How to Promote Music on Byte App: A Music Artist's Guide
Here’s how to make the most of Byte, the new short-form video app created by the founder of Vine.
Written by Leni - January 31, 2020
Byte is the new short-form video sharing app created by Vine co-founder Dom Hoffman. The app lets users upload six-second videos and interact with each other via likes, comments, and rebytes (reposts).
The concept isn’t new — it joins other TikTok competitors like Dubsmash, Triller, Firework and Facebook’s Lasso — but as an independent music maker, getting your tracks on viral apps and social networks is an important part of promoting your music.
Byte vs. TikTok
While TikTok has dominated social media thanks to its hashtag challenges, viral dance routines, and lip-syncing videos, Byte’s culture so far has been built on standalone comedic videos without music. The app centers around “bringing back six-second looping videos”, while TikTok allows videos up to one minute.
Another obvious difference is between design and features of both apps. TikTok gained popularity with music artists because of its music distribution (artists earn money when a user uploads a video that uses their music) and features like duets.
Right now, music distribution isn’t available on the Byte app, but we’ll update you on any changes as they happen.
Promoting Music on Byte
The first step for promoting your music on Byte, is to start by spending time browsing through the app to see how artists and fans in your niche are using it. Browse through popular categories like “music” (live performances) and “voices” (singing), experiment with some content, and start building an audience naturally - don’t push your new release out of nowhere, take the time to build an engaged community first.
Ideas For Promoting Music On Byte:
Get a popular Byte creator to record a video with your song playing in the background (and a song credit in the caption)
Co-create a dance routine to your track, and film it while your song plays in the background
Film a live performance of your song, either a stripped-back instrumental or acapella, or share behind-the-scenes footage from an upcoming live show
Get a creator to film themselves singing your song in the “Voices” category
Develop a funny concept for a video that uses your song as the soundtrack or lyrics as the storyline (like Lil Nas X’s #yeehaw meme). Hit up some fans and ask them to recreate it on their Byte channels.
How To Make Money On Byte
While Byte doesn’t let you distribute and monetize your music across the platform (yet), the app still has the potential to be a powerful new discovery channel for tracks and artists. Byte are also working on releasing a partnership program, which they will use to pay creators royalties earned from streams. We'll let you know when that's out.
Want to learn more about promoting your music on TikTok? Read our guide for promoting music on TikTok here.