Stop wasting your time uploading to libraries that don’t lead to sales! In this video I'll tell you why you should only focus on the best libraries (and what they are). If you're looking to sell stock music online, you need to work smart!
The "Spray and Pray" Music Licensing Model
Some people advocate a "spray and pray" model of music licensing, where they upload their songs to every non-exclusive library they can find in the hopes of chasing down every last dollar. Unfortunately, many of these sites will either never lead to a sale, or they pay so little that it really doesn't equal more than a few dollars.
I recommend focusing on the best few websites, and spending the extra time honing your craft, making more music, or living your life.
The Opportunity Cost of Uploading to Bad Stock Music Sites
In economics, there's something called "opportunity cost." Basically, it means the cost (in terms of time, money, etc.) of choosing Opportunity A instead of Opportunity B.
Depending on the site, it could take 20-25 minutes to upload a song and edits, and enter the meta data. So, conservatively, if you uploaded 5 songs to just TWO bad libraries, you would have wasted 2 hours of your time.
That is time that you could be spending so much better. You could be hanging out with your friends and family. Going to the gym. Doing some TaiJi.
Or making more music to upload to sites where you actually get sales.
What Are the Best Sites to License Stock Music?
Well, as I talk about here, the two best sites to start licensing your music are Pond 5 and AudioJungle.
(Note that this is a referral link, meaning I get a commission if you purchase anything from the sites - but I don’t not get a referral for recommending that you sign up as an artist. It's just my honest belief it's the best site for folks new to licensing).
They have a really good combination of strong sales and active marketplaces. If you focus on what works and stop doing what doesn't, you'll see a lot more success with your music licensing!
What do you think? Is it worth uploading to every site to chase down all the money available out there?
From a Frustrated Producer in a Ragtag Bedroom Studio to Major Placements on TV Earning $1,000s!
My name is Evan, and I've been making music since around 3rd grade. I'm from San Diego, California, but I've lived in Washington, DC for the last 20 years.
While I still have a full-time day job, I have created systems that have allowed me to produce dozens of songs a year in my spare time.
My songs have been on Netflix, TV shows like the 90 Day Fiance, an award-winning indie film, and NPR’s “All Thing Considered.” They've also been streamed millions of times.
In addition to being a music producer, I am passionate about teaching people how they can make professional-sounding music and earn money licensing it, all in their spare time.
Thousands of musicians, like yourself, have trusted me to guide their musical journey. My YouTube videos have been watched nearly a million times. And my story has been in Forbes, Side Hustle Nation, and the Side Hustle School.
