You’ve got new music. You’re excited to share it. So it’s understandable that you want to include ALL the links to streaming platforms where your music is available when you write an email or social post. However, that is NOT the best way to promote your new music.
While you may think you’re being helpful gathering all those links to your music on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, it actually does three things that are detrimental to your promo efforts.
Having multiple links in a single email or social post:
- Hurts your email “deliverability,” which can cause your open rates to plummet. You want people to read your emails!
- Destroys the organic reach of your social posts. You want people to see your posts without paying, right?
- Looks like unruly clutter. You don’t want someone’s first impression of your online presence to be, “Wow, this is a mess.”
How do you send listeners to their preferred platform?
Use a smart-link!
A smart-link is a one-page site that gathers all your important links in one place, so you only need to post that one link when you talk about your new music online.
Your smart-link will function as a hub for all the relevant platforms and pages related to your music, ncluding:
- Streaming platforms
- Social profiles
- Your website and artist profiles on Bandcamp, Bandsintown, etc.
- Donation sites like PayPal, Venmo, Patreon, etc.
- And even a link to buy physical product if you’re selling CDs or vinyl through Amazon
How do you build a smart-link?
As a CD Baby client, you’ve got access to HearNow — soo making a smart-link is simple. You can even preview your HearNow smart-link right in your CD Baby account.
Just follow these steps to preview your HearNow page:
- Log into your artist account
- In the Featured Tools section, click “Release Your One Page” website
- Click Preview on the release you want to promote
- If that release is available on streaming platforms, the links will be populated automatically
- Customize your page’s design, text, and other links
- Create a URL for the page
- Promote, promote, promote!
Your HearNow smart-link is really the most convenient way for fans to engage with your music. People love easy. Don’t make it difficult for fans (or especially potential fans) to find you online, listen to your music, buy merch, or (eventually) see you live, when you can gather all that stuff in one place.
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