How To Stay Relevant As A DJ In 2024

DJing is an increasingly popular art form, with thousands of aspiring DJs hoping to transform their hobby into viable, long-term professional careers.

With the industry and technology evolving at a rapid pace, staying relevant as a DJ is a complex challenge with many facets to explore.

We’ve broken down everything you need to know to stay ahead of the competition, from mastering your skills to creating an effective marketing plan.

How To Stay Relevant As A DJ In 2024

Whether you’re an aspiring club DJ or hoping to pick up regular work as a mobile DJ, you’re likely to face intense competition from other DJs.

To help you achieve your ambitions, we’ve compiled an extensive step-by-step guide covering the core principles of creating an effective action plan.

So, whatever you’re level of experience, here’s everything you need to know to stay relevant as a DJ in 2024:

Step 1. Develop Your Skills

The role of the DJ is continually evolving, with new music and technology reshaping how the art form is practiced and perfected.

This means constantly improving your DJing skills to stay relevant in a competitive landscape and perfecting advanced techniques that showcase your abilities.

By developing your DJ skills and fostering a unique style, you can stand out from the crowd and keep your sets fresh and exciting for the audience.

It also means staying abreast of new technology, such as AI-powered tools and stem separation, that can help you take your mixes in new directions.

If you’re unsure what you need to learn, consider signing up for one of the best online DJ courses to stay informed about the latest advanced techniques.

Step 2. Build A Strong Brand

Building an impressive, eye-catching DJ brand is another vital component of the process of staying relevant and getting noticed by the right people.

A brand is an important aspect of your promotional efforts. It can help with your professional career and bring in new fans.

A striking logo and persona, as well as a catchy DJ name, will help you build an instantly recognizable online identity for your website and social media platforms.

You can fine-tune the branding process by developing a mood board, researching the competition, and brainstorming keywords for your name.

Spending time researching branding in the age of social media will also help you to channel your efforts and get the best possible results.

Step 3. Establish An Online Presence

With your brand established and your visual assets created, it’s time to establish a presence online through your social media platforms of choice.

Facebook is a great way to share upcoming events and foster a community, while Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch all have advantages.

Use these to share short videos and photos of your events, showcase your own unique style, and build networks with other DJs in your genre.

You can also consider starting a DJ podcast to discuss trends in the music industry and invite fellow DJs to have long-form conversations about music.

If you don’t have technical knowledge about website creation, invest in a budget-friendly website builder to get your online presence up and running.

Step 4. Regularly Record Mixes

One of the best ways to stay ahead of the competition and gather a large following on your social media platforms is to record and share mixes regularly.

There’s plenty of easy-to-use software for this, and you can do it from your home studio or by recording your live sets at clubs and bars.

You should also understand the role of streaming in DJ culture and how these platforms can be powerful tools for online promotion.

Mixcloud and Twitch are two options for live streaming your mixes, and they also offer potential sources of income through viewer donations and subscriptions.

You can also use your mixes to gather feedback from your target audience while experimenting with different genres to see how fans react.

Step 5. Collaborate With Artists

If you have a network of other DJs in your local area or through online connections, collaborating with them is an important aspect of staying relevant.

Networking and fostering relationships with your peers is vital for navigating the DJ industry and opening up new opportunities for career progression.

Consider working with other DJs to host events, offering to support their live gigs as a warmup DJ, and seeing if they’re willing to reciprocate.

This strategy can be especially successful for new DJs looking to get their feet in the door and gain experience that leads to more gigs.

If you’re having trouble finding artists to work with, check out local venues and music communities or research the landscape through online forums.

Step 6. Focus On Professional Networking

Just as networking with other DJs is important for building relationships in the local community, building professional networks is vital.

The value of professional networking can’t be understated and should be an integral aspect of your marketing plan when seeking a DJ career.

You can create a list of record labels and booking agents in your chosen genre and send them your press kit and other resources.

While new DJs will need to be patient when turning their hobby into a business, the music industry is always open to exploring avenues with new talent.

Whether you’re learning how to get a DJ residency or hoping to perform at a local festival, the more music industry contacts you nurture, the better.

Step 7. Invest In Quality Equipment

Having the right tools for the job and ensuring they offer the appropriate mixing features for your style is essential if you want to stay relevant.

There are plenty of affordable home DJ setup ideas you can begin with on a budget that will serve you well when putting together a DJ set.

Likewise, your chosen DJ software doesn’t have to break the bank, with lots of free trial versions of professional software you can explore.

With that said, if you’re serious about committing to a long-term DJ career, you should be aware of the standards held by professional venues.

Research the equipment commonly used by professional DJs when playing in clubs and see the latest developments and trends in DJ gear.

Remember, you can always upgrade your DJ gear down the line when money permits, including the costs in your business expenses to offset the costs.

Step 8. Stay Current With Music Trends

One of the main roles of a DJ is to stay on top of the latest music trends and showcase this understanding in their DJ sets.

This means subscribing to the best outlets that cover the music industry and new releases and signing up for record label mailing lists.

With thousands of music producers releasing tracks daily, refining your genre selection is important to avoid being overwhelmed.

You should also monitor how technology, such as artificial intelligence, is shaping creativity and how it may affect your live shows.

Consider setting up alerts for search terms on Google, following your favorite DJs on social media, and using your networks for music industry tips.

Step 9. Don’t Be Afraid To Experiment

Becoming a successful DJ means understanding your target audience’s desires. but it also involves experimenting with new genres.

While many successful DJs stick to particular styles, the best have a strong grasp of multiple genres and a willingness to experiment.

If you want to compete with other DJs, you should be prepared to step outside of your comfort zone and explore new and diverse musical styles.

As you branch out into new genres, organize your DJ playlists to ensure you can find the tracks you need at a moment’s notice.

This will help you customize your DJ sets according to your audience, showcasing your breadth of knowledge and DJing versatility.

Step 10. Produce Your Own Music

If you’re interested in music production, becoming a DJ producer is another effective strategy for staying relevant.

Music production can take time to master, but you can download a wealth of affordable tools to start creating mashups, remixes, and original tracks.

You can also integrate your music into your performance, gauging the audience’s reaction to see what works and what needs improvement.

Likewise, you can reach out to other DJs to see if they’re willing to play your tracks to their target audience and give you valuable feedback.

While it can be hard to get your music heard by music industry professionals, hard work and commitment will eventually pay off.

Step 11. Market Yourself Effectively

The best collection of assets and DJ sets means little if you don’t have a clear marketing plan to promote your work to the right audience.

Creating a marketing plan for promotion requires marshaling your online presence and using social media platforms to achieve the best possible reach.

To get the best results, research current marketing trends, from the use of TikTok to cost-effective advertising on Facebook.

Likewise, you shouldn’t overlook physical promotion opportunities such as handing out flyers at venues and other live events in your area.

As you implement your marketing plan, pay close attention to what delivers results and what actions fail to generate the desired results.

Don’t be afraid to change things up at a moment’s notice, such as changing the social media platforms you use to promote your brand to your audience.

Step 12. Get Gigs & Build A Following

It goes without saying that success won’t come unless you put yourself out there and deliver outstanding DJ sets that encourage word of mouth.

Whether you’re hoping to become a corporate event DJ or land a club residency, you’ll need to establish a track record of delivering great sets.

To establish a reputation in their field, new DJs may have to consider performing for free, for instance, at house parties or offering free gigs at bars.

If you land your first gig, make sure you record your performance and get high-quality videos and photographs showing your DJing style in action.

Likewise, encourage your existing fans and friends to attend and give you an enthusiastic response to impress booking agents and venue owners.

This will increase your chances of getting regular gigs, through which you can hone your DJing skills and the way you present yourself to the audience.

You should also spend time checking out the essential DJ performance tips to see how you can improve your persona and style of DJing.

The important thing is to enjoy what you’re doing since this enthusiasm will come across in the sets and help to get the dance floor pumping.

Step 13. Sell Merchandise

Learning how to monetize your DJ skills is about more than getting paid for gigs at bars, clubs, and restaurants in your local area.

Merchandise, from T-shirts and posters to stickers and branded gear, offers many opportunities to generate additional revenue streams.

You can sell this merchandise directly to fans through your website or set up a small stall alongside the DJ booth when you’re performing live.

Websites such as Zazzle and Redbubble can sell branded merchandise without incurring overheads such as manufacturing costs.

Selling merchandise also serves as free promotion for your brand, such as fans wearing T-shirts featuring your DJ logo.

It’s a tactic that established artists often use to celebrate their anniversary and a tried-and-trusted way to generate a passive income stream.

Step 14. Charge Appropriate DJ Fees

Finding out how to make money as a DJ means understanding the going rates for the type of DJ you’re hoping to become.

The fees charged by a DJ playing a set in a bar are different from corporate event DJs, so you should research pricing to match your competitors.

At the same time, the level of experience a DJ brings to the table makes a big difference in what they charge and the range of services they offer.

If you’re supplying your own equipment, this can also be factored into your rates and fuel costs for traveling to venues away from your hometown.

Your rates are also subject to change and should be revised over time as your career grows and your abilities are more attractive to booking agents.

If you’re a new DJ, consider setting your DJ prices lower than the average to increase your chances of landing a paying gig to gain this experience.

Step 15. Constantly Learn & Adapt

Finally, the importance of continual learning and adaptation is vital for becoming a successful DJ who remains relevant in an evolving landscape.

Whether you’re mastering DJ time management tips or learning how to use artificial intelligence in your sets, this process of learning is ongoing.

A great way to integrate this mindset into your career is to focus on systems rather than goals and develop learning processes that you use daily.

You can improve this process by staying informed on social media platforms and following industry news that covers cutting-edge technology.

Likewise, exploring new techniques used by the world’s most successful DJs will also help you to keep your DJ mixes fresh and exciting.

Summary

Staying relevant as a DJ requires a continual approach to improving your skills, fostering an online presence, and promoting your DJ brand.

By following the steps in this article, you can develop a career that showcases your unique style while keeping on top of the latest trends in the music industry.

This strategy will also help you to become more creative in your own right, from collaborating with like-minded musicians to producing original songs.