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 Post subject: "Official" band sites? Are they needed?
PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:47 am 
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Big in Australia
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It just seems like, when I make an update about the band or whatever, I do it first at http://iacmusic.com/hoponpop, then Facebook (much later), then MySpace. And then, on top of that, I have a presence at the Spade Kitty site, too.

Even bands that are making a name for themselves seem to be keeping their MySpace pages as their main (or sole) web presence.

I almost never get to my "official" site ( http://www.hoponpopmusic.com ) to actually add news of any kind. And traffic seems to be dropping. It's almost not even worth it.

Is it?
What do you think? With the plethora of choices available to indie artists, do you think that maintaining a separate "official" site lends additional credibility to a band's image? Or are sites like MySpace, and the like enough?

Your thoughts?

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:50 am 
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I tend to rely on band's myspace pages or the label pages for up to date info...

If the band is doing what they should be doing, touring, then they shouldnt have time to sit around updating an official website when it is so much easier to myspace,facebook,twitter,etc....

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:54 am 
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this is an interesting topic. a few months ago this popped up on another board i frequent.

it seemed that most people actually preferred myspace as their band's primary site and even had their official site direct to the myspace page. the features and easy maintenance on a social networking site are more than enough for most bands.

obviously, more popular bands will always need an official site on its own servers. between boards, merchandising, and heavy traffic it's just a better deal for them. but that's also because the design and hosting fees are probably pocket change to them.


Last edited by Z on Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:18 am 
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i redirect slowdynamite.com to our myspace page. we were using the main site to host the 52 pieces series from 06/07, but at this point, it's the only reason the site even exists. as we're still reformulating with a new gtr player, there isnt much news to report, and as a result it's not very interesting or even worth it to spend time trying to update a site that nobody reads.
now, if i had a very content heavy site with lots of audio/video, a fully functioning merch page, etc, it would be a diff't story. but as it's been stated, bigger bands with more content usually need their own dedicated site, and we ain't that.

edit: also, i will say that while the FB phenom does well for personal profiles, I really find the band page process unintuitive and clumsy at best. Myspace def does it much, much better.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:20 am 
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i tell people to go to birdsoundsband.com for most up to date info and to download the album

they still go to myspace

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:24 am 
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I never check myspace pages. I just find them really gaudy and annoying, especially since I'm often listening to music already only for the myspace's music to suddenly interrupt loudly and blaringly.

If a band doesn't have an official site, I look up their label site.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:25 am 
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alongwaltz Wrote:
If a band doesn't have an official site, I look up their label site.

what about unsigned bands?


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:30 am 
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Myspace, to me, is an easy way to sample a band's music, get a sense of what they're about, and maybe get some tour dates. Other than that I absolutely hate it. It's slow to load and is way too cluttered. I also could care less about "Tipsy Tina's" comment that "YOU GUYS ROCKED MY FACE LAST NIGHT!".

If a band has the ability to be out touring nationally behind a record then I think they should have a website. This is their business. If they are serious about their business then they need a site of their own. I have no problem with bands on a local level using myspace. It's cheap and easy and serves it's purpose.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:54 am 
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Really all it takes to have an "official" site these days is to start a blog and put links on it. It's not the big chore it used to be. I guess some people feel they need the thisarealbandsite.com sort of address legitimacy but I don't think it's necessary anymore unless you have super bells and whistles on it.


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 Post subject: Re: "Official" band sites? Are they needed?
PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:16 pm 
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PopTodd Wrote:
I almost never get to my "official" site ( http://www.hoponpopmusic.com ) to actually add news of any kind. And traffic seems to be dropping.


correlation?

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:18 pm 
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I prefer MySpace sites because all the pertinent content (tour dates, members, vids, merch) are generally in a designated spot so it's quick to just browse around and find what you want with no clickthroughs as opposed to an official site with different area links for all that crap.

And Derris, there are some truly awful and obnoxious official band sites out there - I'm combing band/MySpace Music pages most of the day for my job. MySpace is tame by comparison.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:19 pm 
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frostingspoon
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Myspace band sites have made reviewers completely unnecessary.


Although, truth be told, the reviewers have done a fine job of making themselves unnecessary as well.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:23 pm 
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Radcliffe Wrote:
Myspace band sites have made reviewers completely unnecessary.


Although, truth be told, the reviewers have done a fine job of making themselves unnecessary as well.


winner.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:23 pm 
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frostingspoon
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Rick Derris Wrote:
Myspace .... Other than that I absolutely hate it. It's slow to load and is way too cluttered. I also could care less about "Tipsy Tina's" comment that "YOU GUYS ROCKED MY FACE LAST NIGHT!"



HEY LOVER WHEN YA COMIN BACK TO PHILLY??!!1!!


so fucking true.

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 Post subject: Re: "Official" band sites? Are they needed?
PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:29 pm 
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Big in Australia
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Flying Rabbit Wrote:
PopTodd Wrote:
I almost never get to my "official" site ( http://www.hoponpopmusic.com ) to actually add news of any kind. And traffic seems to be dropping.


correlation?


The dropping traffic started first, but it has certainly dipped quicker once I slowed down my updates.

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Paul Caporino of M.O.T.O. Wrote:
I've recently noticed that all the unfortunate events in the lives of blues singers all seem to rhyme... I think all these tragedies could be avoided with a good rhyming dictionary.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:33 pm 
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frostingspoon
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for bands i haven't heard before and i just want to get a sampling...myspace. but i agree, it is awful. lately i have to refresh the screen a couple times just to get the music player to load correctly.

there are a few bands who have excellent official sites. wilcoworld comes to mind, with streams of recent live shows, some exclusive downloads, and it's own pre-pre-sale for upcoming shows.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:51 pm 
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I use Myspace only because so many bands don't bother to update their official website, if they have one. I'd prefer to use their official website, but the information there is probably out-of-date.

And though I find Myspace pages annoying and ugly, Chad is right: official websites can be worse.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:11 pm 
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i have an "official" site just so i have something that loads easily and isn't hideous, but i direct people to myspace for frequently updated things like shows.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:52 pm 
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myspace

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:07 pm 
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myspace is gaudy and hard to read. That said, it def seems to be the primary page for most bands.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:24 pm 
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I hate myspace so much that the only time I use it is when I'm considering going to see a band live and don't have time to track down (either buy or dl) a full album first. I'd rather take my chances buying an album unheard of than deal with myspace.

I'm with Derris on the band website. For national touring bands that are trying to make it, do it. For local bands like Todd's, it seems unnecessary. I'll search out the band's own website first for info before looking anywhere else.

While we're on this subject, its surprising how many bands don't think to make their name google friendly. I'm not a big fan of the stupid names like Vampirg Weekeng or Wolfman Ski Trip, but at least you can find those bands without sorting through a ton of unrelated crap.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:30 pm 
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billy g Wrote:

While we're on this subject, its surprising how many bands don't think to make their name google friendly. I'm not a big fan of the stupid names like Vampirg Weekeng or Wolfman Ski Trip, but at least you can find those bands without sorting through a ton of unrelated crap.


woods
the music
earth
iran
health

yeah, i hate those.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:39 pm 
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billy g Wrote:
I'd rather take my chances buying an album unheard of than deal with myspace.

i refuse to believe that a person would rather buy an album than click on a website.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:46 pm 
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frostingspoon

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billy g Wrote:
While we're on this subject, its surprising how many bands don't think to make their name google friendly. I'm not a big fan of the stupid names like Vampirg Weekeng or Wolfman Ski Trip, but at least you can find those bands without sorting through a ton of unrelated crap.


this can usually be fixed with some search engine optimization, For example, finding The The was nearly impossible to find a few years ago, but now it asks, "do you mean The The band" and same deal for The Band.

i'm no longer the top result for "fishstick" but i'm okay with number two 8-)

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:52 pm 
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frostingspoon
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Someone will replace myspace with something better. There should be a bands portal with sane layout defaults and limits on customizability so that every band's page isn't completely different from the others. No one has to be "friends" with a band. You just need RSS feeds for news, blog posts, upcoming shows, and new songs.


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