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Goals

Setup & optimisationGetting artist/label and brand profiles set up, verified and ready ahead of time will help to boost streams of new releases and catalogue

Playlist strategies

Playlists are a great way of building interest ahead of a new release, and also to boost streams of back catalogue.

Release strategies

Developing new and interesting release strategies on streaming platforms can help labels to ensure week 1 figures are as high as possible.

Using the toolsMost of the streaming platforms have a number of tools and tricks which we can use to drive repeat streams for new and catalogue releases

Servicing Your FansWhy we need to rethink streaming

“Just because someone has subscribed to a streaming service, it doesn’t mean they’re listening to your music”

How are we using streaming?The traditional label to fan relationship

End of purchasing

process with listener

Music buyer

MPromotion,

marketing and delivery of

music

Record label

How are we using streaming?under the new streaming ecosystem

Label/Brand profiles

Drive streams through engaging content on

label platform profiles

Artist profiles Artists are the key to ensuring fans revisit -

why would you revisit a website?:

On platform Form partnerships and create new content that keeps fans coming back to streaming platforms

Social media Using social media to

remind and inform fans of activity on streaming

platforms

Tastemakers Press, fans, genre gatekeepers - all

potentially able to introduce your music to

thousands

Servicing Your Fans…and ‘non-fans’ alike

Types of Listeners on Streaming Platforms

Fan No longer a one directional

transaction - think about what how they like to

listen to their favourite records, what other

content would they enjoy?

‘Not-yet’ a Fan These fans need to be introduced to your catalogue. - how will they find you first? What should they listen to? What about new releases?

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Profile set up and optimisation

Sign Up

http://open.spotify.com/user/iampauldixon

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Profile set up and optimisation

Verification

• The Spotify profile username you would like linked to your artist discography page. • The artist URI link (link to artist discography page). • The preferred display name for the profile. • A URL link to a 2048 x 2048 pixel JPEG profile image. • A link to a twitter account associated with the artist.

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Profile set up and optimisation

New Artist Profile Pages

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Profile set up and optimisation

New Artist Profile Pages

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Profile set up and optimisation

Profile Images

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Profile set up and optimisation

Artist Programme

• $10.00 (USD) for each new subscriber that signs up through your trackable Rdio links

• Instant web access to affiliate tracking

• A complimentary Rdio subscription

• Access to tips, help documentation and Rdio support

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Profile set up and optimisation

Profile pages

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Profile set up and optimisation

Verified profiles / Deezer Pages

• Put a banner & change the avatar • Update the biography • Highlight 2 playlists • Highlight Facebook & Twitter links • Update your “profile” post / status

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Profile set up and optimisation

label profiles

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Profile set up and optimisation

brand profiles

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Profile set up and optimisation

Optimising for mobile

As consumers move towards a mobile experience for online usage, we’re also seeing users move to a more mobile listening experience.

Spotify are reporting that 42% of streams on the service are now taking place on mobile (phones and tablets).

With desktop, we encourage labels and artists to create profiles, verify accounts and create engaging content for fans. A combination of all of these ensures that your are going to increase the chances of repeat streams, and boost streaming revenues.

However, with mobile, you’re often working with different features, layout and UI options. We’ve outlined some of the main considerations you will want to consider to allow fans to enjoy your optimised content, playlists and profile on the move as well as at their desks.

Mobile is Kingwhere are they listening?

5%

14%

40%

41%

Desktop Mobile Tablet Webplayer

Spotify stream splits per device

Believe Digital

Profile set up and optimisation

Optimising for mobile

Brand and Label profiles do not feature verified profile ticks (but artist profiles do!)

Believe Digital

Profile set up and optimisation

Optimising for mobile

Consider optimising your playlist covers and titles for mobile

Desktop Mobile

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Profile set up and optimisation

Sharing Limitation

Sharing a new single to Twitter or Facebook will lock out mobile users on ‘free’ tiers - one of the biggest user segments.

This is due to the limitation of only having access to ‘Shuffle’. If these users use a link to a single track on mobile, they won’t always be able to stream the track.

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Profile set up and optimisation

Optimising for mobile

Disable ‘Recently Played Artists’ on profile to label content is promoted

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Release strategies

“Instant grats”

Album viewable - but tracks ‘greyed out’

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Release strategies

“Instant grats”

Album Sampler

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Release strategies

“Instant grats”

Single Deliveries

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Playlist strategies

Playlists

Focussed

Engaging

Relevant

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Playlist strategies

Jeff the Brotherhood

Catalogue Hooks

Discography

Commentaries

Artist radio / podcasts

Remixes

Artist curated

Fan generated content

Radio show / podcasts

Platform exclusives

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Playlist strategies - catalogue

Jeff the Brotherhood

The Discography Playlist

Chronological

Branded cover and description

Call to action

Acts as a ‘pre-order’

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Playlist strategies - catalogue

Jeff the Brotherhood

The Commentary Album

Use the ‘playlist’ method

Builds streams of album tracks

Consider a timed update - how does the artist feel about it 12 months after release?

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Playlist strategies - catalogue

Jeff the Brotherhood

Remixes

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Playlist strategies - catalogue & hook

Jeff the Brotherhood

Artist Radio / Podcasts

Dual purpose

Drives interest in a new album

Can be updated

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Playlist strategies - hook

Jeff the Brotherhood

Artist curated

Builds engagement

Strengthens ‘brand’

Builds story around album

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Playlist strategies - hook

Jeff the Brotherhood

Fan generated / collaborative

Make a ‘collaborative playlist’ and share links with fans. Make sure you give feedback on tracks via socials.

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Playlist strategies - hook

Jeff the Brotherhood

Platform Exclusives

Preferable over exclusive releases

Can be used to leverage additional support from platforms

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Playlist strategies - Asian Dub Foundation “Break the Signal”

Jeff the Brotherhood

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Playlist strategies - Asian Dub Foundation “Break the Signal”

Jeff the Brotherhood

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Playlist strategies - Asian Dub Foundation “Break the Signal”

Jeff the Brotherhood

Believe Digital

Playlist strategies - Asian Dub Foundation “Break the Signal”

Jeff the Brotherhood

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Playlist strategies - catalogue

Jeff the Brotherhood

Deleted your playlist?

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Jeff the Brotherhood

Sharing

How are we using streaming?on platform - sharing

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Building Followers

Jeff the Brotherhood

Sharing - Facebook Debugger

https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/og/object/

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Building Followers

Jeff the Brotherhood

The Follow Button and Play Widgets

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Using the tools - analytics

Jeff the Brotherhood

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Using the tools - Soundliiz

Jeff the Brotherhood soundliiz.com

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Using the tools - bandpage / song kick integration

Jeff the Brotherhood

Upsell merchandising, records, VIP experiences and gig tickets

Streaming StrategiesDo’s

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Use playlists as tools

Get creative, playlists are great tools - radio / collaborative, content unlocks, possibilities are endless.

Use your accountsYou’ll appear in discovery algorithms more often! Also fans using desktop apps will see your activity in their feeds, prove you’re a real human!

Connect with fans

Think of streaming platforms as part music service, part social network. You can connect with fans and bring them closer to your music.

Build a community

Forge connections with similar labels and artists - they may have whole follower bases they can introduce your catalogue.

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Streaming StrategiesDon’ts

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Duplicate content

Rather than spreading yourself thinly and repeating content, pick your top two or three platforms and focus on those.

Wait until the last minuteSome profile edits must be done through a distributor - up to 8 weeks, plan ahead for a new album campaign

Add too many playlistsIt looks ugly and will confuse people visiting your profiles. Keep things nice and simple - and remove playlists if they’re no longer relevant.

Loose your logins

This happens all the time - use a password tool to keep track of all your artist profile logins

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Any questions?