Do you need help promoting your music? Learn how to set your goals correctly, promote yourself and your music, and efficiently execute your activities with the Promo Guide. Register with MusicHub now and unlock a plethora of other materials, including video courses, articles, partner offers, and more.
Explore MusicHub offerAs an artist, you have more tasks today than ever. Taking care of your music promotion is essential if you want long-term success. Especially for independent musicians, promotion can quickly become overwhelming. MusicHub's Promo Guide helps you take control of your marketing efforts and personalise them. Let's start with pre-promotion, laying the foundation for your future strategies.
Start your promotion 6 to 8 weeks before your release. Six basics are essential.
Your artist name should be unique, recognisable, and easy to find. Think carefully about which name emphasises your image in the long term and appeals to your target audience and maybe even check your chosen name on the DSPs beforehand. Watch the video with Allan to learn what factors you should consider when choosing your artist name. To access the full course, log in to MusicHub.
No successful promotion happens without good music: take the time to build your brand and refine your music before focusing on promotion. Radio editors and playlist promoters value uniqueness, creativity, and quality, from songwriting and melody to mixing and mastering. Seek support to enhance your music, such as through AI tools, tutorials, and webinars. Ask yourself: Is the song promo worthy and promo ready?
Your cover artwork is crucial for your release, often serving as the first impression for listeners on streaming and download platforms. So you might as well do more than create an automatically generated AI image. It should be visually appealing and offer a glimpse of your release. Read the blog article 'Tips and inspiration for your cover artwork' to learn how to create compelling artwork that meets platform requirements.
Professional photos are essential when promoting your release. Ensure they align with your image, identity, and music, and always include them when contacting playlist promoters, radio editors, or bloggers. This enhances their impression of you and increases the likelihood of being featured.
Ensure your target audience can easily find and engage with you and your music online. Invest in promotional channels, set up social media profiles (e.g. Instagram or TikTok), a website, or even a merchandise shop to cultivate a fan relationship. The more loyal your fans, the greater their support through music listening, attending gigs, merch purchases etc., leading to more revenue streams.
To manage your promotional activities effectively, maintain an organized overview. Plan ahead for each task and document everything meticulously in a promotion or release plan. Learn how to create a release campaign in Allan's video.
4 to 6 weeks until the release. Now it's time to get down to business! Take note of the following three tips to send your music out into the world.
Consider your goals: whether it's increasing streams and downloads, securing playlist placements, gaining more social media followers, obtaining radio plays, securing reviews or interviews, etc. With clear goals, you can better tailor your promotion and maximise its impact.
Identify where your fans are likely to discover your music: from print media to streaming playlists, radio shows, online blogs, and magazines. Send your materials to decision-makers well before your release day to generate maximum attention.
When reaching out to playlist curators, radio editors, or bloggers, provide an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) along with your artist bio page containing important links to your music (e.g. social media and streaming platforms, website). This gives decision-makers a comprehensive impression of you and your music.
Tips for the EPKFinal sprint: Ensure your music gets maximum attention and remains in people's ears! Your release is live, but the promotion isn't over yet. Extend the life cycle of your release with further activities!
Publish music videos to strengthen your visual identity.
Create alternative versions of your songs, like remixes and acoustic versions, to attract new listeners from different genres.
Organise live streams on social media to showcase your skills as a live musician.
Play live shows, organise a tour, or host a record release party to reach new listeners and raise your profile.
Explore promotion platforms like SubmitHub or Groover to expand your reach. With a MusicHub subscription, you can enjoy discounts from these partners.
Organise competitions (e.g. merchandise giveaways, guest list spots, etc.) or fan contests (e.g. remix contests for your songs) to actively engage your fans.
Explore radio campaigns, playlist pitching, or sync and licensing deals to create more revenue opportunities.
Support other artists on social media and curate artist picks featuring their songs - because one good turn deserves another.
Create cover versions of well-known songs by artists who have inspired you. This way, you can support those artists and potentially attract their fans.
Keep your fans informed about your upcoming projects and news, via social media and email newsletters.