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Writing and singing can be a solitary exercise, but sharing your music on a website can open up a world of possibilities. Whether you write melancholic folk tunes or upbeat pop songs, as a singer-songwriter it’s important to have a website that expresses both your music and your personality.
So how do you design a singer-songwriter website that conveys who you are and what your music is all about?
First, choose a website template that you can customize the colors and fonts to best represent you. When it comes to designing a singer-songwriter website, keep it simple. You want your website to speak to your visitors much like your music does. Have that in mind when you choose a template.
Then, gather content for your pages — this can include images, text, videos, and digital tracks — and use this as a starting point. What comes next is up to you, but read along as we offer some tips for creating a stunning singer-songwriter website that truly reflects your style and craft.
Homepage
From the top, create a visual focal point on your homepage with a main image that speaks to who you are, and the kind of music that you play. Your main image should make an impression on your website visitors, so think about the feelings you want to evoke and how you want to establish yourself. Then, organize your content on the page in columns or sections, keeping things easy to read and visually engaging.
The content on your homepage should include some text about your project, your influences, and what you sound like. You can feature music on your homepage to musically introduce yourself to fans and visitors. A recent video, single, or a compact music player with your best songs works well on your homepage.
When you’re customizing your template, try incorporating colors from your homepage’s main image in your content area. Try using up to three different background colors and mix them up throughout the page for cool optics. You can also add section titles, social media icons, and buttons to break out your content.
You may also want to add a call-to-action on your homepage to draw attention to your upcoming release, or to build your mailing list. A call-to-action can be placed above your main image so it gets the attention it deserves.
About page
An “About” or “Bio” page is a great place to tell your story. As a singer-songwriter, your fans will want to know where you draw your inspiration from, who your influences are, and what your journey has been. Add text to an about page that will intrigue your website visitors. Then add some recent imagery to create balance on the page. Make sure you’ve got relevant content on this page, and update it often to include recent achievements, new music, or events.
Design this page to be simple but effective, with an opening paragraph that’s easy for someone writing a musician bio about you to grab and use. Fill in some more details, and add an image or two of yourself. Use a text and image feature to lay out a nicely styled portrait for yourself as an artist, then fill in your history.
Music Page
For a singer-songwriter, a great music page is an essential way to make your mark on your website visitors. Having a well-organized page with singles, albums, and song previews is the best way to share your music on your website.
You may have one track that exemplifies your style, so try adding a single at the top of your page to offer a preview of your work. Following that, add your most recent album with your cover image and tracks. You can even add lyrics in your track details, so that fans can sing along with your music.
Under this album, add previous music in music features and make use of columns to keep things in order. Be sure to add a bit of text to describe your songs. Your fans will love to know more about how the music came about. So make use of your storytelling ability to add some inside information.
Photos Page
It’s worth investing in a professional photoshoot to get some images of yourself. If you do a shoot like this, you can get a variety of images that look different, but are all on brand. If you’re not able to have a photo shoot, keep in mind it’s better to have fewer, good-quality images and you can arrange them using a cool column layout.
You can use these throughout your website’s design, and then provide a full gallery on your photos page. Make it look modern with a tiled layout, or save space by adding a slideshow.
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EPK (Electronic Press Kit)
A great press kit for your music is key to booking shows, generating buzz around a forthcoming album, and sharing your project with residencies, labels, and music journalists. On this page, you’ll want to highlight your accomplishments and best materials with precision.
At the top of your EPK page, add a few quotes from reputable sources to show genuine outside interest in your work. You’ll then want to offer a single or a short tracklist with your songs for your potential clients.
Adding a short bio and hi-res images for bloggers and other media providing coverage is a good way to generate interest. If you have video of live performances, or a stylized music video, add it for some extra visual enjoyment. This page can get busy with content, so choose only your best stuff, and place it in a layout that’s easy to scan.
Shows or Events Page
If you have a lot of upcoming shows, or want to highlight a tour, add a dedicated events page. Add your events in a table, list, or calendar view to make sure that people can see when you’ll be playing near them.
With each event, don’t forget to add the venue name and date of performance so fans can easily attend. In some instances, you may have an event poster that you can add in the event description. Selling tickets from your website helps you know what to expect when you arrive at the venue, or how many live stream viewers will attend.
Contact Page
Now that fans and potential clients have scanned your website, offer them a way to get into contact with you. A simple contact form, plus your social media icons, will make it easy for people to send you a message.
If you have more specific booking information, or a contact for publicity, you can add it here.
Whether your music conjures up earthy, mild tones, or a vibrant feeling, you can create a music website that matches your style. Choose a template with clear text, gorgeous colors, and organize your content into sections and columns with titles. This will make your singer songwriter website look professional and will help get you booked.
We hope this gives you some ideas when you go to design your singer-songwriter website!
Got 10 minutes to learn something new?
Explore Soundfly’s wide array of free online courses and expand your musical skills on your lunch break! Here’s a few free courses you can check out: Music Theory for Bedroom Producers, Touring on a Shoestring, How to Get All the Royalties You Never Knew Existed, and of course, How to Create a Killer Musician Website.
