Best Practices for Maximum Release Potential as a Symphonic Client

When it’s time to finally release your latest masterpiece, you have to be ready for whatever comes your way. The best way to ensure your release’s success is to plan for everything and do it way in advance. Let’s break it down…

Best Practices for Maximum Release Potential as a Symphonic Client

Before you select a release date, make sure you have a clear idea of when you will have your mastered audio and track or album art in hand. Unexpected things may come up in the production process, and you want to give yourself ample time to set everything up properly and on time.

While we recommend staying on cycle and releasing on Fridays, we understand that you may have a strong, marketing-driven reason to release off-cycle (premiere partner, event anniversary, promised social support, etc). Weigh the value of the driver and consider if it is likely to increase your chances of placement.

The required lead time is no less than 4 weeks. 6 weeks is ideal for the delivery of release AND marketing drivers.

This timeframe gives your distributor time to ingest and approve releases, DSPs time to receive them, and playlist editors time to receive pitches and marinate with a release before deciding whether or not to feature or place it on playlists.

6 Weeks Before Release Date

• Fully submit your release via the SymphonicMS
• Submit Marketing Drivers via the “Market” menu item

• Secure venue for listening event or release show and promote

4 Weeks Before Release Date

• Re-skin all digital surfaces to match the imagery and title of your release. (including sharing the pre-save/pre-sale link in bios, posts and CRM.)
• Pitch your release in Spotify For Artists platform to promote algorithmic playlist potential

3 Weeks Before Release Date

• Secure media partner to premiere release
• Enlist influencers, friends, family, fans, colleagues to share
• Update the marketing drivers form with any new ‘spotlights’ that you have lined up

2 Weeks Before Release Date

• Initiate pre-save/pre-sale campaign -Please create a Help Request to obtain partner release links.
• Continue sharing

Week of Release

• Premiere the release on your media partner’s site or radio station, Youtube channel, etc.
• Throw your listening party, release show, etc.

Release Day! 

• Share across ALL socials + CRM – don’t be shy about CTA fans to stream / DL
• Share any DSP pickup and other support, be sure to tag and thank anyone who has supported / featured the release
• Repost fan shares

What happens next? The grind doesn’t stop there. Here’s what to do now…

Post-Release

• Repeat everything from the release date
• Run CTA/UGC campaigns with an incentive for fans

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🧠 Learn more…

The Best and Worst Months to Release Music

Best YouTube Promotion Channels To Submit Your Music To

7 Ways to Maximize Your Back Catalog While Working on New Releases

How To Promote Your Music Video in 7 Easy Steps

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Let’s Talk About Marketing Drivers

The most essential tool in helping Symphonic pitch your release to our DSP partners is the Marketing Drivers Form. Without these unique details, it’s almost impossible for our team to help your release standout from the crowd. The more details that you can provide, the better chance you’ve got at getting noticed and featured. We’ve listed out a few examples of attractive spotlights below:

• Music videos
• Social media follower and engagement
• Third-party Spotify playlists
• Previous DSP playlist placement and features
• Advertising to be run for this release
• Premieres on media outlets and general press pick-ups
• Radio campaigns or plays from direct DJ relationships and other DJ support
• Tour dates and other POI – “shared stages with,” notable festival appearances, etc.
• Charting, ie. Hype Machine, iTunes, Billboard, etc.
• Brand and media partnerships
• Other marketing campaigns – wildposting, print, etc.
• Pre-save and pre-sale campaign data (iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, etc.)
• Sync and other licensing information
• Other artist development POIs – management, booking agent, TV/film appearances, etc.
  .

Note: Be sure to send marketing driver updates regularly to CM. Also notify CM of submission to MS, etc.

• It is essential that you and your team promote the release.
• Please make use of our tools, pre-save links, etc.

Marketing Campaign Inspo

Here are some suggestions for promoting your release. Take a dive in and think about which ideas make the most sense for your release. Get creative and customize them to your brand and your audience.

• Pre-save/Pre-sale campaign
• Countdown to release on socials
• CTA to fans on socials – directly asking them to pre-save, DL, view, etc.
• Offer incentives to fans – Instant Grats, merch packs, exclusive tracks, autographed items, VIP meet and greets
• Invite other artists, friends, influencers to share the release on their socials and do the same for them
• Create artists playlists on Spotify and encourage fans to follow.
• Place the new releases atop these playlists to alert your followers
• Partner with other distributors: Noisetrade, VNYL, etc.
• CRM – collect emails and send out newsletters via Mailchimp etc. inviting fans to pre-save, download, view etc.
• Be sure all DSP and social profiles are up to date, verified where possible, and consistent
• Update all tour dates and enable direct messaging on Bandsintown
• Set up targeted digital advertising campaigns on social platforms and/or boost posts that include the pre-save/stream link
• Consider expanding digital real estate – join and utilize TikTok, Triller, Snapchat etc. if your audience

If you need additional support, please submit a request here.

Being prepared for everything and anything will alleviate a lot of stress from you and your team. The more prepared you are, the better your release will do. If you want to be the best, you have to think like the best.

Good luck!