Discovering an artist for the first time is a process that is increasingly happening online. Moreover, it is an experience that is crucial to the subsequent relationship that is formed at this point. We do everything in our power to tailor this process to make it as exciting and engaging as possible for the fan. This means ensuring that at any point through which a fan can learn about an artist — such as Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm, Wikipedia, and yes, even MySpace! — they will find content to read, listen to and watch, and be drawn in to the fan base.

As we all know, a personal suggestion from a trusted friend is the strongest form of recommendation, so we use a variety of techniques to make it as easy as possible for fans to recommend an artist to their friends, which is an essential way of building a strong fan base.

Traditional methods of online marketing such as SEO, Google Ads, Banners, Facebook Ads, YouTube Ads, and Cost Per Engagement Adverts can all slot in nicely when building an artist's profile, and we can use all of these tools in building a fanbase as well as raising awareness about specific products.

A fanbase IS a community. As an artist, providing regular content to the fan base is essential in maintaining that community. To make this easier, we source the videos, songs, blog posts and whatever else is available (or create them if necessary) and get it in to the community through all available channels (social networks, newsletters, press releases, forums) in a way that reflects the artist and the medium.

Fitting the content and updates around longer term strategic promotional and commercial goals is critical. We ensure that this happens by creating an upfront plan and implementing it effectively.

Discussion is something that happens naturally within a community, but it can be guided, and even ignited, using creative ideas for conversation that reflect the artist and point towards promotional goals.

Interacting and monitoring a fanbase is essential to understanding how certain pieces of content perform, and what is likely to sell in the future. Furthermore, the community contains a wealth of data about itself. We like to access this data and analyse it; from there we can segment the fanbase and make relevant, well informed changes to the strategy.

So you've got a great big, fully engaged fanbase. So what? It's time to turn those fans into something that they will accept at a bank! Making it very easy for fans to purchase any products (or services) is essential. Ensuring the options available are relevant for the fanbase, making the buy buttons prominent and in the right places, and reducing the distance between learning of the product and entering your card details are just some of the ways that we like to streamline the sales process.

Three month album campaigns are only one manner of marketing an artist. Looking at an artist's long term schedule and creating offers that generate year round revenue is a progressive marketing strategy that modern artists need.

When we develop sales strategies that fit around promotional points, we look at past data, create attractive bundles, anticipate future demand, recognise where to place these offers, and then combine it all into an upfront plan which benefits all parties concerned.

The gap between artist and fan is well and truly bridged when a successful direct-to-fan purchase is made. However, making this an experience a fan would like to repeat is also important. As much as possible, it must really feel to the fan as if they are buying products directly from the artist (although they often are). We ensure that this is the case.