3 SEO strategies musicians ignore


Welcome [back] to another week of your weekly dose 🎢

Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing tips, updates, and must-know music marketing insights to help you get your music heard!

By Finch Bergling πŸ™‚


Your Weekly Reel Idea

So yesterday, don't ask me why, I was doom scrolling Instagram reels, and the algorithm showed me a turtle... humping a shoe and making weird noises.

The video had over a million likes.

One minute later, the algorithm recommended a new video - and it was the exact same one with the turtle, but this time, half the screen was a musician playing the piano, so the turtle noises would sound more... melodic?

That video also has currently nearly 150k likes.

πŸ“ Content Summary: This video shows an artist adding piano to an already-viral video using split-screen, transforming bizarre content into something musical.

🎦 How to create a similar Reel:

  1. Scroll through viral videos until you find one with distinct sounds or rhythm
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  2. Download/screen record the viral video (look for 1M+ views)
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  3. Film yourself split-screen adding musical elements:
    • Piano/keyboard
    • Harmonies or backing vocals
    • Beatboxing or percussion
    • Any instrument that fits the rhythm
  4. Use CapCut to create the split-screen effect

πŸ€” Why does it work so well?

  1. It piggybacks on proven virality - If the original video has millions of views, you know people are already obsessed with it. You're not gambling on new content - you're enhancing what already works.
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  2. The absurdity creates shareability - People share things that make them laugh AND show talent.
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  3. It shows musical skill without being preachy - Instead of another "look how talented I am" video, you're using your skills for comedy.
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  4. The algorithm already loves it - Instagram/TikTok already knows this content performs. By using the same audio/visual, you're telling the algorithm "hey, I'm part of this trend" and it pushes you to the same audience.

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Your Weekly Tip

3 SEO strategies musicians ignore (that get you streams while you sleep)

Everyone talks about "passive income." For musicians, that means getting discovered organically - getting new listeners in at 3 AM while you're dreaming about Ramen (or is it just me?)

You already know about playlists, ads, and content creation. But here are 3 SEO goldmines almost no one uses.

Quick story: Last month, I had lyrics stuck in my head. I googled them 50 times. Nothing. The song had zero SEO. But finally, I found it buried in my old Spotify liked songs.

That artist might have lost hundreds of potential streams because people literally couldn't find their music.

Don't be that artist.

P.S. The song was Thank You by Lili Joy​

P.S.S. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization - it's the process of improving how your content appears in search results (like Google or YouTube) so more people can find it organically.
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1. Get your lyrics on Genius.com (It's free and takes 5 minutes)

​Genius is where people go to understand lyrics, find song meanings, and discover new music. When someone searches for those lyrics stuck in their head, Genius often ranks #1 on Google.

How to do it:

  • Create a free account at genius.com​
  • Click "Add a Song"
  • Enter your artist name, song title, and lyrics
  • Add annotations explaining your favorite lines
  • Boom. Your song is now searchable

Tip: Add the story behind the song in annotations. Fans love that insider knowledge, and it keeps them on the page longer (which Google loves).
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2. Upload to YouTube (Even if it's just you and your phone)

People still search for songs on YouTube. Sometimes not for the video, but because they wanted to see more from the artist, and interact with other fans who enjoyed the song.

Three options that work:

  • No budget: Film yourself performing it live on your phone
  • $10-50: Hire someone on Fiverr for a simple lyric video
  • DIY: Use Canva's free video templates with your artwork

For the SEO: Put your full lyrics in the description. Add "Official Audio" or "Official Lyric Video" to the title. Include your socials and streaming links.
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3. Use Instagram/TikTok descriptions

Here's what Instagram's head Adam Mosseri confirmed: Hashtags are dead for discovery.

What actually works in 2025:

Text on screen: The algorithm reads it. Make it searchable. Write long, searchable captions, like "sad indie song about heartbreak."

Video descriptions: This is free SEO real estate. Include:

  • Parts of the song lyrics (or the hook)
  • "Original song by [your name]"
  • Genre keywords: "indie pop," "bedroom producer," "unsigned artist"
  • More keywords: "sad song," "new music," "Spotify."

Comments: Reply using keywords. When someone says "love this!", reply with "Thanks! This song is called [title] - it's on Spotify!"


The compound effect of SEO:

Do all three, and here's what happens:

  • Someone hears your song in a coffee shop
  • Googles a lyric β†’ finds you on Genius
  • Clicks through to YouTube β†’ watches your video
  • Algorithm notices the journey β†’ pushes your content
  • They follow on socials β†’ become a real fan

That's how you turn a random listener at 3 AM into a lifelong supporter.

Your action plan this week:

  1. Tomorrow: Upload your top 3 songs to Genius (15 minutes)
  2. Thursday: Create one simple YouTube video (2 hours max)
  3. Friday: Update your recent social descriptions with a few lyrics

Which one are you starting with? Reply and let me know - I'll help you optimize it!​
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Good luck!

Finch

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Let's work together 🀝

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Discounts & Links πŸ”—

  • Get 10% off on SubmitHub​
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  • Get ​7.5% off your first campaign on Playlist Push - use code finch
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  • Get 40% off your first month on PlaylistSupply - use code finch40
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  • Get 40% off your first month on Booking-Agent.io - use code finch40
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  • Get 40% off your first month on RadioPromo.io - use code finch40​
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  • Get 7% off on DistroKid​
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  • Get 7-day free pro on Hypeddit​

That’s it for this week! Hope today’s email gave you something useful to work with.

Until next week, Finch 🎢

P.S. Newsletters aren’t social media - I can’t see what you’re enjoying unless you tell me. Hit reply and let me know what you liked (or didn’t) - I’d love to hear from you! 😊

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ABOUT: Hey there, I’m Finch Bergling - a musician, business graduate, marketing specialist and playlist curator who’s spent the last 10 years navigating the music industry while figuring out how to make the creative life not just sustainable but fulfilling.

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My mission is simple: to help independent musicians avoid the pitfalls I faced and give them the tools, strategies, and confidence they need to succeed. I specialize in ads, storytelling, content creation, playlist curation, and much more. Whether it’s creating Facebook ads that actually convert or building a sustainable online brand, I’m here to help you grow your career without sacrificing your creativity or your sanity.

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If you’re ready to level up, I share free tips and resources across my social media channels and email community. At the end of the day, I want to see you succeed – and if you join me, I'm sure that I will see it.

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Let’s make this journey one worth sharing ✨
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