The 3-Step Release Marketing Checklist
How to Get More Listeners & Engagement for Your Next Release
Why This Checklist?
Most artists fail at release marketing because they don’t plan ahead or stop promoting too soon. This guide will walk you through exactly what to do before, during, and after release day to maximize your reach, engagement, and streams.
Want a Done-for-You Release Strategy? Get the Release Launch Bundle – everything planned for you, step by step ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Step 1: Pre-Release Essentials (4-6 Weeks Before Release)
Plan Your Release & Build Hype
Set your release date and work backwards.
Design a 4-6 week promo plan leading up to launch - need help? Get our Yearly Content Planner Template.
Branding & Visuals
✅ Finalize cover art, promo graphics, press photos.
✅ Design Instagram/TikTok post templates - Need some help and inspiration with this? Grab our Release Day Social Media Kit.
Pre-Save & Early Engagement
✅ Set up a Spotify pre-save link.
✅ Post teasers (snippets, lyric reveals, BTS footage).
✅ Use polls & Q&As to involve fans - check out our Follower Database Template to help keep track of your followers and use that data to figure out how to get the most engagement from them.
Press & Playlist Pitching (3-4 Weeks Before)
✅ Submit to Spotify playlists via Spotify for Artists.
✅ Pitch to bloggers, radio stations & curators.
✅ Write a press release & EPK - Need a press release with distribution? We can create you a bespoke press release and distribute it out to radio’s and bloggers!
Pro Tip: The biggest mistake artists make? Not posting enough BEFORE release day. Build hype at least once a week leading up to launch!
Step 2: Release Day Strategy (Making the release an Event)
Make Release Day an Event
✅ Schedule your announcement post across all platforms.
✅ Use a high-quality video or animated visual to grab attention.
✅ Pin the post on Instagram, TikTok & Twitter.
Check out our Release Strategy Guide for more information on how to utilise your platforms to gain high engagement for your release from the start!
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE IN REAL TIME
✅ Go LIVE on Instagram/TikTok.
✅ Ask fans to share their favorite lyric from the song.
✅ Reply to every comment and DM.
Check out our Social Media Bundle if you’d like us to plan this out for you!
🚀 Boost Your Reach
✅ Run a £10-£20 Instagram/TikTok ad to target similar artists’ fans - Need expert help? Check out our Ad Campaign Setup Service for targeted promotion.
✅ Repost fan reactions & shoutouts.
Pro Tip: The biggest mistake? Just posting once and disappearing. Post 3-5 times on release day!
Step 3: Post-Release Momentum (2-6 Weeks After Release)
Keep Promoting Beyond Release Day
✅ Week 1-2: Behind-the-scenes content (recording process, inspiration). Need post ideas? Get our Content Calendar Template.
✅ Week 2-3: Interactive posts (polls, challenges, UGC). Check out our Fan Engagement Guide.
✅ Week 3-4: Remixes, acoustic versions, or lyric breakdowns. Use our Social Media Graphics Pack to create engaging visuals.
✅ Week 4-6: Live performances, behind-the-scenes footage. Get our Livestream Strategy Guide to make the most of it.
Pitch Again & Expand Your Reach
✅ Submit to more playlists on SubmitHub & Chartmetric. Want expert help? Get our Playlist Pitching Service.
✅ Reach out to TikTok influencers to feature your track. Need a strategy? Get our Influencer Outreach Template.
✅ Use Spotify data to target cities where your streams are growing. Check out our Digital Ads Service to boost targeted engagement.
Pro Tip: Most artists stop promoting too soon. The biggest streaming spikes happen when you keep pushing beyond release week.
Bonus: Get a Custom Release Plan
Want a step-by-step release strategy built just for you? Our Release Campaign Bundle includes:
✔ A 4-week custom content plan 📅
✔ A done-for-you marketing roadmap 🎯
✔ Press, social media & playlist pitching support
The services in this bundle come to a total of £950 but you can get it at the discounted rate of £799.99!
Limited Spots Available Each Month – Lock in Yours Now!
See below to grab it!