Undiscovered artists always question how new talent blow up faster than them. Rappers like XXXTentacion, SpeakerKnockaz, Tyler the Creator, and 6ix9ine took over the world with his music in under 2 years time. However, on the contrary, talented superstar potentials like Blac Zacc and BSmyth (see here) are still under the radar. The difference of these artists is simply “Search Engine marketing. ” Too many rappers do not know how to use SEO to get more views and plays.
What is SEO?
This is search engine optimization. If not aware, Google gets 5.6-billion searches globally each and every single day it’s functioning. It deals with more traffic than the population of the entire united states, a few times over. This means, if you can reach just a fraction of these people with a new song of 2019 that you’re promoting, your streams can potentially skyrocket. A rapper may go viral , just from being seen by 100,000 new people searching. To be seen however, you need to rank your video or audio at the top of the search results.
How do you rank a new video or song in Google or YouTube search?
To rank a new rap video in Google or Youtube search, you need backlinks and embeds. Shortly put, you need websites to link back to the original page of your video (ex: youtube.com/yourvideo87900) .
Websites will link to your video for pay quickly. However, many will do it just because they like your music, if a true enthusiast of the culture. In his current times however, paying is more likely. Even radio stations like Hot97 have started getting pay for play on their blogs. As the internet has taken over, what was once called ‘payola’ for DJs and radio has pretty much transferred to the blog world.
Rapper C.KHiD figured this out years ago. The South Carolina rapper gained millions of views from it and dominated the Hip-Hop genre on YouTube for 4 years. He even launched an eBook explaining this to people in 2008, which many professionals laughed at. The idea of ranking a Yohtube video was considered a joke at that time. Oh, how the “Yeah Yeah” rapper was ahead of his time.
Record Industry 101: Owning Rap Videos Is Like Owning Masters
Today, Record companies and multi-artist channels like Lyrical Lemonade, work with unaware rappers full-time, using a scaled up version of C.KHiD’s technique. These popular YouTubers and multi-artist channels delegate the task of building backlinks to companies like DFYLinks.com, anytime they find a talent wich video content worth promoting. From the videos, they profit greatly off ads and give the new artists a jumpstart to their career. And, most artists give the rights of profits and earnings to the channel for the SEO work.
It’s the new age record label model essentially. Owning a music video or visual content is the 2019 way of saying “I own your masters.” Companies will earn for decades off YouTube ads on the channels which feature some of these rappers.
What does it cost for a rapper to do it themself?
To compete with record labels, Indian marketers, and companies like Lyrical Lemonade, you need a 4-figure budget to start undoubtedly. Companies like DFY can get you high powered links but many authoritative blogs like Forbes will cost $400 just for 1 post. The distance these sites can push your project up in serps is well worth it however.
Cheap video ranking services can be found on sites like SEOClerk.com or Konker.io. However, these are only usable for low competition keyword niches. An example would be “new rap song april 2019.”
General keywords like ‘new rap songs 2019’ or just ‘new hip hop songs’ will require major domain authority links. Major labels & even dope dealers are promoting their artists in these keyword terms and their budget is much bigger, so you have to steadily invest to get your shot at the top.
Beware of Indian marketers. India’s music talent is pushed heavily on the world as the work is super cheap within the country, for their own. However, they charge foreigners a lot higher prices. Not only that, they will likely use whatever information you give them, against you, later promoting other talent and over-exploiting your marketing plans until the niche is dead.
Below, see rap video “Yeah Yeah,” that went viral from C.KHiD in 2010. He used resources such as Charles Floate’s DFYLinks.com to reach 3.1-million views and achieve over 1-million ringtone downloads. Tyler the Creator “Yonkers” did the same, with a shock factor added in. Eating a cockroach took things to a new height just 1 year later, 2011.
Keep in mind however, if the song is trash, it still will not reach 1-million-views organically. Any Hip-Hop song that reaches 1-million plays naturally has to connect with an audience somewhere in the world.