BRAND-RELATED REVENUES

A persistent theme throughout our educational series on the available revenue streams for musicians is that the very nature of the music industry has been in flux over the past decade – and many of these changes have been visibly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Against the backdrop of this shifting commercial landscape, personal branding has emerged as a valuable revenue stream, especially in the music industry. This section outlines some ways in which musicians can leverage personal branding to gain influence, and how to effectively use this influence – often via social media platforms – to create additional income streams.

MAXIMISING BRAND-RELATED REVENUES

Merchandising and physical distribution opportunities for SA musicians

Traditionally, band merchandise, often called ‘merch’ for short, is sold by artists and record labels. It is generally used to promote tours, album releases or brands to music fans....

A musician’s guide to digital marketplaces

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the live music industry. As a result, musicians have realised the need for alternative income streams – and there has been special attention diverted to...

Musicians as influencers in SA: A guide to brand partnerships

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the virtual sphere has been a saving grace for many hard-hit industries, and the music business has been no different.[1]

How to use your music site to generate advertising revenue

The internet, and particularly social media, has made some serious changes in how we conduct our day-to-day lives. Social media has deeply impacted the way we socialise, work, fall in love and...

How to earn money using the YouTube Partner Program

YouTube is the world’s leading online video sharing and social media platform. YouTube is owned by Google and is the second-most-visited site in the world, boasting more than a billion viewers a...

How to create and leverage personal brand opportunities

The music industry has undergone some considerable transformations over the past two...

User created content: TikTok, Instagram and OTT messaging apps

In South Africa and around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the average person spending an increased amount of time on social media.[1] This has seen a subsequent...