer and in question form (e.g., “Who is the drummer for [Band Name]?” or “Where can I find vinyl records in Seattle?”). To adapt, structure some of your content in a Q&A style or conversational tone. An FAQ section on your site can directly capture voice queries (“What year did we form? 2015.” etc.). Also, voice searches often intersect with local (“find a music store near me”). Ensure you have those natural phrases and local info on your site and profiles. The trend suggests making your content conversational and concise for voice search compatibility (growthjockey.com). For instance, a music school might have a page that effectively answers “How much are guitar lessons in [City]?” in a way that a voice assistant could read out.

  
  

• Mobile UX and Core Web Vitals: We touched on site speed in technical SEO – this continues to be a hot trend. Core Web Vitals are specific metrics Google uses to gauge user experience (like loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability). In 2024, data shows top-ranking pages are faster and smoother than ever (brightedge.com). This trend means artists should not ignore things like how quickly their tour dates page loads or if their site format jumps around as it loads (that can hurt “visual stability” metrics). Using your website’s built-in SEO tools or Google Search Console can help monitor these. It might sound techy, but choosing a good website theme and not overloading it with giant files can keep you on the right side of these ranking trends.

  
  

• Short-Form Video and SEO Convergence: Starting in 2024, Google sometimes shows TikTok or Instagram short videos in search results for specific queries (especially “how to” style queries or things like song snippets). While this is more content discovery than classic SEO, it’s worth noting. Major artists often have their music videos and even short clips indexed in search. As an indie, consider putting your music on YouTube with proper titles and descriptions (YouTube SEO is a whole topic, but basics include descriptive titles, tags, and engaging content). Your YouTube presence can complement your Google presence – e.g., a search for your band might show your website and a video carousel of your YouTube videos. That’s a trend – search results are becoming richer and more visual. Ensure you optimize your YouTube and other channels (since YouTube is the second largest search engine!). Use your artist name and keywords in video titles (e.g., “The Jazz Cats Live at Bluebird Cafe – Toronto Jazz Band”), and link back to your website from video descriptions for cross-traffic.

  
  

• Structured Data & Rich Snippets: We already mentioned structured data; in 2025, it’s becoming more common, meaning more of your competitors might be using it. If you have things like upcoming events, album releases, or products (merch), adding schema can help you get rich snippets (like star ratings, event dates, etc.) in search results, which can improve click-through rates even if your ranking position is the same. It’s a trend of making search results more informative. Music-related schemas (like song lyrics or album info) can even lead to things like the Knowledge Panel (that info box on the right side of Google for known entities). While the Knowledge Panel draws from various sources (Wikidata, Wikipedia, etc.), having an official website that Google trusts is part of that ecosystem. Make sure your website clearly states who you are consistently so that Google can connect the dots.

  
  

• “People Also Ask” and Featured Snippets: Google often shows a People Also Ask box (“PAAs”) with dropdown questions, and sometimes a featured snippet at the very top for specific questions. You might not be chasing those as a musician like a tech blog would, but if you have content that directly answers common questions (like “What genre is [Your Band]?” or “How did [Your Stage Name] get started in music?”), you could potentially appear there. It ties back to having an FAQ or interview-style content. The trend in 2025 is to optimize for these snippets by being concise and factual in one portion of your content, which Google can grab.

In summary, SEO in 2025 is about user-centric, quality content and technical excellence. The music industry can leverage these trends by focusing on authenticity (tell your story in depth), using the latest tech practices (fast, mobile sites with schema), and adapting to how fans search (voice, questions, local queries). None of this means abandoning your art for marketing – instead, it’s about making sure your art finds its audience. The algorithms may change, but the principle remains: the easier you make it for search engines to understand and trust your content, the more visibility you’ll gain.

How Major Music Labels Use SEO (and What Independents Can Learn)

It’s helpful to look at the big players – major record labels and famous artists – to see how they leverage SEO to boost discovery. While indie artists and small music businesses won’t have the same resources, many strategies the “big guys” use can be adapted on a smaller scale. Here’s how large music entities use SEO and tips for how you can do the same:

• Dominating Branded Searches: Major labels ensure that the official channels are front and center when you search for their artists. For instance, if you search a popular artist’s name, you’ll typically see the official website, Wikipedia page, social profiles, and maybe a Knowledge Panel with their photo and bio. Labels achieve this by creating well-optimized official sites for artists (with the artist’s name in the domain often), controlling Wikipedia entries (indirectly, through PR and accurate info dissemination), and using structured data. Independent tip: Google your name or your band’s name – what comes up? If your official site isn’t top, work on that with the on-page SEO tips above (ensure your site uses your name, and get some backlinks, perhaps from profiles or articles). Also, consider creating a Wikipedia page if you have notability (this can be tricky, but even a page on IndieWiki or MusicBrainz can help seed info about you). The goal is to claim as much of the search result page for your name as possible – you want fans finding your pages, not an outdated MySpace or a random YouTube re-upload. Major labels put lots of info out there to own that space; you can do it on a smaller scale by being proactive with your online profiles and press.

  
  

• Content Strategies and News Releases: Big labels continuously feed the internet with content about their artists – press releases for new singles, tour announcements, interviews, etc. Each piece of content is an SEO asset. When Billie Eilish drops a song, a hundred articles appear (many initiated by her label’s PR). Now, you can’t force the media to write about you at that scale, but you can create your own news. Regularly update your site's news/blog section with noteworthy things (new song, a show, a merch drop, even personal milestones). This keeps your site fresh (which search engines like) and gives more chances to include relevant keywords (“[Your Name] new single [Title] out now”), which might match what people search. Some independent musicians successfully run their own small “newsroom.” For example, an indie rock band might publish a monthly update on their site; over time, they accumulate a nice archive that engages fans and brings in search traffic for various long-tail queries (like someone searching that single title). Watch and adapt: Follow some major artist websites and see how they structure news or press pages – you might emulate their format for your scale. Labels often use enticing meta descriptions and share those releases on social media (driving quick traffic, which can help index and ranking).

  
  

• High-Authority Backlinks via PR: Large labels get their artists featured on high authority sites (Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Billboard, etc.). These mentions and backlinks shoot their SEO through the roof. As an indie, target smaller but relevant outlets – local newspapers, indie music blogs, college radio sites. Over time, a handful of quality backlinks from those can significantly boost your site’s authority. You can replicate this by reaching out and fostering relationships with the media. A well-placed link from a niche blog (“Top 10 Unsigned Bands to Watch this year”) can be powerful. Remember, quality over quantity: one link from a respected site beats 50 links from random spammy directories.

  
  

• Utilizing Multiple Platforms (YouTube, etc.): Major artists get the advantage of YouTube search optimization – for example, official music and lyric videos that rack up views and often rank high on Google searches for the song name or lyrics. They diligently fill out descriptions with lyrics or info, tag the videos, and sometimes even run subtitles (which improve a video’s SEO on YouTube by providing more text). As an indie, ensure your YouTube content is optimized: use the description to link to your website or merch (“Description: Official video for ‘Song’ by [Your Name]. Stream here, lyrics below, upcoming tour dates: [link] etc.”). Also use YouTube’s playlist and channel features to your advantage – labels create playlists (albums, best-of, etc.) that can appear in search. You could make a playlist of all your official content, which might rank as a unit. Additionally, don’t forget platforms like SoundCloud or Bandcamp: while they have their search within, a well-optimized Bandcamp page (with a bio and tags) or SoundCloud profile might also appear in Google results for your name.

  
  

• Technical Edge (Site structure and Schema): Big labels have web teams that implement things like schema markup for music (e.g., schema.org/MusicAlbum on album pages, schema.org/MusicEvent on concert pages). This means when you search an album, you might see rich info; when you search a tour, you might see dates. They also ensure all artist sites are interlinked (the label might have an artist roster page linking to each artist’s site, and vice versa, consolidating authority). Independents can implement some of this: if you have multiple web properties (say a personal site and a merch store), cross-link them. If you feel adventurous, add basic schema, for example, marking up your album release date and tracklist in your blog post announcing the album. It’s not strictly necessary, but it’s what the pros do to communicate with Google more.

  
  

• Local Push for Tours/Stores: When major artists go on tour, promoters ensure that local SEO is done for each show, often creating localized event pages (on the venue site, ticketing sites, etc.). Also, major labels with physical stores or museums (like the Motown Museum) maintain firm Google Business profiles. For an indie on tour, consider making a simple page on your site listing all tour dates and make sure each venue or local press mentions your show. Sometimes, an artist will create Facebook event pages for each gig, but you can go further by having it on your domain too. If you’re a small label with a storefront or a studio, treat yourself like a local business (because you are!) and do the local SEO steps we discussed. The adaptation here is: just as a label ensures their brand is found in every city they touch, you ensure you’re seen in your home turf and any specific markets you target.

To tie it together, here’s a quick comparison of how large labels vs. independent artists might tackle SEO strategies, and how you can adapt:

SEO Strategy	Major Label Approach	Indie Artist Approach
On-Page Content	Professional sites for each artist with full bios, discographies, press kits, and lyrics sections. Target a broad audience with polished, keyword-rich content.	Create a simple but comprehensive website for your music. Include an About page with your story and genre keywords, a Music page (with releases and maybe lyrics), and a News/Blog for updates. Write in your voice, but include terms fans might search (genre, city, “indie artist”, etc.).
Technical SEO	Web developers ensure every artist's site loads fast, is mobile-optimized, and uses structured data (JSON-LD for albums and events). There are no broken links, and old pages redirect to new ones.	Use SEO-friendly templates on platforms like WordPress, Wix, or Bandzoogle. Compress images and audio for speed. Check your site on mobile. You can use a plugin or a built-in SEO tool to add meta tags. Implement basic schema if possible (e.g., an Event schema for a tour date) – many CMS plugins make this easy.
Off-Page SEO (Backlinks)	Labels have PR teams securing reviews/interviews on high-authority sites (Billboard, Pitchfork). Artists from big labels get Wikipedia pages and hundreds of media mentions linking back.	DIY PR: Contact indie music blogs, local news, or niche communities that might feature you. Even a small blog interview or a shoutout from a popular Instagram page can generate links/mentions. Encourage fellow musicians to link to your site if you collaborate. Over time, build a network of backlinks (start local and niche – e.g., a feature on IndieFolkBlog.com is excellent if you’re a folk singer).
Local SEO	Major labels ensure their offices or related venues (and prominent artists’ special events/pop-ups) are on Google Maps. For tours, promoters list concerts on local sites (ensuring the artist's name appears in local searches).	Google Business Profile: If you operate as a business (music tutor, studio, shop, etc.) or even as an artist in a scene, claim a listing. Use your personal or band name, and categorize it correctly (e.g., “Music Artist” or“Recording Studio”). For gigs, make sure venues list you on their sites. Consider adding location keywords to your site (even a phrase like “bringing Brooklyn fresh indie rock since 2020” on your homepage helps anchor you).

As you can see, the tactics are similar, but scale and resources are different. Major labels cast a wide net and have teams, but independent artists and businesses can be agile and hyper-focused on their niche. SEO levels the playing field in many ways: a dedicated indie can outrank a complacent major label in specific searches by being more relevant to the query.

If you're an artist or musician ready to grow your audience, get discovered online, and turn your passion into real opportunities, now is the time to invest in smart SEO. I specialize in helping creatives like you build search visibility through personalized, results-driven strategies—whether you're promoting your latest release, booking more gigs, or selling your art. Let’s make sure the right people find your work. Contact me today to get started with an SEO plan tailored specifically for your artistic goals.