17/1/25
It’s been quite a week to say the least!
Hollywood is still burning, Zuckerberg is churning and I hope you guys are learning something new as you take the long and winding road of being an Independent musician.
Firstly, if you haven’t already subscribed to my YouTube Channel then take a look.
I am doing daily videos and each week I’ll highlight one which I feel is the most important and we can take a deeper dive.
This week it’s this one - ‘Can you really make a living from music without using Spotify?
Have you ever wondered why some musicians make waves locally while others struggle to get noticed?
This Week’s Focus: How to Own Your Local Scene as a Musician
Did you know that most successful independent musicians started by dominating their local area before reaching global audiences?
Quick Overview
This week, I’m sharing three game-changing tips to own your local scene, build genuine connections, and turn casual likes into super fans—all while staying true to your vision.
1. Insight/Tip of the Week
Use Your Google Business Profile (GBP) to Build Local Buzz
Most musicians and artists don’t realise that GBP’s aren’t just for coffee shops and hotels—it’s a powerful tool for artists too!
Here’s how to use it:
Claim your profile and include keywords like "live musician in Oslo" or "acoustic gigs near Bristol." (or wherever you live obviously!)
Post your upcoming gigs as events to attract local searches.
Encourage fans to leave reviews—social proof is king!
Update with pics, videos and merch offers every week (good for the algo!)
2. Story Time
I am in California until early March ‘25 and am so grateful to be in this really beautiful part of the world. Now I am a Brit and live mainly in Oslo, but as my wife is American, we spend a fair bit of time here too.
I know us Brits like to take the piss out of the Americans for their poor sense of world Geography, but I was really surprised by some comments from my British friends who I thought had a good grasp of where things are.
A few comments I heard recently when I told them I was in Silicon Valley, California was, ‘Can you see the fires where you are?’
They were talking about the L.A. fires…over 5 hrs drive away from Paolo Alto!
It seems they thought California was a lot smaller than it is!
Luckily, we are no where near it but a few years ago this very area where told to pack their cars and be ready to leave as wildfire was heading straight for them.Luckily the wind dies down and they were able to fully extinguish it..but a very close call!
I’ve also been here when they had Biblical floods…life is rarely dull on the San Andreas fault.
3. Resource of the Week
Tool: Google’s Guide to Optimising Your Business Profile
Why It’s Useful: It walks you through setting up and optimising your GBP step by step. Pair this with my free 20-minute session (details below), and you’ll be ranking, banking and booking gigs in no time!
Quick Updates from Me
New Service: I’m offering a 20-minute free session to help you get started with your Google Business Profile. Click here to book.
Personal Update: Mikaela (my 1-year-old) is officially crawling at lightning speed! She has tried a couple of tentative steps by herself but as yet hasn’t gone full Biped! We’re all waiting for that day when she starts to walk, I am having a bet that it will be before we leave back for Norway in March! I’ll keep you posted
Start your own online Vinyl distribution ElasticStage is the worlds first online vinyl store.
As a partnership with them I can highly recommend their services. This can actually be a game changer for independent artists and can add a lot to your income.
(I also receive a very small commission if you sign up)
Final thoughts
What’s your challenge as a musician trying to grow your audience?
Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to help you tackle it!
Stay Inspired
“Rejection is correction. Ridicule is fuel. Keep thriving.”
Until next time,
Spence C
thepromu.com | LinkedIn