3. Your Presence on the Web

Today, perhaps the most significant asset for any musician is intangible and cannot be controlled: the act’s digital reputation.

Your digital reputation stems from many aspects, but it primarily flows from how you are represented on the internet. In other words, your digital reputation is a combination of:

• What you tell people

• What they find out about you

And what people find out about you will be greatly influenced by your search engine ranking. In other words, Google and the social networks may have a greater influence on what people think about you than you do.

However, there is still a lot you can do to influence and support a positive digital reputation and to generate income from your online activities.

Five years ago, having a presence on the internet meant having a website. That position has shifted completely, and today having a presence means being present in far more locations on the internet and proactively taking steps to manage that presence. In another five years, the position may have changed completely again, so regardless of what is written in this book, please be aware of any future developments and integrate them as appropriate.