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1 | Overall Checklist | ||||
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4 | Optimize Your Profiles | ||||
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7 | Profile images | All channel visuals align on branding - make sure all social media accounts have the same pictures, banners etc | |||
8 | Artist bio | All social media profiles have the same, up-to-date bio | |||
9 | Analytics | Make sure you keep an eye on your analytics (on all platforms), understand them, make informed decisions from them and grow them | |||
10 | ShortURL | Make sure links to your key DSPs are available on any shorturl's you use and that they are always up-to-date | |||
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13 | Define Your Brand and Audience | ||||
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16 | Identify Your Unique Sound & Image | Determine your unique selling points (USP) – your music genre, style, visual identity, and overall brand persona | |||
17 | Understand Your Audience | Identify your target audience demographics (age, location, interests) and where they hang out online | |||
18 | Craft a Brand Voice | Develop a consistent tone for your posts, whether it’s casual, professional, humorous, or inspirational - be your authentic self but stay consistent | |||
19 | Colour schemes | Choose a color palette that reflects your music & personality. These colors should be consistently used across your socials, album covers, merch, & any visual content | |||
20 | Fashion & style | Fashion choices can be an extension of your brand. You can pick a style that aligns with your music & resonates with your audience | |||
21 | Visual Aesthetics | Consider how all visual elements – color schemes, fashion, logo, background items, wall colours, filters & imagery – come together to create a cohesive brand identity | |||
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24 | Content Strategy | ||||
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27 | Content Themes | Decide on 3-5 core themes for your content, such as music releases, behind-the-scenes (BTS), live performances, fan interactions, personal stories, your pet! | |||
28 | Content Calendar | Plan out your posts weekly or monthly to ensure consistency. Align your content with upcoming releases, tours, or events. Here is a folder with templates. | |||
29 | Mix Up Content Types: Photos | High-quality images, album covers, BTS shots | |||
30 | Mix Up Content Types: Videos | Snippets of music videos, acoustic versions, studio sessions, live show, acapella, Behind the song | |||
31 | Mix Up Content Types: Reels/shorts | Create short, engaging videos to showcase highlights, quick announcements, or fan shoutouts | |||
32 | Mix Up Content Types: Stories | Use for more personal, day-to-day interactions, sharing in-the-moment content, or promoting new posts | |||
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35 | Posting & Engagement | ||||
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38 | Frequency | Post regularly, but quality over quantity! Platforms have their own guidance on amount of posts per week but decide whats doable for you & stick to that | |||
39 | Peak Times | Use analytics to determine when your audience is most active and schedule posts accordingly, if you have a global audience, don't forget to take that into account | |||
40 | Engage | Respond to comments, DMs, & mentions. Acknowledge fans, engage in conversations, & show appreciation. I personally avoid engaging with negative comments | |||
41 | Hashtags | Research and use relevant hashtags to increase visibility. Mix popular hashtags with niche ones related to your genre - only useful for certain platforms, not all | |||
42 | Tagging | Tag relevant people, brands, and locations in your posts to increase reach | |||
43 | Collaborations | Partner with other artists or influencers for shoutouts, collabs, or features to tap into each other's audience | |||
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46 | Promote Music Releases | ||||
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49 | Pre-release your music | Pre-release your music to social media channels via your distributor to TikTok, META & YT - use that in your social strategy to hype fans before release | |||
50 | Teasers | Post teasers leading up to a release – snippets of the track, album art, or BTS | |||
51 | Deliver your music | Deliver your music to all social platforms via your distributor so people can find itand share it in their content | |||
52 | Launch day | On release day, post across all platforms with a clear call-to-action to listen, stream, or purchase. | |||
53 | Post Launch | Share fan reactions, reviews, and any media coverage. Keep promoting the release for weeks after it drops | |||
54 | Playlist content | Regularly update and share your playlists, tag any playlist curators, tag local DSP accounts (for example Spotify have local accounts for different territories) | |||
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57 | Grow Your Following | ||||
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59 | CHECK | ITEM | Description | ||
60 | Livestreams | Host live Q&As, mini-concerts, or studio sessions. Use this time to connect directly with your fans | |||
61 | Giveaways & Contests | Run contests or giveaways (e.g., free merch, concert tickets) that require following, sharing, or tagging friends | |||
62 | Cross-promotion | Collaborate with other artists, influencers, or brands to cross-promote content | |||
63 | Paid Ads | If you know what you are doing & when you're earing something from your music - Invest in targeted ads to promote music releases, tours, or specific content | |||
64 | Features & Remixes | Work with artists from similar or complementary genres (or totally different genres) on features or remixes. Promote these collaborations across both socials | |||
65 | Fan groups/communities | Create & nurture fan groups on platforms where your most dedicated fans can interact with each other & you. Share exclusive content, announce news first here, & actively participate in discussions | |||
66 | Fan art & UGC | Encourage fans to create & share their own content related to your music. This could include fan art, cover versions, or dance challenges. Repost on your socials | |||
67 | Leverage TikTok, Reels, Shorts | Platforms like these are ideal for reaching a wider audience quickly. Create short, engaging content like challenges, music snippets, or BTS moments that are shareable | |||
68 | Events | Whether it’s a music festival, award show, or a fan meet-and-greet, document these events and share them on your social media | |||
69 | Email List Integration | Use your socials to grow sign-ups to your email list, offering exclusive content or early access to tickets or music. Then, use emails to drive traffic back to your socials | |||
70 | Host exclusive events | Offer exclusive online or in-person events, like secret gigs or listening parties, for your most loyal followers. Promote these events through your socials | |||
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73 | Analyze & Adjust | ||||
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76 | Analytics Tools | Regularly check your platform analytics to track growth, engagement rates, and audience demographics | |||
77 | Content Performance | Identify what type of content performs best and refine your strategy accordingly | |||
78 | Feedback Loop | Listen to fan feedback (within reason), feedback from your friends/network & adjust your content, messaging, & approach to better connect with your audience | |||
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81 | Stay Up-To-Date & Adapt | ||||
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84 | Trending Topics | Participate in relevant trends or challenges that align with your brand | |||
85 | New Platforms | Stay open to exploring new platforms or features (e.g., TikTok, Threads) that might be relevant to your audience | |||
86 | Continuous Learning | Stay updated on social media trends, algorithm changes, and best practices to keep your strategy effective | |||
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88 | Stay safe & look after your mental health | ||||
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91 | Stay safe on social media | Your mental health is the most important, if you feel you are struggling, take a break. Google offer a free Intro to Digital Wellbeing course you can check out here too. | |||
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