7 ways to use videos on your band website

With all band websites the 'content' is the ruler of your pages, and nothing has quite as powerful a punch in terms of impressing visitors on your site as video does. Here are a few stats to show just how important video is in promoting your music and your overall content:

• Currently, YouTube has over 2.7 billion monthly active users across the world
• In 2024, the average person watched online videos for over 3 hours a day.
• Internet videos comprised more than 91% of global internet traffic in of 2024

Adding video takes your site from static (not moving) to dynamic (moving). In addition to making your website more compelling to your visitors, video is an engaging tool to reinforce your brand: people are definitely more likely to remember you and your music if they see it in a video. They will also spend more time on your website pages if they include videos.

Curious to know how you can take your content to the next level with videos? Check out these seven ways you can use video on your band website:

1. Add a video for your new single
2. Add video to your EPK
3. Use a video header
4. Offer lessons or tutorials
5. Promote your fan subscriptions
6. Get more tips in your jar
7. Stream a live show

1. Add a video for your new single

Using video to promote new music releases started well before the advent of online services like Youtube.

If you’re planning an album release, chances are you’re releasing at least one single off that album. Releasing a video with that single can really help your fans connect to your music, even if your video budget allows for only a white wall and a guitar, shot on a smartphone.

If you have a video for your single, showcase it on your website right up front. With any new release, you can draw your fans' attention to it directly on your homepage. What’s even better is video platforms like Youtube will still track your video plays even if someone watches it from the pages on your site!

Bandzoogle makes this easy with our Video feature - just upload your video to an online video service like YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo, and paste the video share link into the Video feature — your video will then play directly on your website. 

2. Add video to your EPK

Video isn’t just important for engaging fans, it’s also important for industry —- a video can not only amplify the emotional power of your music, but it’s a great way for bookers, agents, and labels to get a visual sense of the kind of artist you are. Video is an essential detail to add to your online EPK to show who you are, and what you can do.

Whether that video is a high production value CGI epic, a candlelit solo showcase recorded in your living room, or footage from the best gig you ever played, showing what you can do as a performer can elevate you in the eyes of the music business. So when you add an EPK to your website, don’t forget to add video content!

Artist: Zaynab K. Wilson

3. Use a video header

Your website's header area is where you get to make a really big impact on new visitors, and nothing can make a visitor say ‘wow’ like a video header.

Adding a video header is a Pro-level feature, and it’s supported on most of our website templates. Basically if your theme includes a space for an image at the top, you can add video headers with any of our music website templates as well. You can easily upload your video directly to your website via the header options in your page settings.

4. Offer lessons or tutorials

For a lot of musicians, teaching isn’t just a side hustle; it’s a big part of being a musician as a whole. Many musicians are moving towards offering more music lessons online, choosing to offer one-on-one video lessons, live-streaming group classes, and/or posting video lessons for viewing or download purchases.

Ranging from guitar, piano, and singing, to perhaps more uncommon instruments (who hasn’t wanted to learn the bagpipes?!), online music lessons have become an increasingly popular way to improve instrumental skills — for beginner to advanced players alike.

Add video lessons or stream live to students directly from your website, making use of password-protected pages. You can also take payment directly via the Store feature or on subscriptions pages (see below) for the services you offer.

5. Promote your fan subscriptions

If you’re setting up pages with exclusive fan subscription content on your site, it’s good practice to let your fans know what they’ll be receiving in exchange for their monthly fees.

Adding a short and personal ‘welcome’ video to your fan subscriptions paywall page is a great way to entice fans to become new subscribers. Embed a YouTube, Vimeo, Twitch, Crowdcast, or Facebook video right to your subscription landing page — introduce yourself, and outline some of the perks subscribers can look forward to receiving.

6. Get more tips in your jar

Like with subscriptions, using video on a page beside your virtual tip jar will personally outline what visitor contributions mean to you as a musician. Create a short, sincere video explaining how even a small tip can help keep the music going. Even a short thank you or acknowledgement video can go a long way!

And also like subscriptions, you can include an option to add a video right in the Tip Jar feature settings.

7. Stream a live show

While live streaming is not a full substitute for a good old fashioned gig, it has proven to be an effective way to maintain your connection with your fanbase. Throughout the global pandemic, when it was extremely difficult to guarantee live shows and events, streaming really developed as an additional way for musicians and artists to connect with their fan base, and it’s still a very powerful option for engagement.

Like a show at a venue, live streaming can be an interactive platform, and you can evenl sell tickets to your show. While there's always the option to do high-tech production, you can also keep things relatively simple by using services like Facebook and YouTube to set up live stream events with little experience or upfront investment.

And unlike playing live, you can live stream your gigs whenever you want — no booking agents or tour planning required!

Our Video feature works with streaming platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Crowdcast and more, and if you’re on a Pro level plan, you can use our Calendar feature to sell tickets directly on your website, with no middle-man or commission or service fees.

Artist: Tongues of Fire

In addition to providing engaging visual content, videos are a great way to show off your musical chops on your band website. If you’re creating music videos to help grow your career, be sure to use that same content to grow your fanbase on your band website.