Image via Shutterstock

You’ve got a new album on the way and an Instagram profile with a few followers. It’s pretty easy to let your ever-expanding fanbase know that it’s coming via sites like Facebook and Twitter by literally just typing out whatever you want to say, but what about Instagram?

The social media platform has become one of the most important in the world with hundreds of millions of users checking it constantly. But the whole thing is photo-focused, so what can you upload to ensure you're continuously promoting your new album in interesting, fun, on-brand ways while still getting every necessary detail across?

Here are six really easy, no-brainer options that will allow you to keep the buzz going about your latest release that work wonders on Instagram.

Just walk away... and never look back. (Image via Shutterstock)

There comes a time in every artist's life where he or she is offered a shimmering, shining, amazing gig – maybe even the fabled Gig of a Lifetime™! There are times, of course, when that's totally legit and it's not too good to be true.

There are other times, however, when a booker is blowing smoke you-know-where to get you to reduce your fee or agree to terms you might not otherwise be comfortable with. It may be hard to resist in the moment, but here are four times you'll be glad you turned down the gig!

Image via Shutterstock

Everyone wants major press placements. I get it. There’s a lot of clout that comes with a feature on Alternative Press, Stereogum, Consequence of Sound, etc. However, in their quest to shoot straight to the top, emerging bands are missing a vital component to career growth: small, indie blogs.

There are a lot of reasons that your band might not be ready for a major outlet to take notice, thus eliminating it from your options completely. The first step in all of this is to really accept that. Know that you’ll get there one day, but today might not be that day, and that’s okay. Now, let’s talk about why small music blogs can be a major component to your success.

Image via Shutterstock

Beefing up your band fund should be a multi-faceted effort, not a single-strategy one. When you include a variety of sources – door money at shows, merch profits, crowdfunding – you're sure to reach your goals faster. One path of opportunity often overlooked, however, is grant funding.

Competition for many of these awards is incredibly stiff, of course, but the rewards can be undeniably game-changing. Learn more about five current grant opportunities for independent musicians below. Do the research, send a compelling application, and continue honing your craft. Whether you snatch the grant or not, the process of applying is, at the very least, fortifying. Good luck!

Image via Shutterstock

One of the biggest frustrations of a publicist is not receiving responses to pitches we send. We sort of anticipate it when the pitch is a cold call or we haven’t yet built a relationship with a writer, but the real head scratchers are when a journalist raises his or her hand high with interest and then seemingly disappears despite repeated follow ups from us.

On a recent Facebook post, a journalist summed this up in one sentence. “If you’re not hearing back from me, it’s because I’m trying to think of a way to tell you 'yes' – and failing."

You may be thinking that if a journalist likes your music, he or she should just write about it. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Here are three reasons why an interested journalist may have gone AWOL.