I highly recommend that you not have music that plays automatically on your site. Here’s why:
- You should never make someone’s computer do something they didn’t ask for.
- I’m often listening to music as I browse and this turns it into cacophony.
- For people who work in office settings, suddenly having music blaring from their speakers can be a problem. (Ditto people with sleeping children, etc.)
- But primarily #1. If I want to hear your music, I’ll press play.
BONUS NOTE: It IS possible to have a Dynamod site that doesn’t play music automatically. I’ve seen them! Make it so. That said, Dynamod sites have other issues that make them unfriendly to journalists and people like me. But at least you can turn off the music.
Some other things to consider:
- MySpace is dead. Even if it’s being revived, it’s dead. No more MySpace sites.
- An out-of-date site is a very poor calling card. Keep your site updated. For example, your bio should not list as “forthcoming” a CD that came out three years ago. Your gig calendar should be current.
- Enter your CD name and track titles in online databases so reviewers and programmers don’t have to.
- Never send a CD to a reviewer without track names and a personnel listing. This actually happens.
- Put your email address on your website, NOT a contact form. People want to know they’re reaching you, and they want a record of their sent message in their email client. (NOTE: If this is you, Bono, you can keep the contact form.)
- Your bio should not just be a long list of people with whom you’ve played or, worse, with whom you’ve “shared the stage.” Tell me about YOU.
- If you have a Twitter account & haven’t tweeted in weeks or months, you don’t have a Twitter account. Also, you should have a Twitter account and use it. You’d be surprised how effective it is.
