**Guest post written by Corey Koehler, an indie singer-songwriter from Minnesota, as featured in his blog MusicGoat.com.

"Here’s the good news:

These days if you want to sell music online it is pretty damn easy.

You find a nice music distribution service, upload your songs and BAM… you are worldwide.

Your music is blasted out all over the world in less than an hour.

+Get your Music on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, & More

Here’s the real bummer.

This is the point where most every Indie musicians stop. They think “Hey, I just released my music to the world. Break out the Pabst Blue Ribbon and lets party [high faves all around].”

That is the lazy way to sell your music online. It is also the way that results in the same Indie musicians leaving whiny comments on in forums and music blogs. Comments crying about how hard it is to make money with music these days.

Sound like anyone you know? [If not, you do now because I used to be one of them].

The musician who wants to make some money, so that he/she can make more music, knows that distribution is only the start.

+10 Tricks of the Trade

Because, hell, any Tom, Dick or Sherry can sell their music online (and does).

The business-minded musician knows the real challenge is getting people to buy your music.

And to get people to buy your music you first need a strategy.

A strategy that:

• Understands where to find your ideal fan.
• Gets your music in front of them often enough that they fall in love with you.

Lets look at each one closer.

+Online Marketing Strategies For Musicians

Where to find your ideal fan

You can find fans almost anywhere online these days. Just hop on YouTube and/or Twitter, find a band with music like yours and check out who follows them.

You can go a lot deeper by building out an avatar of your ideal fan but that is a lesson for another day.

Just rubbing elbows with fans who like music like yours is simple first step.

+Dear Indie Band, Your Friends Are Not Your Fans

Get Your Music in Front of Your Fans Often

When it comes to frequency, laziness becomes a factor again.

You can do close to nothing (like the PBR partying types). Or you can make the effort to get in front of people more often.

One way to do that is, instead of waiting releasing a 8-12 song album, once a year, why not release a single 8-12 times a year?

+How to Release a Single and Sell More Music More Often

Releasing more songs, more often gives you an advantage in the digital age. You get in front of more fans, more often. Putting some distance between yourself and the lazy PBR crew.

If you want to stay in front of your fans, strengthen the bond they have with you and make sales, you can’t afford to be lazy.

Bottom Line To Sell Music Online:

These days if you want to sell your music online it is pretty damn easy.

The real challenge is getting people to buy your music.

To get them to buy, you need to get them to trust you. Putting out music weekly, monthly or bi-monthly builds that trust faster and makes it more likely that they will support you.

Don’t be lazy. Figure out how you can release more music more often [hint: click this link].

Do you have anything to add? Agree or disagree? Let me know in the in the comments below."

Related Blog Posts:

+To Sell or Not to Sell? - Why Giving Your Music Awa Can Pay Off

+Build a Fan Base in your Hometown First

+Why I Don't Use Reverbnation FanReach For Email Marketing