How to make a music marketing plan for a release
A music marketing plan is a dated list of what you'll do to get a release heard, from 8 weeks before release day to 4 weeks after. Start with one goal and a budget, pick a focus track, then plan four kinds of work: content, pitching, paid ads and live shows. Check the results against your goal when it's over.
Start with one goal and a budget
- 1
One goal you can measure
First-month streams, new followers, mailing list sign-ups or tickets sold. Pick one so every choice has a tiebreaker.
- 2
A budget by line
Content, ads, pitching and the release show. Writing it down first stops one line from eating the rest.
- 3
A focus track
The song you'll push hardest: the video, the ads and the editorial pitch all go to it.
The four kinds of work
- 1
Content
A music video or visualizer, photos, and short vertical clips of the song. Short-form posting carries most independent releases.
- 2
Pitching
Spotify's editors, independent playlist curators, blogs, press and radio, each a few weeks ahead.
- 3
Paid ads
Pre-save ads before release and release-day ads after, aimed at fans of artists who sound like you.
- 4
Live and fans
A release show or livestream, your mailing list, and replying to everyone who shares the song.
The timeline
- 1
8 weeks out
Goal, budget and focus track set. Creative direction written down.
- 2
6 weeks out
Video shot, photo shoot and cover designer booked, release show booked.
- 3
4 weeks out
Release announced with the cover, pre-save link live, pitches out to press and curators.
- 4
2 to 3 weeks out
Pre-save ads running, teaser clips posting, Spotify editorial pitch in.
- 5
Release week
Countdown posts, release-day ads, posts and stories, press kit updated.
- 6
1 to 4 weeks after
Follow up with curators, a follow-up version of the song, and a recap of what worked.
Strategies that work for independent artists
- Post short clips of the song for weeks before release, not just on release day.
- Run one pre-save campaign and send every link to the same page.
- Pitch independent curators whose playlists already feature artists like you.
- Put out a second version of the song a few weeks after release to start a second wave.
- Play a release show and announce it with the release, so each one promotes the other.
- Collect emails at every show and on your press kit. Your list is the audience no platform can take away.
Measure and repeat
One week after release, check your numbers against your goal. Four weeks after, write down what each part of the plan cost and what it did, so the next release starts from what worked.
Build the plan in Artistboard
Release Rollout turns your release date into this plan with real dates, budget and goals. Content tracks the video and shoots, Outreach sends the pitches from your Gmail, and Financials shows what the release cost.
Plan your releaseQuick answers
When should I start marketing a release?
About 8 weeks before release day. That's enough time to make content, pitch press and curators, and build pre-saves before the song is out.
How much should I spend on marketing a single?
There's no fixed number. Set a budget before you start, split it across content, ads and pitching, and compare what each line cost with what it brought in.
What's the most important part of a music marketing plan?
Consistent content. Short clips of the song, posted for weeks before and after release, do more for most independent releases than any single ad or placement.
Do I need a different plan for an album?
Use the same shape, stretched out. Release two or three singles first, each with a short plan of its own, then run the full plan for the album.
How do I know if my plan worked?
Check the one goal you set at the start, one week and four weeks after release. Then note what each part cost, so the next plan puts money where it worked.