Having an engaging and effective musician website can set you apart and make a big difference to your music career. Whether you’re a solo artist or part of a band, your website serves as a central hub where fans can find tour dates, buy merchandise, and listen to your music.
When I first started my career as a professional bass player, I didn’t realize the importance of having a website until someone mentioned they had a hard time finding where I was playing next. That was my lightbulb moment. Fast forward, nearly two decades, I’ve learned a few things.
The most important thing is that your site is easy to navigate and visually appealing to keep your audience engaged. Having a fast-loading website should also be at the top of the list.
Trust me, nothing frustrates fans more than a slow website. I learned this the hard way after losing sales due to a sluggish site.
Now, the easiest way to get started is by using a hosted platform. Hosted platforms offer easy-to-use tools to upload your music, videos, and even sell tickets and merchandise.
But, if you want complete control over your website’s functionality, custom design, and in-depth SEO (search engine optimization), then you’ll instead want to consider self-hosting a WordPress website.
In this article, I’ll show you:
- how to make a stunning fast-loading musician website using a self-hosted WordPress installation
- a hosted option to get your musician website up and running fast, looking fresh, and open for business
- my personal insights to get you started as soon as possible with minimal headache
Let’s dive in.
Disclaimer: I’m reader-supported. So, when you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Having that said, this article does contain affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. I’ve been creating websites for musicians and myself for over a decade. I fully recommend trying out these solutions to start building your online presence. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
Key Takeaways
- A hosted platform like Bandzoogle can simplify website creation.
- WPX provides the fastest WordPress hosting, so you’re audience isn’t waiting forever for your website to load.
- First, decide on self-hosted versus hosted based on your customization needs. Making the right decision early on will save you from a lot of pain and headache later on.
- You can deepen your audience engagement and connection by adding additional pages.
Table of Contents
- Self-Hosted Versus Hosted. Which One Is Best For You?
- Make a Stunning Fast-Loading Musician Website With WPX (Best Self-Hosted)
- Get Your Musician Website Up And Running Fast With Bandzoogle (Best Hosted)
- Additional Pages To Consider For Your Musician Website
- Now It’s Your Turn
- Frequently Asked Questions
Self-Hosted Versus Hosted. Which One Is Best For You?
Choosing between a self-hosted and a hosted website builder for your music website or band website depends on your technical skills, budget, and customization needs. Here are the best options for both choices.
I started out using a hosted website builder for all my band websites, but eventually I settled with self-hosting. Each way has its pros and cons. Let me share my experiences with you.
Best Self-Hosted Option: WPX
WPX is a reliable self-hosted option for creating your musician website, using WordPress. It allows you to fully customize your site, giving you complete control over WordPress plugins, themes, and features that you can install. In case you’re not familiar, WordPress is an open-source content management system that’s fully customizable. More websites than you realize use WordPress as it’s foundation.
With WPX you can start creating a powerful WordPress website without restrictions. This is a great option if you can see yourself scaling your website’s functionality as you grow.
In my experience, the platform offers unmatched performance and fast loading speeds. This is crucial because visitors expect quick access to your content. WPX also includes a one-click WordPress installation, making it easier even if you’re not very tech-savvy.
Support is another highlight that I like. WPX offers 24/7 customer support to handle any issues you might face. You can easily scale your website as your band grows, adding more features and pages without limitations.
Best Hosted Option: Bandzoogle
Bandzoogle is a hosted platform tailored specifically for musicians and they’ve been around for some time. It’s an all-in-one solution that includes music website templates, hosting, and essential tools like email marketing and ecommerce.
With Bandzoogle, you can start creating your musician website quickly using customizable templates designed for musicians. Unlike self-hosted options, you don’t need to manage server settings or security updates. Instead, you can spend more time doing what you brings you joy!
The website builder is simple to use, even if you have no coding skills. You get dedicated support to help you set up and maintain your site. Bandzoogle also allows you to sell music, merch, and tickets directly from your site without additional ecommerce plugins.
Choosing the right platform depends on your specific needs and technical confidence, but both WPX and Bandzoogle offer excellent options to create the best musician websites.
Pros and Cons Table Comparison
Here’s a table comparing the pros and cons of self-hosting a website with WPX versus using a hosted platform like Bandzoogle:
| Criteria | Self-Hosted (WPX) | Hosted (Bandzoogle) |
|---|---|---|
| Customization | Full control over templates and features | Customizable templates, but with some limitations |
| Performance | Robust performance and fast loading speeds | Reliable performance, but dependent on the hosting provider |
| Ease of Use | Requires some technical skills for setup and management | Simple to use with no coding skills required |
| Support | 24/7 customer support | Dedicated support for setup and maintenance |
| Scalability | Easily scalable as your band grows | Scalable, but might require additional costs for more advanced features |
| Setup | One-click WordPress installation, but still needs some technical knowledge | Quick setup with pre-designed templates |
| Management | You need to manage server settings and security updates | No need to manage server settings or security updates |
| Ecommerce | Requires additional plugins for selling music, merch, and tickets | Built-in tools for selling music, merch, and tickets |
| Control | Complete control over all aspects of the website | Limited control compared to self-hosting |
| Cost | Potentially higher costs due to the need for additional plugins and services | Generally more cost-effective as it includes all essential tools |
| Visit | https://wpx.net/ | https://bandzoogle.com/ |
Now that you’ve weighed your options on which way to go (self-hosted or hosted), it’s time to make a decision and start building your website.
Make a Stunning Fast-Loading Musician Website With WPX (Best Self-Hosted)
To create a musician website that stands out and loads quickly, you need to address several areas. These include choosing a domain and hosting provider, installing WordPress, selecting and setting up a theme, installing a few plugins, and maintaining your site.
Here’s a step-by-step guide based on my experience:
Choosing Your Domain
Your domain name should reflect your band or music career. It’s your online identity, so keep it simple, memorable, and relevant to your music style. Avoid using numbers or hyphens as they can make your domain harder to remember and type.
A long time ago, I developed a website for a client that had a hyphen in their domain name. Every time this client verbally shared their domain name to other people, they would have to further explain that there was a hyphen. It’s just not worth it in my opinion to include a hyphen your domain name.
Having that said, go to the WPX website and search for your domain name’s availability.