7 New Marketing Strategies for Your Next Music Release in 2022

Marketing is always changing. It’s a moving target and it’s tough to keep up. One of the ways I help my clients stay ahead is by watching what works with other clients, the consulting I do with marketing professionals for my own business, and partnering with other marketing partners for my clients record releases. I am constantly learning the latest methods and techniques.

The marketing frontier is kind of the wild west. Everyone has a different approach and in all due respect, many marketers are great front-facing salespeople and can’t really make predictions as each brand is so different – plus the market moves so much. So it’s not only hard to find good and effective marketing partners, but hard to find companies that are a match for you – let alone understand how to market your own music on your own. It’s a lot of trial and error.

On top of that is the challenge of having the right marketing message and visuals which is 98% of the battle once you have a good marketing strategy or partner.

The absolute truth is – no matter how good your marketing is, if you don’t have the product that people want (or message or visuals that relay it), your campaigns will fall flat.

These strategies are hot off the presses. I hope they help you in your marketing efforts.

1. Your Marketing Timeline

First things first. Jot down your timeline.

• Release dates
  • Single 1: Set your release date MM-DD-YYYY
  • Single 2: at least 6 weeks after Single 1. Don’t push too close together and lose the umph on Single 1! You need 6-8 weeks to really get the word out!
  • EP or LP: at least 6 weeks after Single 2.
• Everything works backwards from there. Give yourself ample time to create all of the content, the posts, the bio, press release, refresh your website, your free offer, nurture your mailing list getting them ready for release.
• Then all the business stuff: submitting to Spotify editorial playlist, blogs for premier, etc.
• Write it all out in a project management software to plan it out step-by-step.

2. Your Marketing Message

Now that you have your music ready, your marketing message and copy is what helps to hook your potential listener. They say your message is what makes people convert” or listen to your music, opt-in to your offer, come to your livestream etc.

Use your writing skills to write copy that speaks to them. It starts with identifying your listener. The easiest way to identify your listener is to profile you. Your listener is going to be a person that is very similar to you in values, taste and aesthetic.

I start with a mission statement for the artist. A mission statement is what you want your music to do for people in the world – followed by your “why”. Why you wrote the record and what was happening while you were writing the record. All of this informs the marketing message.

Now, build your marketing message based on the message in your songs, the record and target the type of person that is YOU. Work with a copywriter or music business coach who can help you write a compelling message.

3. Creating Magnetic Compelling Visuals

This is actually a marketing strategy all unto itself. Your visuals are your music at “first glance”. Visuals are what make people click to listen or find out more about you. Super important to do this right.

Having strong compelling visuals that look like your music sounds is key. What is a strong visual? Research and analyze visuals of other artists you like. Pay attention to the details. Composition, lighting, wardrobe, backdrop. The “divine is in the details”. Your image should match your music and your artist message and mission on the record.

Spend time on your visuals. Get into the details. It will be worth it.

4. Your Ideal Listener Avatar + Demographic

Knowing your ideal listener avatar is important to reach the right audience. The last thing you want is to attract anyone who is not really the person you want in your audience.

The easiest way to identify your target listener – look in the mirror. Your target audience is first based on people that share similar interests and values. It makes it so much easier when you think of it that way. Makes it way easier for marketing campaigns because you know exactly who to target. You will always reach an expanded audience, but targeting makes your marketing so much more successful.

5. Your Pre-Release List Building Campaign Growing your List Pre-release

Many artists wait to market until they put their music out. This is a huge mistake. Your music alone won’t grow your audience. You won’t want to have spent all of that time and money creating your amazing music to release to the same size audience you’ve had for awhile.

Create a 6 month pre-release campaign prior to your release to engage with your audience and connect with new people to grow listeners before your music comes out. Share demos of songs that won’t make it on the record to talk about the record coming. Livestream on YouTube or Twitch and share excerpts of your new songs to get them excited about the release! Share a private Soundcloud of your new record with your Patreon followers to get them singing the words at your release livestream and concert!

6. Ideas for Your Release Campaign

1. Livestream Concert Event. Invite listeners to a livestream concert that they opt-in for (to collect their email addresses to continue to promote to them). Have a giveaway of one of your higher end pieces of merch at your livestream – or giveaway a hat or piece of clothing or jewelry that you wore during the making of your record.
2. Partner with a brand that has a concentrated concert goers list. Rather than doing FB Ads and hoping you reach your audience, promote to a targeted music audience.
3. Plan your release tour using your demographics to determine where your listeners are.

7. Every Song is an Opportunity to Market

Every song on your record is its own marketing campaign, not just your singles.

Most artists put out 2 singles, release the record and then that’s it. But you should treat every song on your record as its own release campaign and continue to market all of the songs on your record, continuing to point to the record.

If you are just starting to release music, it’s best to start with a small organic campaign. Don’t hire a PR company your first time releasing music.

If you have a really stellar release that you’ve been planning and writing for some time that is executed on a high level of broadcast quality – and is worth a significant investment – then don’t mess around. Come work with us, we’ll help you find a killer message, and plan a strategy and plan for a blockbuster release.

The best place to start is to join our 6-week online Artist Development program Step Up to the Spotlight. I created this program to help artists gain the tools, industry know-how and skills to make their dream of music a reality. Step Up was built over 12+ years and has my heart and soul in it. Since it began, this program helped over 15,000+ artists and the community continues to grow. Come join us and start your transformation with instant access!