newsgroups

Newsgroups can be a good place to keep your fans up to date on interesting news, album and single releases, and tour information. Of course the main newsgroup for Christian music is rec.music.christian.

Here are some things you may want to post to a newsgroup:

• Concert Information: This is especially relevant if you are currently on tour. While on tour, it is not a bad idea to update your itinerary on a weekly basis. This coincides nicely with posting your tour dates on your Web site and also to other itinerary spots on the Web. Tour dates are usually welcome on rec.music.christian, but you might want to "lurk" in other music newsgroups before trying them there. TIP: If you post your tour dates using columns of information, remember to use spaces and not tabs to align the columns. Remember, newsgroups will be read on a wide variety of machines and tabs that look great on your computer may not align at all on another.

• New Album or Single Releases: A quick note about your new album and/or single can be helpful. This encourages fans to support your music at both the retail and radio levels.

• Notes From the Road: News items from the road can be very interesting to fans, the more personal the better. Keeping in mind the developing of an online community, share items like interesting meals, places you've visited, interesting conversations with fans after a show, a recent Bible study, and so on.

• Discussions: If people are talking about you or your band, jump in the discussion occasionally. Not only will this further develop ties with your fans, it helps keep the rumor mill to a minimum. It's always better when information comes from the source. Of course, you don't have to share everything. Tease about new songs, upcoming albums, and other news to keep them interested. Keep a sense of mystery intact.

When posting to newsgroups, there are always some good rules to keep in mind. Don't wear out your welcome. Contribute something to the discussion, don't just post obviously promotional material and leave. Make sure that any newsgroup you post to is relevant to your type of music and that they are open to Christian bands. If you play alternative music, don't post to a world music newsgroup. It's always good to check out a newsgroup for several weeks to feel out the mood, attitude, and information that is generally used and accepted.

An often forgotten way to promote through newsgroups is through your signature file. This is generally an accepted way to plug your Web site. By using your sig file, people will see your Web and email address even in newsgroups that have nothing to do with music. For example, if you are an Alias fan, you can join discussions in the alt.tv.alias newsgroup. Anyone who reads your postings about Alias will also see your Web address in your sig file.

For more information on how to set up your signature file, use the help in your browser, email, or news program. It's relatively easy to set up. A typical signature file will have your name, your email address, and your Web address. After that, you can get creative as long as it doesn't get too long. 4-6 lines is usually the norm.