Okay so maybe it took us a little while to settle in to the new year, but we have some new directions we really want to tell you about. No, we’re not adding a penthouse floor to the skyscraper and we probably won’t sign your favorite band to a lucrative distribution deal. Instead, we have some very practical changes that we would like to let you all know about in this kind, quick note.
- The SUBMISSION process is different now. No longer will we be accepting submissions via standard email or Facebook messages. If you are in a band or represent a band and would like to be considered for press on ETTG, please fill out the form on our Submission Guidelines page. Any submissions received after Feb. 1, 2016 will only be processed through our new form.
- We are really excited to have a few new volunteers contact us in the past month but we’re always looking for more writers. If you’re interested in writing in folk/Americana/singer songwriter genres, Greg is the one to talk to. If you’d like to chip in with indie rock and related genres, Matt is the contact person. If you’re really passionate about country music and would like to be heavily involved in the site, we have a pretty much limitless supply of music and plenty of volunteer opportunity. For any of these options, email us at eartothegroundmusicblog@gmail.com.
- We’ve honed in on a new direction that may give us some new programs and maybe even some new branding. That new direction is to be a hub for music in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania (think Cleveland and Pittsburgh, for those of you not from here). That’s right – we want to localize our coverage just a bit. That’s not to say we’ll only cover local bands, but rather we want to be THE music journalistic outlet for the region. If you represent a band touring in this area, we want to hear from you! We’ll do our best to spread the word.
So “how can we help, ETTG staff?”
Boy (or girl) am I glad you asked!
- Spread the word. As usual, that’s how internet properties work. But seriously a simple share goes a long way to help us and to help bands. If you could tell your friends about local shows and make sure that the music scene is vibrant here, it really helps our cause. After all, we’re here to help more people find great bands and help more musicians find great fans.
- When you find an artist through our site, tell the band. It sounds corny, but it really lets folks in the industry know that our voice matters. Even if we only help you find a handful of bands in a year, shoot them a message on social media or better yet at a show. It helps everyone in the process and doesn’t cost you a dime.
- Participate in the community. We don’t have forums (those are so 90s), but we do have social media pages. Contribute! Tell us about your favorite bands. When we post a review, don’t just click like (but we appreciate that!), tell us about your favorite song. What did you like? Have you seen them in concert? Do you know the band? Are you in the band? Let’s get some discussion going on our ETTG content. Do you disagree with our take on a band? (I know, I probably compare too many people to Phil Collins; I’m working on it.) Be a voice. Participate in our community and enjoy the process.
What we would like to do:
- We want to make enough support this year to get to some festivals. Right? I mean… that’s not asking too much, is it? We welcome a variety of methods of support, not the least of which being business partnerships or donations. Email us to talk more about those plans.
- Bring you more premium content than ever before. That means artist interviews, videos, and other things that make you want to jump on one foot and get excited.
- Giveaways and contests. We’ve had a variety of responses to these in the past. Here’s what we need, though. We need higher levels of engagement with our everyday content to do giveaways. We would like to host another YouTube contest and maybe some album/ticket giveaways. If you’re still reading, post “I like free stuff” to our Facebook, Twitter, or Email and you’ll be automatically entered in our first album giveaway for 2016. Stay tuned for more details.
