MySpace is a free social networking site that allows you to exchange messages with friends, post videos and use a variety of applications. It also serves as a virtual marketplace for cellular phone services. This guide will show you how to sell ringtones on MySpace.
MySpace is a free social networking site that allows you to exchange messages with friends, post videos and use a variety of applications. It also serves as a virtual marketplace for cellular phone services. This guide will show you how to sell ringtones on MySpace.
Introduction
- In the past, ringtones could only be purchased directly from cell phone providers, whose selections often didn't include smaller, more independent artists. Now, even garage bands can make ringtones available on their MySpace pages for a small profit. If you'd like to learn more about how to make money by promoting ringtones on MySpace, read on.
Step 1: Set Up a MySpace Account
- To sell ringtones from MySpace, you will need a page that others can view. Even if you already have a personal account, you may want to set up a separate account under your band's name.
Step 2: Start Networking
- Once your account is set up, it's time to make some friends. The more MySpace contacts you have, the more traffic your page will get. If you already have an account, this step should be easy: Simply let your existing friends know that you have set up a new page for your band, and ask them to become friends. You will also want to join groups, preferably those related to independent music.
Step 3: Upload Your Music
- This is where it gets a little trickier. There are many websites that allow you to upload original ringtones and make them available to send offline. One of the most popular is Myxer, which allows you to upload audio and image files, and handles the sales and billing for you. This is the most time-intensive part of the process, but most of the ringtone upload sites make it relatively simple. To get your file online:
- Upload your song(s). Sites like Myxer will accept MP3, WMA, WAV and AAC/M4A formats.
- Edit your ringtones. Once your ringtone is uploaded, you can extract any portion of the song for a ringtone. This is done online, so you don't have to worry about downloading the file back to your PC for further tweaking.
- Set your price. The typical charge for a ringtone is $1.99, and after processing fees, you will receive 30% of the gross (netting roughly 60 cents per ringtone purchased).
Step 4: Receive Your Text ID Number
- Each ringtone is assigned an ID number, which makes it available for download or purchase from any compatible mobile phone. Your customers would simply text the shortcode for the site which is selling your ringtone (for Myxer, it's "MYXER"), then enter the unique code for your ringtone.
Step 5: Promote the Ringtone on MySpace
- There are two methods of promotion from your MySpace page:
- Post a link to your ringtones web store. From there, they can browse all of your uploaded ringtones.
- Post the shortcode for the ringtone website (i.e. MYXER), followed by your ringtone's unique code. This is useful if you're selling a new, or "featured," ringtone, and will eliminate one step in your customer's purchasing process.
Conclusion
In addition to its great social functions, MySpace is also a useful business platform for small artists. Thanks to the numerous ringtone editing websites, it's a good place to advertise your songs for free. It's also a neat platform for promoting your band, spreading the word about your music and lending credibility to your art. What could be cooler than that?
