An important step in band website promotion consists of getting listed into the existing band website directories. If you want to be found by people, you need to be there where people are looking. Directories are websites in which the content, in this case information about bands, is organised into categories. People can rapidly find a music band based on specific criteria such as location, genre or influences. An additional advantage of getting listed into directories is that they may improve the search engine rankings of your band website: search engines calculate the 'importance' of your website based on the number of other sites linking to it (among other factors of course).

Tips for getting directory listings

- It is better to be listed into several directories than in only one. People looking for bands are probably not going to check all of them.

- Submit your band profile to a website that gives you a dedicated page, in which you can give detailed information about your band. A complete page improves the chance that people will find your band!

- Make your submission as detailed as allowed. Use the space that the directory offers you to advertise your band into as much detail as possible. Describe your music, its genre, its influences and instruments.

- Choosing the right categories is very important as it makes the difference in being found or not.

- Create a unique description for each directory. Don't copy just your own biography from your website. Search engines do not like duplicate content: your information may receive higher rankings if it is unique in every place.

- Update your information from time to time. Contemporary directories offer easy ways to correct or improve your listing at a later time.


Where to get a directory listing

There are several options out there, and the search engines may help you to find them. For European artists, a great place to start is the European Band List ( http://bandlist.eu ). This upcoming directory offers bands a free chance to submit a band profile. Each band gets an own page on which you can offer detailed information about who you are and which kind of music you play. By means of special keyword ("tag") fields your listing starts to appear in specific categories.