Having A Website Is Key
This is the holy grail of your online presence. You need to be searchable by engines like Google, Bing, etc. You can get a free website through platforms like: Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace. Each one offers numerous templates you can choose from, all you need to do is customize and personalize it to reflect what makes you, YOU. Remember: be unique! Try to define and convey what makes you stand out above the crowd.
Although many websites are free, you want it to look as professional as possible. This means spending some money on things like removing the website name in your header (i.e. www.wix.com/johndoeperformer). You will need to purchase your domain name in order to have your personal website link: www.johndoeperformer.com.
You'll need to create custom tabs with relevant info i.e. Media (with performance clips), News, Press, Photos, etc. It's also a good idea to have a current news section as your home page, with updates re performances. It's important to always have a call to action/click through link for tickets.
Utilize YouTube, SoundCloud & Vimeo
You want to have professional (studio quality) footage of you performing your craft and/or audio recordings of you. YouTube and Vimeo are the go-to tools for video performance footage or demo footage. SoundCloud is the go-to website to promote your music tracks & demos and share them on social media.
Social Media
This goes without saying today, but having a website isn’t merely enough. You must constantly work to promote yourself and build your own brand as an artist on social media. Have a presence on: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snap Chat, and Twitter, and make sure to engage with your followers/fans. Make daily or bi-daily updates on what you're up to via posts or Stories. Make surprise announcements and build hype and anticipation for upcoming events or projects you are working on.
Nothing Wrong with Being a Bit Old Fashioned
Sometimes the old fashioned way of doing things can still relevant in the hustle bustle of the 21st Century digital world. Email inboxes of A&Rs and managers are flooded on a daily basis: don’t get lost in this clutter!
Send postcards! Make sure the postcard has a professional photo of you on the front, your contact information, a link to your website, and any other relevant info. Postcards are cheap and only cost about $0.35! Make sure your message is very brief, concise, has updates about you and/or has a call to action: i.e an invitation to your show free of charge.
Write & Maintain A Blog
Blogs are free, and relatively easy to create and maintain. WordPress is a great tool for this. Having a Blog as an artist is a good way to create new content that's specific to you as a person or brand. Having a theme to your blog is often helpful. Consider your aim/voice- are you going to be sharing something funny, dramatic, helpful, etc. to others?
Consistency is key here: write new blog posts as much as you can only when it is relevant to do so, and make sure to share it via social media. Have a link to your blog as a tab on the navigation of your website!