Online marketing pays off

Zimbabwean musicians have gone international by marketing their albums online.

The demand for local Zimbabwean music has increased tremendously over the past decade as nationals continue to move abroad.

Music from of the country’s top artists has made it onto websites such as Myspace, Zimusic.net, MyZimTube.com, Afrik.com, Afromix.org, Mbira.org, Zimaudio, Zimvibes among a host of other sites.

Other artists have established their own websites, such as Albert Nyathi & Imbongi, Alick Macheso's Cheso Power, Black Umfolosi, Louis Mhlanga, Metaphysics, Shingisai Suluma, Winky D and Thomas Mapfumo to mention but just a few.

According to Zimusic.net, "These music websites are devoted exclusively to promoting the music of performing musicians from Zimbabwe. They were launched because we perceived that there were few viable places where these talented artists could connect with their fans."

Music and videos of Zimbabwean artistes such as Gift Amuli, Tongai Moyo, Stella Chiweshe, Mapfumo, Solomon Skuza, Henry Olonga, Mokoomba, Metaphysics, Nicholas "Madzibaba" Zacharia, and Blush can now be purchased online.

A locally-run Information Technology company, Project Tribe 263, has been voluntary creating websites for local musicians.

The managing director, Tapiwa Chinyadza, said: "We are creating free websites for artistes who want people to access their music online. These websites can be accessed by all Internet users. The web acts as a modern marketing tool that provides updates about any particular musician providing such a facility.

"All they have to do is send us their profiles, pictures, albums,songs, lyrics or any other vital information, which will be used when setting up the web. Most importantly, they have to purchase domains, which are going for US$40 from Zimpost in order to activate the sites."

By July 2010 they had managed to establish 181 websites for musicians. Urban groovers Stunner, Cindy, Snipper Storm and XQ benefited from the initiative.

Post published in: Entertainment
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