It’s so crazy how the internet impacts many of the marketing + design decisions of today’s artists and musicians. The drive for SEO, search engine optimization, is important for musicians to be able to differentiate their products, and make sure consumers can find their music+web presence without much noise. As a blog that relies on artists to give me their digital media for free, I appreciate anything an artist can do to make sure my blog / their product will get more google hits from ‘random ass people’ trying to find info / leaks / free mp3s from a band. (Wonder if I really deserve ad money for my voice/reach, or if I blogs should be ‘profit sharing’ with artists).
Artists can utilize a lot of fun tricks to make sure their bands + albums + songs are SEOed. Pick a band name that no one else has so that it will show up first in google (Grizzly Bear and Panda Bear seem to be actually competing against real bears for google hits). Pick an album name that is a made up word that no1 has ever even typed. Collaborate with artists who have a deeper history within google to get more ‘goog cred.’ Name a song after some phrase that will get you accidental google hits. Put a Jonas Brother in your music video so that the Google algorithm escalates your band’s importance according to ‘the system.’
Not sure how google works, but there are apparently ‘trained professionals’ who will help you ‘trick google’ into thinking ur site / brand is important. I guess it is important for businesses since so many consumers make random, under-informed decisions just because they ‘trust google.’
M.I.A. recently named her new album “/\/\/\Y/\”, which is supposed to spell out MAYA, except using forward and back slashes. It seems like this was ‘something kewl’ to do in order to exploit typography + the modern usage of slashes in order to signify the directory-based lifestyle that we live on the web.
However, as ‘clever’ as this might be typographically, I wonder if it is a ‘complete disaster’ for the sake of Search Engine Optimization. I attempted to google the album name, and I came up with no results. It seems like the only thing that the search engine can pick up is the “Y” utilized in album name. Not really ‘sure’ about how google / html / php / the internet language works, but it seems like the “slashes” in the name aren’t picked up as being part of a typographical gimmick.
Maybe her new album is some sort of marketing gimmick for Yahoo.
Even tried to do a twitter search to see what sort of ‘live buzz’ on the album was going down.
Do u know if it is a good thing if your album is ungooglable?
Will google eventually ‘pick up’ on this backslash + forward slash error?
Can M.I.A. call the Google CEO and tell him to ‘index her shit’?
Does n e 1 know how google works? Is there like an old guy who has to go through a file cabinet 2 find results for you every time you search for something?
Sorta reminds me of when Justice named their album “†”, then had to give it the alternate name “Cross” just to make sure every1 could google it.
Do u think indie bands are ‘trying too hard to be alt’ by giving their albums typographically interesting names, or do they need to just ‘let google drive their decisions’?
Will M.I.A. be forced to change her album name when people can’t google it / search iTunes for it / search Amazon for it?
Will M.I.A. go on an ‘anti-google twitter tirade’ within the next 2 months?
Do you feel like your core fan base will buy/DL the album no matter how difficult it is to get to, but you have to make sure that ‘new markets’ of lazy fans can easily find your album?
Are ‘special characters’ too gimmicky to be utilized in album names?
Should blogs be ‘pissed’ at M.I.A. for not making her new album more google-friendly?
If M.I.A.’s album doesn’t sell well, can she blame it on Google for failing to index her progressive album name?
Is SEO ‘bullshit’?
If u can’t use google to find an album, will it be impossible for the album to leak?
What are the ultimate google-driven indie music decisions of all time?
Are artists + businesses “constrained’ by having to consider the googlability of their brand, or is the ‘search engine’ a tool that has helped every1 access more information + opportunities for commerce than ever?
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43 Comments
F1st.
Fuck you Solange.
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//////////Reply by jz salinger
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
+ 1000000000
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//////////Reply by ryan dicks
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 11:01 am
@jz salinger, that chick in pic has a hot fucking ass…that’s me in the pic
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//////////Reply by jz salinger
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
i don’t think that is you, and it’s kind of ‘rude’ to say things like that about ‘normal’ ppl. ur a bit of an ‘oddsac’, which is ‘ok’, as long as you’re ‘polite’. even on the ‘internet’.
weird with the icon tho.
take one day at a time
everything else you can leave behind
only one thing at a time
anything more really hurts your mind
//////////Reply by ryan dicks
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 11:50 am
@Y`, y` i just noticed you’re using my signature av why are you doing that dog..you even got your url to my youtube. i noticed this only after commenting on this entry i just wanted to talk about that girl’s ass in the google pic..do you do this in other entries..because how are your other comments
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//////////Reply by Y
//////////Posted May 23rd, 2010 at 7:06 pm
@ryan dicks,
for some reason i dont belive you.
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Where’s Panda Bear?
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//////////Reply by bro
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
@LCD Brosystem, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlRYDQvpe7U
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chk chk chk yall
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|0| @ /\/\.|./\. 4 J|_|57 |)|5(0\/3R1|\| 1337
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m.i.a is a mainstreamer anyway. no need to care
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maybe this is a genius move – bad seo album name + rapidshare/hotfile/etc = leak killah.
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//////////Reply by \\\\\\\\\\
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
@mat, the leak killah is the mp3s will only be able 2b heard by boring mnstrm girls who will play it while they ‘prefunk’ and put on their ‘going out’ clothes
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//////////Reply by mountain dew green label sound social media brand representative
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
@\\\\\, uhh I don’t know if anyone’s about to be pregamin to born free dude. unless they’re some sort of militant irish army bro drinkin with the bros getting pumped up to the idea of fighting+dying for your country
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//////////Reply by \\\\\\\\\\
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
@mountain dew green label sound social media brand representative, srry i didnt even listen 2 the song – just looked at the pix on HRO. thx for correcting me I would have gone on thinking it would have sounded like her song ‘L.E.S. Artistes’ for a while that would have been embarrassing
?
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Carles, youre my bro, but i dont think you “get it.”
/\/\ /\ Y /\ is a bitch to type and google cant find that shit, so tween cunts who think paper planes is the “effin bomb” wont be able to steal it. only the authentic mia fans can download this album. /\/\ /\ Y /\ is the most authentic album name ever.
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//////////Reply by Ted Bundy
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
@PrezJamesMonBro, i’m so authentic, bro; i found it in ten seconds. did not download, however, bc i’m not That authentic.
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//////////Reply by tommy
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
@Ted Bundy, actually, think you might be more authentic for not downloading an MIA album in 2k10 (as long as you don’t buy it either).
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Pretty insightful post, carles.
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i just picture carles sitting around in his silk boxers all day “googling” shit
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//////////Reply by bro noir
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
@awk, what does he look like?
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//////////Reply by awk
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
@bro noir, there are pictures of him on the internet. carlos is a good looking fellow.
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i bet when this leaks you can find if via google under the name “maya”
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//////////Reply by mucci gane.
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
@gucci meme,
4real.
brrrr
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//////////Reply by bassbasswobblewobble
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
@mucci gane., gucci mane so gutta i steal money out ya purse
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bet ariel pink is hitting himself wishing he spelled his name /\r|=l p||\||< or something.
its a well known fact that people who download leaked albums have a hard time with internet search engines.
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//////////Reply by flowers4alger-anon
//////////Posted May 19th, 2010 at 12:49 am
@Born Free Mp3s, ppl like u who hurt /\rI=l’$ ‘feelings’ + make him ‘talk shit’ on hro cmmntrs. can’t b lieve u leaked the album…
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Girls Album
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//////////Reply by xoomp
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
@justw2brelv, agreed, bro. Girl’s “Debut” was such a child porn trap.
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is she still preggo, can this be confirmed/denied?
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want to wife gewgs pic snapping broad [via child-bearing hips]
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yo I never realized until right now that MIA’s pic there is aping those amappy gif ads.
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//////////Reply by ifailatliving
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 7:20 am
@tommy, it’s oldskewl freehand stereo photography
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//////////Reply by dezzy
//////////Posted June 25th, 2010 at 10:57 am
@ifailatliving,
i dont like m.i.a. personally…she is another self-important chick (madonna, bjork, lady gaga etc.) who thinks they have something big to say when it’s all a big steamin’ pile of poo.
however, i think i like the ‘real’ producers of her album. cool beats and production. maya, mia whatever…she’s not really doing anything. it’s ‘oz’ behind the curtain.
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So my album will be named
/\163r+
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mia maya
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///▲▲▲\\\
can u leak it
can feel it
if you cant google it
does it. really. exist.
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//////////Reply by ash catch'em
//////////Posted May 17th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
@kevbro,
no. google wins always.
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//////////Reply by bradlee
//////////Posted May 20th, 2010 at 11:24 am
@kevbro, hot-assed jpop girl group perfume named their third album ⊿
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//////////Reply by cignalz
//////////Posted May 23rd, 2010 at 3:19 am
@bradlee, it can be did. http://wildechosystems.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/▲▲▲/
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I doubt it will hurt her at all. People will just search “new MIA album” or “Maya” and they’ll find it.
I don’t think being Google-able really makes a difference if the artist is on the radio, TV and other media. She’ll be fine.
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//////////Reply by max
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 3:49 am
@Eric Mertzlufft, tnx 4 clearing that up i was gettin scared i wouldnt be able to find it on amazon / mp3 blogs
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sun (O))))))
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She did it on purpose. To be progressive.
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all I wanna do is / / / and \ \ \ and take ur money
:(
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//////////Reply by flowers4alger-anon
//////////Posted May 19th, 2010 at 12:54 am
@generk witty cmmnt, all i wanna do is have some fun until the sun comes up over santa monica boulevard
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i’m just glad that Rattytat is in the world.
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|) /-\ /\/\ /\/
sucks bro
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is /\/\/\Y/\ trying to tell us that ‘gen y’ is now more important than the letter ‘y’ [via google search results]?
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P0/\/YB0Y
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if you search MIA /\/\/\Y/\ it works just fine…
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70|\/|80Y by P4Nd4 834R
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I like how after admitting upfront you don’t know shit about SEO, you proceed to speculate about SEO. I don’t think I’m even criticizing you, there’s something disarmingly charming about your approach…like a soft and super-friendly retarded puppy.
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//////////Reply by malwar
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
@Justin Boland, die in flames you parasite
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//////////Reply by lazerbear
//////////Posted May 18th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
@malwar, i concur
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/\/\/\Y/\ (MAYA) M.I.A on google & bing works.
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just google it using “mia maya” you fucking dumbass
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(; ・_・)―――――――――C<―_-)
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zoso
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8 TRACK IS THE NEW MEME
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Not as the bad as that cross thing justance did
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…further proof that M.I.A is a punk.
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hey look carles, ur helping me with my seo. thanks!
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@MIA still kinda hate you.
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Prediction: two weeks before release date…
http://blogsearch.google.com/
Google blogs: “M.I.A.” MAYA RAR [Search Blogs]
Results 1 – 10 of about 69,007,011
MIA-MAYA-(Advance Leak)-2010 | shitty-leaks.blogmundo.cu.nt
2 minutes ago by Carles
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nice blog.
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Yes SEO is bullshit.
We had a name for “SEO” in the day, it was called “fucking with search engines”. Then 434379434 people who can’t do anything with the Internet except use search engines decided to like, make a whole imaginary career out of this shit. These people are tools and are undeserving of cool, seemingly-authentic Internet job titles.
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M.I.A. kinda sucks. no talent at all. but…shes got the shock & awe marketing tactics and a mouth big enough to fit 2 cocks and a cunt. so, she will do well in this world next to gaga, and madonna, etc. and, she knows how to get the right people to make her albums sound good and progressive. she’s more a marketing manager than anything.
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