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Music Web Design
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Designing websites for bands or musicians is one of the most creatively challenging projects any web designer can undertake. Most musicians, and many fans are very design sensitive, so the design has to be exactly right to hit the right not with both the band and their fans. Fortunately, for the best music web design, UK musicians have a wealth of choice. Web design as a whole is a huge business, and fortunately the UK, and London especially has a huge pool of talent to call upon.
As with any website project, we have to decide what the true purpose of the site is. For most, it’s an online portfolio and showcase for their work. For others it’s an online diary, blog and somewhere to engage real-time with their fans. For most bands, the purpose of the site is going to be a promo packet for the internet. Somewhere they can promote themselves, their work and their creations.
That means the design has to be slick and completely reflect the character of the band, and the individuals within it. That takes a lot of skill to pull off, and a lot of talking, meeting and greeting with the band itself. To portray someone accurately, you have to know them, know their likes, dislikes, loves, hates and how they talk, act and behave around their fans. All that has to be somehow put into the design so it calls to the fans in a believable way. Fans are a enthusiastic breed, mess with them at your peril. If you don’t convince them that the site is their band, they’ll tell you in no uncertain terms.
A CMS-based site is the best platform to represent a changing and evolving subject. It makes updating it simple enough that the band can either do it themselves or pay someone to do it for them. Things like new releases, tour dates, gigs and news can all be updated on the fly to keep the site current, and the audience engaged. To achieve the best music web design, we also have to include rich media, and a CMS is ideally suited for the purpose. Any muso worth their salt wants movie clips of gigs, interviews, promos of their new release, photographs and downloads for their fans. All of which has to be incorporated somewhere on the site.
If the musician is a session artist, freelancer or contract-based then the site has a different purpose. It’s as much a marketing tool than showcase and should reflect a more service-like design. The design is going to be more about what you offer and the services you can provide than about what you’re doing right now. The site will still need a portfolio, promos and other marketing material, but the overall site needs to be more marketing oriented in order to appeal to your target audience.
Knowing your audience is key to any kind of marketing project, but it’s especially true if your audience might consist of dedicated fans. Getting the tone just right will either make them very happy or very disappointed, and as any creative knows, mess with your fans at your peril!
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