Musician profile on Websta: a guide for Ireland

What a Websta profile page contains

Your Websta profile is a page people visit to learn about you and get in touch. It sits at its own web address and works on phones and computers. You control what goes on it.

A working profile for a musician in Ireland should have: a photo of yourself or a performance photo; a short description of what you do (the instruments you play, the styles you cover, the occasions you work for); a list of services you offer; contact details and a contact form; and a way for people to request a booking or ask for a quote. Some musicians also add video or audio samples, a calendar showing when they are available, or links to their social media.

• Profile photo - a clear image of yourself or in performance
• About section - the instruments, styles and types of work
• Services list - what you offer (e.g. wedding ceremony, function band, private lessons)
• Contact form - for inquiries and booking requests
• Gallery - photos from performances or sessions, if you have them
• Availability calendar or booking slots
• Audio or video clips, if relevant to your work

Which languages to use

Publish your profile in English. This is the language most people in Ireland will use to search for musicians. If you speak Irish and want to reach Irish-speaking audiences, you can add an Irish version of your profile, but English should be your main language. Keep the description clear and straightforward.

How people in Ireland find musicians

On Websta, people search by location and service type. When someone in Dublin, Cork, Galway or anywhere else in Ireland looks for a musician, they use the search to filter by what they need - wedding ceremony, function band, teacher, session player - and where they are. Websta shows them musicians in that area. People also post tasks describing what they need, and musicians can make offers on those tasks.

Outside Websta, people in Ireland find musicians through word-of-mouth, local Facebook groups, event organisers, venue managers and Google searches for 'musician near me' or 'wedding musician in [town]'. A Websta profile helps because it gives you a dedicated page that appears when people search for your service by location.

Working as a self-employed musician in Ireland

If you work as a sole trader or self-employed musician in Ireland, you are responsible for several things. You must register with the Irish tax authority (Revenue) if your income is above the threshold - check the current threshold with Revenue, as it changes. You need to keep records of your income and expenses, and file a tax return each year. You must also have appropriate insurance if you own expensive instruments or equipment.

If you teach music, there may be child safeguarding requirements depending on how you work and where. If you perform in venues or at events, the venue may require you to have public liability insurance. Check with the specific venue or event organiser. If you use performers' names or images in marketing, get permission. Always keep a record of your bookings and payments for tax purposes.

For other details about self-employment rules in Ireland - such as VAT registration thresholds, employment law if you hire other musicians, or music copyright - contact Revenue directly or speak to an accountant who knows the music industry.

What to write in the first hour

When you first set up your Websta profile, you do not need to fill in everything at once. Focus on the essentials: upload a good photo of yourself; write a two or three sentence description of what you do and what types of work you take on; list your main services; and add your contact information. This takes about an hour and gives people enough to understand who you are and how to reach you.

After that, you can add photos from performances, refine your service descriptions, set up your booking or quote system, and add audio or video samples as you go. The profile works better the more complete it is, but starting simple and building it up over time is a realistic approach.

Setting up payment and bookings

When someone books with you or pays through Websta, the payment goes through Stripe to your own Irish bank account. You set your own prices and decide whether you want to take bookings directly through the platform, quote requests, or both. A booking system means people can see your availability and reserve a slot. A quote request means they describe the job and you send them a price. Many musicians use quote requests because every job is different - a wedding ceremony, a private party and a teaching session all have different rates and scope.

Websta marketplace and your profile page

Websta has two parts: your profile page, which is your own dedicated web address that people can visit and book from; and the Websta marketplace, where people in Ireland can search for musicians by location and service. When you set up your profile, it can appear in the marketplace at /marketplace/music, which is where people in Ireland search for musicians. Your profile page is separate - it is your own web address that you can share on social media, your email or anywhere else.

Having a profile page means people have somewhere to go to learn about you and book, even if they found you through word-of-mouth or a social media post.