The term digital distributor is used to describe a service that delivers media content to the consumers, primarily music, and then every other kind, like videos, e-books, games, movies and TV shows, software, and so on. It’s also known as a content delivery service too, and it’s mostly used by the creators of digital content of any type, that want to share their work with the rest of the world and deliver it to the most popular platforms that will help them do that. Since it can be pretty complicated to sign up on every platform you want your content delivered, there are some services that you can use to do that for you, as MusicDigi, that allows you to upload your music or videos, and have them distributed to the most popular streaming media services.
When you are a newbie in the business, it may be pretty confusing to choose the right platform to stream your work, and at some point, you will be overwhelmed by everything that is available on the market. Most of the artists want to go directly to the biggest ones, like Spotify or iTunes, but before you do that, you have to research the market and check which service is the most appropriate for you.
One of the options is to target two or three platforms and create labels there, which will help optimize the content, and make it available for the general audience. Most of the anticipated platforms will gladly give a chance to the new artists because they enjoy promoting quality music and making it available to the consumers.
According to many artists who were at the beginning recently, but now they are doing pretty well, it’s always a better choice to use a distributor, and design your label by yourself, release the projects you are working on, sign a contract, or sign up online for their service, and be sure they will set all the things up, making your work recognizable among the audience.
But, should you go to the first one you’ve found? Of course not. There are plenty of distribution channels, and you are able to choose among them. Also, you have to be careful with these things:
1. The pricing options
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Check all the pricing packs, before you choose something. As you explore, you will be able to find better deals. See if they offer a loyalty or premium program for the users. Sometimes, it may seem expensive to sign up for the whole year, but you have an option to make monthly payments if it works better for you. Also, keep in mind that monthly rates include fees too, and if you sum them up, it may come more expensive than choosing the yearly plan. It’s on you to choose the business model that works the best for you, depending on the amount of content you want to release, and do you intend to earn from what you do immediately, or you will wait to become recognizable and charge for what you do. There can be some hidden fees too, that aren’t listed with big letters, and that’s why you have to read everything carefully, even the sentences that don’t seem important.
2. Their customer care availability
Having quality customer care service is a must for every serious digital distributor, no matter what type of content they deliver. First, the interface of the platform should be easy for the users, and then, they should have a list of FAQs, that will be helpful for the new users. If someone has a problem while using it, it’s always a great option to reach to the customer care agents. They represent the company, and they should be professional while providing the service. Providing the proper care means resolving the issues as fast as possible. When you see a company that seems good for your requirements, you should take a few minutes more to explore it deeper, check the forums and social media, and find relevant user experiences, that will tell you everything you want to know. Read the reviews, because the most important details are usually “hidden” there.
3. The opportunities they give to the artists
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Your success depends on your talents and hard work, but knowing that the market is overwhelmed by very talented artists, many of them don’t have a chance to shine. But, some distributors offer an option to boost the overall performance and expose you to the audience. Sometimes it’s included in the price, and sometimes you may need to pay a few more dollars, but it’s worth it. Once you are recognized by the audience, you have the chance you were waiting your whole life – to be a great music star.
4. Which platforms they are connected to
Do they offer what you want? Can you reach the platforms you prefer using their services? Many distributors have a wide selection of streaming platforms, like Spotify, iTunes, Deezer, YouTube, or even TikTok, and so on. The valuable distributors already work with these platforms, and they have them listed in the offer. But, before you sign up for any delivery plan, you have to check if they support what you really want.
5. Their reputation and values
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Surely you don’t want to spend your money on something that won’t bring anything to you. That’s why you have to go for reputable services, check their work and company values, and then sign up for their services. For example, many of them gave bigger support to the new artists during the first months of the pandemic (and they are still doing that), making better deals, or promoting them for free a month or two. This tells a lot about their mission and goals and makes them more reputable among the consumers.
You only need to follow these suggestions before you make your final decision. We hope that we will soon be able to hear for you and your work, and we wish you all the best in your mission to promote what you do to the rest of the world.
