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As an Indie Music Professional in today’s new media era it is vitally important that you learn ways to use new technology and mediums to promote and sell your music and build your fan base.  One easy way is blogging. F6YHXGUK77F6  In many ways, blogs are just another version of a website with multiple pages. You can visit and read a blog page in the same way you would any other web page. The main thing that sets a blog apart from a basic web page is a useful web-based file format called RSS.RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. In general, it is used to publish and organize frequently updated digital content, such as blogs, news feeds and podcasts. The coolest thing about RSS is that it gives people the ability to subscribe to blogs and podcasts.

The RSS Monster

Not too long ago, when you found a website you were interested in and wanted to stay on top off, you had two choices: 1) subscribe to the site’s e-zine and get updates by e-mail, or 2) bookmark the site by adding it to your browser’s favorites list (and you had to remember to visit it often).

In essence, an RSS feed allows you to subscribe to a website, which just happens to be a blog. You can subscribe to blogs using something called a news reader, feed reader or aggregator. These readers are popping up everywhere. The latest versions of the Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers allow you to subscribe to feeds directly from the browser. You can also subscribe if you have a personalized 
page set up on Yahoo, AOL or Google. You can also use programs and sites such as NewsGator, Bloglines, Rojo, FeedDemon and others.

Viewpoint: If you’re not familiar with how these feed readers work, think about how your e-mail inbox operates. You open your e-mail program and all of your latest incoming e-mails pop-up, listed by subject line, with the most recent message at the top. Feed readers work in a similar way; open it up and all of the blogs you’ve subscribed to will show up, with the latest content at the top, usually with just the headline and maybe the first few lines of the blog post displaying. It’s a pretty awesome way to have only the information you want delivered to your desktop.

Eight cool things about blogs

You should get cozy with blogs. Here are some good reasons why:

1.    Blog messages don’t get trapped in spam filters. If someone subscribes to your music blog, they will always get your latest posts (as long as they check their readers).

2.    It’s easy to subscribe to a blog. And unsubscribe too. A fan simply adds your feed link to his or her news reader to subscribe. They can unsubscribe at any time by removing it from the reader.

3.    Blogs are easy to publish. Most bloggers use free automated services or software. Little knowledge of HTML is required. Use a template, enter your text, and publish. You’re an instant blogger.

4.    Search engines love blogs. Google and the rest eat up fresh content and reward websites that regularly update.

5.    It’s a great way to stay in touch with fans. Easily let people know about life on the road or how the new studio sessions are going.

6.    Other bloggers like to blog about blogs. Once you publish a blog, you’re part of the blogosphere where cross-pollination rules.

7.    A blog can be a great creative outlet. Expressing yourself in writing on a regular basis can be fulfilling and leaves a public record of your ideas and experiences.

8.    You can build a community and encourage interaction. Activate the comments feature on your blog and get immediate feedback to your questions, stories and rants.

As an Indie Music Professional if you’ve been shying away from the blog world, jump on in. The water is fine.

http://ralphsutton.com/blog