Build a Website

All musicians and scholars need websites to present their work to the world. The following introductory guidelines will enable you to publish an effective site regardless of your prior experience with technology. Before launching a website, set up an appointment to review your plans with MECC Director Gerald Klickstein.

Step 1: Determine the purpose of your site. For students, websites generally serve as portfolios of their work but can also promote income-producing activities such as teaching, concertizing, and gigging. It's vital, therefore, that you consider who your audience is and how you will use the site to communicate your mission and establish your brand as an artist or scholar. To gather ideas, visit the websites of others in your field.

Step 2: Draft a list of required pages. These typically include:

• Home page featuring a photo and press quote or mission statement
• Bio page, often with a link to a resume and electronic press kit
• Media page with audio and video clips
• Events or calendar page, if you're sufficiently active
• Works page - you might title this page Repertoire, Compositions, or Projects; performers do well to include sample programs
• Teaching page, if appropriate, describing your mission and services (performers who teach will commonly link to a separate teaching site)
• Contact page, usually with a fill-in form

In addition, you'd include links to your social media, integrate a blog if you publish one, and incorporate a sign-up form for any newsletter.

Step 3: Assemble content for each page. Gather photos and recordings; draft your bio and other text.

Step 4: Start building. With all of your content in hand, you're ready to begin the construction process. For starters, you'll need to purchase a domain name, if you don't already own one (i.e., a URL such as yourname.com); the domain can typically be acquired via the company that hosts your site. The resources below represent a sampling of commonly used services for hosting and constructing websites; this isn't an inclusive list, so explore multiple options. Consult Gerald Klickstein for guidance.

• Tech-challenged musicians: Consider using a low-cost drag-and-drop interface such as Bandzoogle.com, Webs.com, Weebly.com, Wix.com, 1and1.com or the site builder at GoDaddy.com - with your content ready, you can easily construct and publish a site in an afternoon. For a teaching website that enables you to accept credit card payments, maintain an online calender, and more, consider the likes of MusicTeachersHelper.com.
• Tech-knowledgeable musicians: You could either use one of the above services or employ WordPress.org, a free platform with abundant themes and plugins. With WP, you purchase a domain name and hosting plan separately, e.g., from GoDaddy.com.
• Tech-savvy musicians: You might opt for WordPress.org or you could buy a domain name and hosting plan from the likes of GoDaddy.com, use design software such as Adobe Dreamweaver, and learn about coding via the free tutorials at W3Schools.com.

Bear in mind that these guidelines are introductory in nature. See the Music Career Resources page at MusiciansWay.com for additional online marketing tips.