Ultimate Guide to Indie Music PR: Building Strong Media Relationships

Building solid media relationships is crucial for indie artists seeking exposure and grow their fanbase. This guide will break down indie music pr strategies for effectively navigating media and using it to your advantage.

by Angela Tyler, Owner of Muddy Paw PR.

As an indie artist, the relationships you build are the most important part of your career. More than the music you make or the social media posts you curate, who you know and how they remember you is everything.

This extends from fans to management to promoters, and everyone in between, but today I wanted to focus on one of the first professional relationships you’ll create: media. 

Cultivating strong relationships with the media is crucial for gaining exposure, growing your fanbase, and establishing your place in the industry.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro at PR or this is your first time exploring it, this guide will help you navigate the world of media and influencers.

Understand Your Brand

Before reaching out to outlets, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your brand. What sets you apart from other artists? What’s your story? Having a defined brand will help you pitch yourself more effectively to the media and help them relate to your message — not just your music.

Think about what you represent. The things that are important to you and stand on the periphery of your lyrics and music. Are you very political? Do you talk a lot about friendship? Nostalgia for your younger selves? Is health an important part of your image? What about empowerment? Tap into the themes behind your music and that’s a good indication of where your brand lies. 

Research Relevant Outlets

Not all outlets will be a good fit for your music—that’s ok! Spend time researching which playlists, influencers, podcasts, and yes, even blogs and radio stations are a good fit for you. Look at things like who featured other artists in your genre, that are in a similar career stage as you, or who have an interest in your brand.

It’s not just about music outlets. Take the time to research outlets that are a fit for your brand as well. For example, if health is a huge part of your brand and music, reach out to health-focused outlets.

Go Offline

I know, it’s so easy to do all of this online, that we forget there’s even the option to do it offline! The convenience of conducting everything online, especially for introverts like me, is incredibly tempting. But here’s the thing. The strongest relationships I’ve ever built have been those that came from in-person interactions.

You can attend industry events like conferences, festivals, and mixers. You can host special listening parties just for the press (and VIP fans if you want!) Participate in workshops and schedule in-person meetings when you can. Go to events that are important to your local media and show your support.

In other words, pay attention to what’s happening in your own backyard, take advantage of it, and if what you want doesn’t exist, make it happen for yourself.

Don’t forget to follow up with personalized thank yous after these interactions and keep the connection going.

Take an interest in them

This goes hand in hand with what I was saying above. Building meaningful relationships goes beyond promoting your music; it involves genuinely taking an interest in the people you’re engaging with.

For the media, this means researching their work to understand the kind of stories/content they care about and catering your pitches to that. It means engaging with their work by sharing it, commenting, and asking them about it. 

Showing genuine interest and curiosity about their work will create a dynamic that’s more about mutual respect than “what can you do for me.” And not only is that just a better, more respectful way to do things, it’s what will help you build and keep that relationship in the long run.

Leverage your social media

I’d be foolish not to mention the power of social media here. Everyone will have their preference, though journalists do tend to prefer Twitter/X or LinkedIn, while influencers will stick to their preferred platform.

Follow them and participate in conversations about the things they’re sharing. (See above) By consistently interacting with their content you’ll show them that you’re not only paying attention, you’re interested.

As a bonus, this is also a great way to expand your relationships and meet new people!

Give them an exclusive

Everyone likes to feel special and the media is no different. Anything that helps them stand out from their competition makes it a lot easier for them to say yes to your pitch. 

Some ways to offer them an exclusive: First listens on the new single, behind-the-scenes footage, or exclusive interviews are all a great way to offer them something unique. Just make sure you’re prepared and do your part to promote any appearances before (if it’s a live appearance) or after it’s out.

There’s nothing that will ruin a relationship faster than not sharing coverage!

Be Consistent and Persistent

This will take time. Be consistent in your communication and follow up if you don’t hear back immediately. I suggest one or two follow-ups, at least a few days apart. If an outlet isn’t responding even after a follow-up, move on. You can always revisit them later with a different release. 

Say thank you

I know, this one should go without saying, but you wouldn’t believe how often I see artists miss it!

Always thank the media and if you can, the specific journalist or influencer who you worked with for their support. Ideally publically as well as privately.

Share the coverage on your social media and website, tag the outlet and journalist, and let them know how excited you are about it. Promoting their work not only shows appreciation but respect.

Building media relationships as an indie artist takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. As someone whose been doing this over a decade, I’ve seen the long-term impact that these relationships can have.

By understanding your brand, doing research, and approaching the media with professionalism and respect, you can cultivate connections that help grow your career and get your music to new eyes and ears so much faster than you ever could without.

Happy relationship building!

Angela Tyler is the owner of Muddy Paw PR. She believes every artist has a unique story that can transform lives and build community. With over a decade of industry experience, including speaking at major conferences like SXSW, her campaigns offer personalized press and marketing strategies. 

Muddy Paw PR clients have secured placements on Earmilk, American Songwriter, and more, signed to labels, played top festivals, and significantly increased their fanbase and audience engagement. When she’s not working in music, she’s hanging out with her 15-year old senior pup Sawyer and probably binging reality TV.