[FAQ]

Our band here in Auckland is gearing up to release a new single in a few weeks and we’re keen to build some hype for it. We’ve seen heaps of other artists using “pre-save” links before their release date, but we’re not totally sure how it all works.

What exactly does a pre-save do for us and for the listener? And what tools or services do you actually use to create one of these links? We’ve got the song all ready to go with our distributor, just trying to figure out this marketing side of things.

Any advice on how to get started would be awesome.

[Jeff Bullas]

This is a vital marketing tool for any modern release strategy.

Quick Answer: A pre-save campaign is a marketing tool that uses a special link to allow your fans to save your upcoming audio track to their libraries before it’s released. The campaign’s success is driven by a clear text call-to-action, which is promoted heavily with supporting image and video content.

The goal is to convert pre-release excitement into measurable, day-one streams and valuable audience data.

First, let’s look at the core mechanic, which involves your audio and a simple text link. You use a third-party service, often provided by your distributor, to generate a unique pre-save link. When a fan clicks this link and authorises it, the service will automatically add your new audio track to that fan’s Spotify library and/or a specific playlist the second it goes live. This is incredibly powerful as it closes the gap between initial hype and a listener actually remembering to stream the song. Your main job is to push this link with a clear text call-to-action everywhere you have a presence.

It is important to understand that this is also a data-gathering tool. When users pre-save, they grant permissions that can provide you with valuable insight into your audience. Using a reputable service is key to ensure this is handled responsibly.

However, a link by itself is not a campaign. You need to create dedicated promotional content to drive clicks. This means designing a whole suite of images for the campaign, such as social media posts, story graphics, and updated banners all featuring the pre-save message. You should also create short-form video content to promote the link; this could be a teaser of the music video, an animated version of the single’s artwork, or a direct-to-camera message from the band. It’s this coordinated use of text, image, and video that creates a successful pre-save campaign.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Author]

Posts