What gig finding sites to use

So I signed up on GigSalad about a month ago and it has been pretty good - two actual bookings from it and I think 5 leads and I'm on the free account! I may want to switch to a paid account for a bit and see how it goes but I'm happy with this site for sure!

I'm looking at gigmasters.com and I'm a bit tempted. Price is a bit higher though - no free option. But it DOES show up in the first 5 sites on a google search so I'm thinking that would help my exposure tremendously. Has anyone used this site? Like it? Worth the money?

I also put up ads on Craigslist (a couple calls but no bookings) and ebay local classifieds (nothing from that at all. at least it was free) and started a google adwords account. What have you used? What has worked? What should I stay away from?

And - my next move is going to be posting flyers at some local businesses with tear off tabs!!

Your OWN site is by far the best way to get the clients and gigs you want!

If you get inquiries from those entertainment agent sites .... the type of customer you'll attract may not be what you want. They will generally be someone who is shopping around a lot, they are likely to be looking for low price acts and not necessarily the better service and worse, they will be on a site where there are hundreds of other options.

Way better to get someone to click through to you on Google (or other SE) and then show them on your site that you are the best answer to their problem.

The KEY to getting the customers and clients you want is to TARGET them yourself and offer them what they need. This simply takes some research and direct marketing .... NOT wasting money on agency sites that bring tyre kickers.

JMO

John

Google and other search engines can be a great source of leads. Of course we can't all be near the top, and in my area Gigmasters and GigSalad are often listed right near the top. While I haven't tried Gigmasters out, make sure that you are tracking your gigs so you can find out what types of advertising is paying off. If you are on Gigmasters for a month or two and haven't gotten any paying gigs from it, then dump it. Make sure you put your money into things that are paying you back waaay more. If you pay for something and it doesn't help, then move on.

Anyone familiar with Zaarly. It's a new website, where it costs you nothing, but they take 10% of what you book thru them. They're opening up around the country, they're new.

I am on GigSalad...I have had lots of traffic thru them to get to my website...since we all know how hard it is to get your personal site to the top it has increased my numbers of visits and hits. I have been with them for under 2 months and have gotten about 16 jobs out of it...I probably had more but could not do them. I will keep it thru winter and compare the numbers.

I'm on GigSalad too - as a free member. Are you a paying subscriber? I've gotten the most leads through them as well so far. I'm a little miffed about the new booking service they put in that charges either me or the client for using their booking tool but so long as the client gives me a phone number or email we can get around it, thankfully. I see too that if you are in one of the top two tiers of paid membership you can use your own - hope they don't restrict it any more in the future for the lower tiers but I almost wouldn't doubt it if they do. It's a great site.

Yes I am paying subscriber. no option for free membership..unless I missed it.

Yeah the "starter" one...
https://www.gigsalad.com/join/comparison

Oh Dah.....I am listed as a pro because I wanted the link to my website to build up traffic..I think for the 20 bucks it is working my site has increased from a few a day to about 100-170 weekends are higher...i just checked my stats(I use Fatcow for my website) and I have had 355 visits to my site today...never had that without GigSalad.

Ah I see. Yes I have been considering upgrading for awhile actually. But wanted to build up some of the bank account first. I may start next year as I think it would definitely be worthwhile! As a free member I've booked several in the past few months.

Does gig salad charge per booking?

No. Provided you don't use their booking system. You have to contact the client directly now or you can select the option to have the client pay the booking charge.

i have gigsalad and have used them for almost 3 years now...mine is free and it links to my website...they must of changed things recently....I also use weebly for my website...my name comes up about 3 to 4 from the top most of the time...im always publishing my website so it stays on top...and try to use the right wording in the key words and title phrase so it links to the wording on my page...I also use google analytics

I never got much from Gig Salad, but I know others have. I'm a free member. They keep changing things. The other day they sent me a lead and charged a booking fee, that I couldn't bypass...I had to either check that I would pay it (if I got the gig) or I had to chose the client to pay it. I just clicked out of it. Then just this week, I get two gigs...I thought GREAT! Then I go to look and now they changed it so that they didn't give the person's email or phone number anymore and they asked me to "bid" on the jobs and when I read further, it said that I wasn't the only one bidding, that they send it out to many. Well, I've always been against that "bidding" stuff as an artist. I've been a commercial artist for years and I figure I did years of hard work honing my skills. I show my work, pick MY price and if people don't want to hire me, they don't have to, but I'm not undercutting other people and myself to "compete" . Just my opinion. I get the most jobs from my site, which is fairly new (5 mths) and also from referells from jobs I did and handing out my cards everywhere I can. I find doing public events, where people can see me at work, brings a lot of parties later.