Mastering Music Sales: A Step-by-Step Guide to Selling Your Music Online with WordPress

Selling music online is crucial for artists aiming to establish a sustainable career.

As an independent musician, producer, or band, having your own online store allows you to fully manage your music sales and foster relationships with your customers.

Based on our experience with partner brands that have successfully created their plugin stores using Easy Digital Downloads, we can confirm its effectiveness for selling digital products.

This encompasses music files, albums, and exclusive content for your fans. We have observed its efficiency in managing everything from single tracks to intricate album bundles.

If you’re prepared to begin selling directly from your WordPress site, you’ve come to the right place.

We will guide you through the process of setting up a music store, complete with secure downloads, payment processing, and tools for customer management.

A Comprehensive Guide to Selling Music Online with WordPress

The simplest way to sell music online is by utilizing Easy Digital Downloads.

This is the premier eCommerce plugin for WordPress, specifically designed for selling digital products, including music.

In contrast to general eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads is tailored with the essential features needed to effectively promote, sell, and distribute digital music online.

This allows you to focus on features that enhance your ability to sell digital downloads, eliminating unnecessary configurations like shipping and inventory management.

For more information, check out our comprehensive review of Easy Digital Downloads.

Now, let’s explore how you can effortlessly sell your music online using WordPress.

Getting Started

To begin selling music online, you will need a WordPress website, which requires a domain name and WordPress hosting.

We recommend SiteGround’s EDD hosting, as it includes Easy Digital Downloads already set up.

You can also choose any other WordPress hosting provider and follow our guide on creating a WordPress website.

Step 1: Installing Your eCommerce Plugin

If you selected SiteGround’s EDD hosting, your plan includes Easy Digital Downloads pre-installed.

If you are using a different hosting provider, you will need to install and activate the Easy Digital Downloads plugin. For comprehensive instructions, refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

After activation, navigate to Downloads » Settings in your WordPress dashboard.

Here, you can adjust various general settings.

Although you are selling music, it is important to specify your store’s location. Easy Digital Downloads will use this information to automatically fill in certain fields on the order form, enhancing the customer experience.

This information will also be utilized to calculate sales tax.

To specify your location, simply select your country from the ‘Business Country’ dropdown menu.

Next, select the state or province where your store is located from the ‘Business Region’ dropdown menu.

After making these adjustments, click on ‘Save Changes’ to apply your settings.

Step 2: Integrating a Payment Gateway for Your Music Store

To sell music online, you will need a method for accepting credit card payments through WordPress.

By default, Easy Digital Downloads is compatible with popular payment gateways such as Stripe, PayPal, and Amazon Payments.

To integrate payment gateways into your website, click on the ‘Payments’ tab and ensure that the ‘General’ tab is selected.

In the Active Gateways section, tick the box next to each payment gateway you wish to enable in your online marketplace.

If you select multiple payment methods, you will need to designate a default gateway that will be automatically chosen when a visitor reaches the checkout.

To make your selection, open the ‘Default Gateway’ dropdown and pick your preferred payment method. You can choose any gateway, but we recommend Stripe as it supports credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

Once you have chosen one or more payment gateways, click the ‘Save Changes’ button. You will then gain access to new tabs for configuring each payment gateway.

The setup process may differ based on the gateway you select, but Easy Digital Downloads provides guidance throughout the setup.

For illustration, let’s take Stripe as an example.

To configure Stripe, simply select the ‘Stripe’ tab and click on ‘Connect with Stripe.’

This will initiate a setup wizard that guides you through configuring Stripe as your payment processor.

If you are utilizing multiple payment processors, you will need to repeat these steps to configure each one individually.

By default, the plugin displays prices in US dollars. After setting up your payment processor, you might want to change the currency for your digital product marketplace.

To display prices in a currency other than US dollars, simply click on the ‘General’ tab and then select ‘Currency.’

Next, open the ‘Currency’ dropdown menu. You can now select the currency you wish to use for your online music store.

Please note that some payment processors may not support all currencies. If you’re uncertain, you can check the website of your chosen payment processor, as they typically provide a list of supported currencies.

Once you have made your selections, click ‘Save Changes’ to apply your settings.

Step 3: Convert Your Music Files into Downloadable Products

After setting up a payment processor, you are ready to start adding products to your online store. Easy Digital Downloads allows you to sell various products, including digital art and photos.

You can sell individual songs or bundle multiple audio files into a single digital product. This is ideal for offering EPs, albums, compilations, and other music collections.

Create a New Digital Product

To create a digital product, select ‘Downloads’ from the left-hand menu, then click the ‘Add New’ button.

Enter a name for the product, which will appear on its page. Choose a descriptive title, such as the name of the album or single.

Next, provide a description that will be displayed on the product page.

This description should give potential buyers all the information they need to determine if the product suits their needs. Consider including details like genre, duration, track listing, customer reviews, quotes from music critics, or star ratings.

Add Categories and Tags

If you plan to sell music from various artists, using categories and tags can assist shoppers in finding what they’re looking for.

Organizing your music into clear and descriptive categories can inspire shoppers to discover related artists and genres, ultimately boosting your sales. Consider adding tags that reflect various attributes such as mood, influences, or activities, as illustrated in the following image.

You can easily create new categories and tags using the ‘Categories’ and ‘Tags’ sections.

This process is similar to adding categories and tags to pages in WordPress.

Determine Your Pricing (or Offer Variable Pricing)

Next, set your price by navigating to the Download Prices section.

Here, enter the amount that visitors must pay to download the digital product.

Typically, you will want to charge a fixed price, but Easy Digital Downloads also allows for variable pricing options.

Variable pricing can be used to offer different versions of the same digital product. For instance, you might create an extended album with extra tracks or offer multiple versions of a single with various bonus songs.

To enable variations, check the ‘Enable variable pricing’ box. This will open a new section where you can begin to create your variations.

For now, simply enter a title and price for each variation.

To create additional pricing options, click on ‘Add New Price.’ This will open a new section where you can enter a title and price.

Next, set the default variation that will be selected when visitors first arrive on the product page. Simply check the radio button next to your preferred variation.

Upload Your Audio Files

You are now ready to upload your audio files, whether it’s a single track or multiple separate audio files.

For music uploads, WordPress supports MP3, OGG, and WAV formats. It also supports M4A, but compatibility may vary across different browsers.

Now, navigate to the Download Files section and click on the ‘Upload a File’ icon.

Then, select a song from the media library or upload a new file from your computer.

Once that’s done, enter a title in the ‘File Name’ field. This name will be visible to customers, so it’s best to use the song’s title. You can also include additional details, like the artist’s name.

To add multiple tracks to your digital product, click on ‘Add New File.’ This will create a section where you can upload an additional file.

Repeat these steps to upload all the files you wish to include in your digital product.

Complete the Setup for Variable Pricing (Optional)

Did you enable variable pricing in the previous step? If you’re offering different versions of the same product, you’ll need to select which files to include in each version.

For instance, you might release ‘My Awesome Album’ with 10 tracks and ‘My Awesome Album Extended Edition’ with 12 tracks.

Important Note:If you opted for a single price, you can proceed to the next section.

In the ‘Price Assignment’ column, every audio file is set to ‘All’ by default, meaning it is included in every version.

To modify this, simply open the ‘Price Assignment’ dropdown for a file and select the version that customers must purchase to access this audio file.

Repeat these steps to create unique variations with different track listings.

Safeguard Your Music by Setting a Download Limit

Customers can download their purchased music as many times as they wish, which is helpful if they accidentally delete the file or want to access it on various devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers.

However, allowing unlimited downloads can expose you to the risk of digital piracy. For instance, a customer might share their download link with others, enabling them to download your music for free.

To mitigate this risk, consider setting a reasonable limit on file downloads by entering a number in the ‘File Download Limit’ field.

Note:If you set the limit too low, customers may reach out to you for additional downloads. If they have a valid reason to re-download the file, you can easily resend the purchase receipt by navigating toDownloads » Payment Historyin your WordPress dashboard.

Establish a Refund Policy

While we hope all customers are satisfied with their music purchases, it’s wise to plan for how you will manage refund requests.

In the ‘Refunds’ section of the right-hand menu, you’ll find that Easy Digital Downloads provides customers with a standard 30-day refund policy.

To adjust the time customers have to request a refund, enter a new number in the ‘Refund Window’ field.

A flexible refund policy can enhance the perception of your site as reliable and fair, potentially increasing sales. It can also encourage hesitant visitors to make their first purchase.

Providing refunds to dissatisfied customers is an essential aspect of excellent customer service. Even if they were unhappy with their purchase, a straightforward refund process may encourage them to shop with you again in the future.

For this reason, we suggest offering refunds whenever possible. However, if you prefer not to provide refunds, select ‘Non-Refundable’ from the ‘Refund status’ dropdown menu.

Upload the Cover Art for Your Album or Song

Next, you’ll need to add a product image, which is usually the front cover of the album or single, or the artist’s logo.

To upload a product image, scroll to the Download Image section and click on the ‘Set Download Image’ link.

This will open the WordPress media library, allowing you to select an existing image or upload a new file from your computer.

Provide Download Instructions

Consider including download instructions that will be displayed on the order confirmation page.

These instructions will also be included at the bottom of the purchase receipt email sent to customers after they make a purchase from your site.

This section is a great place to provide technical details, such as the file format and compatible programs. You can also express gratitude with a thank you note or offer exclusive benefits like a coupon code.

Feel free to enter any information you wish to share in the ‘Download Instructions’ box.

After completing that, click the ‘Publish’ button to make your digital download available.

Step 4: Personalize Your Digital Download Emails

Whenever a customer purchases music from your store, Easy Digital Downloads will automatically send them an email containing a link to download their music.

Although this email includes all necessary information by default, customizing it can enhance its appeal. For instance, adding your branding and logo can help your email stand out.

To modify the default email, navigate toDownloads » Settings. Then, select the ‘Emails’ tab.

Incorporate Your Own Logo and Branding

Consider adding a logo to your purchase confirmation email for a professional touch.

This logo will be prominently displayed at the top of the email, helping customers easily identify the sender.

To upload a logo, click the ‘Upload File’ button. You can select an image from your WordPress media library or upload a new file from your computer.

Customize the ‘From’ Name and Email Address

You can include a ‘From Name’ that will appear in the customer’s email inbox. It’s best to use a recognizable name, such as your band’s name or your online music store.

You will also need to specify a ‘From Email’ address, which will serve as both the sender and reply-to address.

Some customers may respond to the purchase confirmation email if they encounter issues downloading your music.

Therefore, it’s important to use a business email address that you monitor regularly.

Enhance Your Email Deliverability

If customers do not receive the purchase confirmation email, they won’t be able to download the music they just purchased.

To ensure a positive customer experience, it’s essential that the purchase receipt email reaches the customer’s inbox instead of their spam folder. We recommend using WP Mail SMTP to enhance email deliverability.

To get started, simply click the ‘Install & Activate WP Mail SMTP’ button and follow the on-screen instructions to set up the free plugin.

For detailed guidance, please refer to our comprehensive step-by-step tutorial on resolving the WordPress email sending issue.

Once you have completed the setup, remember to click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your updates.

Compose Your Purchase Email

After completing the previous steps, navigate to the ‘Purchase Receipts’ tab.

On this page, you can enter an email subject, add a header, and modify the body text of the email.

You can simply enter the message you wish to send to all customers. However, for a more engaging and personalized experience, consider using the Conditional Emails feature.

Conditional Emails utilize ‘template tags’ to tailor your messages. These tags adjust according to various factors, including the buyer’s name, the amount they paid for their music download, and any coupon codes applied during the purchase.

When Easy Digital Downloads dispatches an email, it automatically replaces the template tags with the corresponding real values.

To view all available tags, simply scroll to the bottom of the page.

Verify Your Purchase Receipt Email

Once you have made your changes, consider sending a test email to see how it will appear to your customers.

Click the ‘Send Test Email’ button, and Easy Digital Downloads will send a sample message to your admin email address.

When you are satisfied with the appearance of the purchase receipt email, click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

Step 5: Test Your Digital Music Download

After completing the setup, it’s wise to test the digital download to identify any issues or adjustments needed.

Activate Test Purchases

First, enable test mode in Easy Digital Downloads so you can purchase products without entering payment details.

In the WordPress dashboard, navigate toDownloads » Settingsand then select ‘Payments.’

On this page, check the box labeled ‘Test Mode.’

Next, choose ‘Store Gateway’ to allow purchases without entering credit or debit card information.

Afterward, click ‘Save Changes’ to apply your settings.

Make a Test Purchase

You are currently in test mode. Please navigate toDownloads » Downloadsand hover over the product you wish to test.

When the option appears, click on the ‘View’ link.

This will take you to the product’s page.

To proceed with a test purchase, click the ‘Purchase’ button.

Easy Digital Downloads will add this product to your shopping cart.

To continue, click the ‘Checkout’ button.

Under ‘Select payment method,’ choose the radio button next to ‘Store Gateway.’

Now, enter your name and email address. Easy Digital Downloads will send the purchase receipt to this email, so make sure to use a valid email address that you can access.

After a few moments, you will receive a purchase confirmation email with links to download each track in the digital product.

If everything functions as expected, you are now ready to start accepting payments from real music fans.

To exit test mode in Easy Digital Downloads, go toDownloads » Settingsand select the ‘Payments’ tab. Here, uncheck the boxes next to ‘Test Mode’ and ‘Store Gateway.’

After completing that step, click on ‘Save Changes’ to save your settings. You are now set up to accept credit card payments through WordPress.

Step 6: Promoting Your Music Downloads

At this stage, you have created one or more digital products, but you still need to attract potential customers to your product pages so they can purchase your music.

This could involve creating a sales page to showcase all your latest releases, adding a specific product page to your website’s menu, or even featuring your favorite track on a custom homepage.

You might also consider writing a WordPress blog where you discuss music-related topics such as recent releases, your tour experiences, or your favorite albums. These posts are ideal for including links to relevant albums and singles that your readers may wish to purchase.

Regardless of how you promote a product, it’s essential to know its URL.

To locate this link, navigate to Downloads » Downloads. You can then hover over the product and click on its ‘Edit’ link.

You will find the URL listed under ‘Summary’ in the right-hand menu.

You can now link to this product page from any part of your website by using its URL. For more information, refer to our step-by-step guide on how to add a link in WordPress.

Easy Digital Downloads generates a ‘Purchase’ button for each product. Visitors can click this button to add the specific item to their shopping cart, similar to a ‘Buy Now’ button.

You can place this button on any page, post, or widget-ready area, enabling visitors to begin the purchasing process without needing to navigate to the product’s page.

To obtain the button’s shortcode, simply scroll to the Download Settings section of the product. You can then copy the text found in the ‘Purchase Shortcode’ field.

For detailed instructions on how to insert the shortcode, please refer to our guide on adding a shortcode in WordPress.

🎵 Bonus: Enhance Your Online Music Store with an Audio Player

Once your music store is established, incorporating an audio player can significantly enhance the customer experience and boost sales.

You can allow visitors to listen to previews of your songs directly on your website, giving them a glimpse of what they are purchasing.

Setting up a simple music player on your site is easy using the built-in WordPress Audio block.

This player supports various audio formats, including .mp3, .m4a, .ogg, and .wav, and features basic playback controls that enable users to play, pause, and adjust the volume.

By providing a preview of your music, the audio player keeps visitors on your site longer, increasing the chances they will explore your music collections.

This enhances the shopping experience and can result in higher conversion rates. For a detailed setup guide, check out our tutorial on adding an audio music player widget in WordPress.

We hope this article has helped you understand how to sell music online using WordPress. You can also refer to our guide on creating a one-click checkout in WordPress and our recommendations for the best WordPress tax calculator plugins.

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