How to create the best website for musicians

Making music is hard enough without adding in the other roles most indie musicians play. Marketing buff, PR rep, merch guy, social media manager – the list goes on. 

If making a website keeps getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list, we get it. Building a good website for musicians requires the kind of time, focus and creativity that might be hard to come by when you’re tapping into those same resources to make music. 

But if you’re ready to elevate your music career, it’s time to bump making a website to the top of your list. And we’re here to help.

5 reasons every musician needs a website

Still not convinced you need your own website? We’re happy to do some persuading:

• A website is all yours: Most bands’ social media profiles look more or less the same – the content may vary, but the colors and layouts you have to choose from are pretty limited. Posting music on social media usually requires you to cut your songs and videos into bite-size clips. But when you have your own website, you’re free to decide what to post, how many playlists to embed and which graphics represent you best. 
• You’re the star: Don’t get us wrong. Social media for musicians is an important piece of the marketing puzzle. But on social media, your content’s competing against advertisements and other profiles for attention. That’s not the case when people visit your website – all eyes are on you. 
• You can get discovered (organically): When people search for music like yours, they might stumble across your YouTube channel and social media accounts, which can give them a little taste of your sound. But if you have a website, Google will lead new fans there instead, giving them a one-stop shop for all the info that’ll make them fall in love. 
• You can make a buck: Make your life easier by selling merch on your musician website. Once you’ve set up an online shop, you can sell T-shirts while you sleep and take some of the stress out of funding your music career.   
• You can keep fans up to date: Your band website should include an events and press section for upcoming gig announcements and news releases. Invite viewers to sign up for your newsletter so they can be the first to know when you have tour dates, new totes or fresh music dropping. 

8 music website must-haves

When you have countless website templates to choose from, sometimes the best thing to do is limit yourself – or at least make a plan. Start with these essentials and let your site evolve from there: 

• Contact and social links: If you’re an indie musician looking to book events or local gigs, make it easy for site visitors to reach out by providing contact info for you, your manager or your label. Don’t forget to link out to your social media profiles so new fans can follow you, and add a Linktree URL to your social bios to drive traffic to your flashy new site. 
• Homepage: Viewers need a place to land – that’s where the homepage comes in. This is the first thing people will see when they visit your site, so make it pop. Feature a video or sample of your music, or use a high-quality image of your band. Don’t forget your logo and links to the other sections of your site for easy navigation. 
• Music: People came to your site for music, so give it to them. Post official music videos, live performances and links they can follow to buy or share your music. Include links to your pages on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud and other streaming platforms.
• Newsletter subscription option: This “fans-only” perk gives visitors a way to stay in the know. Use a simple form to collect basic information like email addresses so you can keep fans in the loop when you go on tour or drop a new album. 
• Events: Use this space to publish your latest tour poster or list upcoming event dates. 
• Press: If you’re in the news, you have bragging rights. Use them. Post links to your mentions on other sites, magazines and journalism outlets. 
• About page: Help your fanbase get to know you better. Let them know where you’re from, who you’re influenced by, how you got into the music industry and any other details that will help fans feel closer to you. 
• Official merch: Use an ecommerce integration to put up a virtual storefront. Sell T-shirts, mugs, hats, albums, temporary tattoos – whatever your fans want. 

What tools work best to create a website for musicians?

You’re ready to create a website – now you just need to know where to do it. And if you think you can’t afford it, we’ve got good news: There are plenty of free websites for musicians. 

Look for a free website builder that allows you to post and host whatever content you want. Many website builders have free plans or low-cost pricing, and if you don’t mind shelling out for professional services, some even offer packages that include help with web design. 

1. Bandzoogle: This platform for musicians makes it easy to set up an online store. It’s also one of the best sites to upload music for commission-free sales. 
2. WordPress: WordPress is a beginner-friendly web builder with a wealth of free site options and attractive templates. 
3. Wix: Wix offers quality templates, web hosting packages and ecommerce options. They can also help you secure a custom domain. 
4. Weebly: Weebly makes it easy to set up an online store quickly. You can put your own spin on their customizable templates. 

Last-minute website design tips

You’re a creative, so we know you’ll do a fantastic job designing your site. Before we turn you loose, we’ve got some final tips to help you out:

• Use easy-to-read fonts (Arial’s always a safe bet)
• Plan your color palette before starting your design (a template can help)
• Lean on graphics (instead of making your pages text-heavy) 
• Infuse every part of your site with your vibe (you rock, so let them know)