There was a time when DJs were limited to playing gigs at clubs and making remixes. The industry, which has come decades further, was initially very small. No one ever thought of seeing DJs as mainstream or mainstage acts. But it’s happening now.
Thanks to digital media and the internet, for helping a lot of artists come forward without investing millions into traditional marketing channels.
Ever since the internet became cheaper and consumption became universal, brands started competing with each other to win the race. The internet is one of the greatest tools we have to market and brand a product, service, or idea. It’s a free parking zone for you to play and implement your ideas, whether you are a content creator, a product designer, or just a normal employee. Your social media account is something that people search for first. Well, this is how the internet has transformed everything.
This article we wrote is a case study of famous Dutch DJ and Electronic Music Producer Hardwell, who changed the scene in many different ways. He is called the pioneer of Big Room House, Progressive House, and now Big Room Techno for a reason. This article will focus on every aspect of Hardwell’s effective marketing strategy.
10 Genius Marketing Strategies That Made Hardwell a Global EDM Superstar:
1. Release Lots of Free Quality Content
The industry was already growing when Hardwell started, and everything was just starting to become digital. There were many forums and websites where you could upload your stuff, get feedback, and talk to people. Hardwell harnessed the power of the internet back then, looking to the future, and decided to give away his bootlegs, mashups, remixes, and originals for free. This was a brilliant move because everybody had to buy music back then, and free music was not available. So people used to search a lot for free downloads, and being the smartest in the game, Hardwell understood this and played it very well.
This, in turn, was good marketing for him as well.
2. Improve Your Content Distribution
Hardwell was not only using the internet as a channel, but he also used mass distribution of content through TV, radio, and stores. All the famous radio shows used to play his tracks. He built a good reputation with broadcasters and record labels back then, which in return helped him distribute his music. This way, he was able to tap the offline market and make his music easily available to all.
Availability is one of the greatest concerns when it comes to marketing. If it is not easily accessible, then it will probably not be consumed by most customers. Hardwell knew this back then, and this is why he decided to push his content as far as he could to get attention. Offline methods also did wonders for him.
3. Use Download Gates
The download fashion is no more in the picture in 2024. But, the producers and labels on SoundCloud use it well.
They are still so popular that every upcoming artist on SoundCloud is using it. Not only that, many companies are also making a profit because of it, and some companies even pay a little bit of revenue to the artists for using their download gates.
Hardwell used them back when Twitter and all other social media platforms were growing at a massive pace. Since he wanted to create a fan base and also give something back to fans, he used download gates, which had a massive impact on his career and helped him grow as an artist.
4. Viral Content for the Breakthrough
Hardwell says, “You just need one piece of viral content to breakthrough.”
Hardwell and his team understand the power of content very well. Every festival he plays, there are some elements of virality in it. Either visuals or the moment captured. There is always a try to make things presented in such a way that it goes viral.
A few viral moments for Hardwell were –
- Apollo becoming the biggest hit
- The Pokemon theme played by Hardwell at Ultra Europe 2016
- The song “Sally” from his album ‘United We Are’ (A bit controversial)
- The legendary bootleg of “Show Me Love,” (Every big DJ was playing this record back then.)
5. Start Your Own Platform
Hardwell started his own record label and radio show to help other upcoming producers and DJs showcase their talent. To this day, he hasn’t stopped and is continuously helping other producers shine. His label is counted among one of the best labels in the industry right now, and his radio shows are always booming.
By starting his own platform, Hardwell didn’t just get free marketing, but he was also able to help people by giving them a chance to showcase their talent.
6. Collaborate & Grow
Collaboration is one of the best things that can happen to any industry. Nowadays, not just companies but also music artists work in collaboration to release records. This, provides them with the opportunity to tap into the fanbase of collaborating artists, resulting in absolute reach and success.
In Hardwell’s case, collaboration is something that brought him into the spotlight from many different angles. His collaborations with Tiesto, MAKJ, Henry Fong, Maddix, and more, gave him the edge that was needed. He was able to tap into the fanbases of other artists and make his music go beyond boundaries.
In 2024, he is still collaborating and playing those records.
7. Release High or Epic Quality Content
Content marketing is of huge importance now. The videos, audio, and all other stuff shared on the internet have some amount of value. But being able to use it efficiently is something that opens doors for brands to market and grow.
Refer to point 4 for more understanding. And make sure to release relatable and high-quality content.
So good quality content is important.
8. Be the First, Fastest, and Best
Ever realized how Hardwell is super quick at everything? Just for example – back-to-back dropping releases after releases.
Even after coming from a hiatus, he has been releasing records, collaborating, and, creating trends that other artists follow.
Currently, he is into Big Room Techno. But when Big Room House was becoming the next big genre in the industry, Hardwell saw the opportunity and started producing Big Room style records, releasing multiple singles one by one.
This built his reputation in the big room music community and established him as the leader of the same. His experimentation and hard work also made him lead the league.
He was a leader in most things, though. And it’s not just for music, Hardwell and his team are huge risk-takers. They always keep their level up with new technologies and techniques that are new in the market. This makes them innovative and creative at the same time.
9. Give Back to Fans (Release Premium Content for Free)
Well, this has been learned by every artist in the scene and is most popular in the case of EDM. Giving stuff away for free is a good way of keeping your fans engaged. It also builds a hero-like reputation. It will never change it’s still the same in 2024.
Hardwell knew it right from the beginning and gave away some of his major tracks like his Apollo Edit and many others for free. The same was done with Hardwell’s imprint, Revealed Recordings for a bunch of records.
10. Increase Your Engagement with Your Fans
When Facebook was getting really big, Hardwell was among the few artists who started using chatbots to engage with his fans on Facebook. Using bots helped him reply to his fans instantly and helped them feel appreciated. The effective use of bots helped him grow even further because when you are an artist as big as Hardwell, people expect a lot from you. And who knows what could turn into a new opportunity?
With a fanbase like Hardwell’s, it’s really difficult to keep up with everyone, but the rightly built chatbot that his team made made it possible to have a high engagement rate.
The chatbot strategy is not used anymore in 2024, since Instagram has become the prime platform.
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