Dan Schawbel: The Social Media Basics

Although social media allows you to connect with fans, build an online street team, and sell more albums, email marketing converts more, so you should invest in it. Make sure you integrate all of your social accounts and that you have profiles on the top networks, including Facebook and Twitter. This way, your fans will be able to connect with you where they are active and engaging online.

Form alliances with other artists and cross-promote. This will help you build your own brand name, and grow your follower base. Use Tubemogul.com to distribute your music video's to all the video sharing websites in just a few clicks. This distribution is free and will get your name out there. Offer a few songs for free on your site in exchange for a name and email address, so that you can build a list of potential CD buyers, and gain more visibility. -Dan Schawbel, author of Me 2.0 and the Personal Branding Blog.