Restarting My AI Music Journey: Lessons Learned and Growth Strategies

If I could go back to March 2024, there are key lessons I've learned that would have significantly streamlined my path. Here’s what I would do differently with the knowledge I have now:

Step 1: Unified Brand Name

The first thing I’d do is ensure a unified brand name across all platforms. My focus has been on my domain, Instagram (and by extension Facebook and Threads), TikTok, and YouTube. It’s crucial to choose a name that is available and relevant.

Step 2: Develop Logo and Branding

Next, I would develop my logo and branding. This means defining who you are and your mission statement. For me, as an AI Music enthusiast, it's about engaging with like-minded individuals and developing Dubstep Reggae music. "Jack Righteous" is my artist name and also a character in a fantasy series I'm developing based on a Biblical narrative. Integrating these elements takes strategy, especially if you have projects outside of music.

Step 3: Quality Matters

One of the biggest challenges is balancing the abundance of tracks and free tools with maintaining quality. Tools like Suno AI offer incredible opportunities, but remember that success requires engagement and experimentation. Focus on making your music sound its best, with proper mixing and mastering, and ensure your cover art speaks to your brand.

Essential Tools and Skills:

Canva: Great for images and video creation. The free version is useful, but the pro version is versatile for any creation need. Canva struggles with captions, so I use it for basic videos and complete them in CapCut. Focus on Canva for images and reels, combined with best practices for Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

CapCut: Excellent for finishing video edits with captions and additional effects.

Step 4: Don’t Leave Money on the Table

A personal lesson I learned was not monetizing my SoundCloud tracks. As a Next Pro user, I enjoyed the visibility and plays but missed out on potential streaming revenue. While streaming revenue alone won’t pay the bills for most, it’s a good indicator of what tracks resonate with listeners. Use this feedback to refine and improve your music. I was happy with getting 10 likes per 100 plays and thrilled when one track got over 100 likes with 3,000 plays. In June, my account exploded to almost 70k plays, but I missed setting up monetization.

Step 5: Growth and Evolution

I have implemented most of these changes and continue to learn and evolve. Since June, I’ve focused on growing my fan base on Suno AI, increasing from less than 10 to over 50 followers. My SoundCloud fan base has grown to over 70. I also wish I had started on BandLab much earlier; I’m now on there and excited about the growth opportunities: BandLab.

In Conclusion

Invest time in creating music you love, ensure it sounds great, and present it well. Engage with your audience, focus on quality, and seize monetization opportunities. Use listener feedback to continually improve.

Become a fan on Suno AI: Suno AI.