Release day moves fast. Use this checklist to make sure everything is in place before your music drops, and put fans first with every campaign.
Before release day
Add your release to the Music Catalog
Share a Landing Page with a Connect DSP step to collect pre-saves
Share a first listen with fans via a Post to build excitement
Create your Pre-save Broadcast and schedule it for release day
Build your release day Post and schedule it
1. Add your release to the Music Catalog
Add your release to the Music Catalog as early as possible. This unlocks your Pre-save Broadcast and Stream Page for the new release. See Connect Your Music Catalog for a full walkthrough.
🟡 Please note: The closer you are to the release date, the more likely the system finds your music straight away. Not all DSPs receive music simultaneously - you may need to return and refresh the item as the release date approaches. Some items do not appear until the final 24 hours before release.
2. Collect pre-saves
Build a Landing Page with a Connect DSP step to collect pre-saves from fans. Reward fans who pre-save with an exclusive snippet on the Thank you step to drive conversion. See Collect Pre-saves for a full walkthrough.
🟢 Top tip: Share a first listen via a gated Post with fans who have pre-saved to make the pre-save feel worth it. See Run a First Listen on Posts for more detail.
3. Share a first listen via Posts
Before release day, reward fans who are already in your world with an exclusive first listen via a Post. Gate the audio or video section to fans who have pre-saved, or to all signed-in fans, to make the first listen feel earned.
See Run a First Listen on Posts for a full walkthrough.
4. Create and schedule your Pre-save Broadcast
Once your release is in the Music Catalog, create a Pre-save Broadcast and schedule it for release day. It delivers the release directly into the library of every fan with a valid pre-save on your account.
🔴 Please note: If the release has not cleared in the Music Catalog, the Pre-save Broadcast will not send. Refresh the item on release day to confirm DSP links have populated before your broadcast sends.
🟡 Please note: Spotify authorizations expire 6 months after a fan last authorized. Check your pre-save audience for expired authorizations before sending. See Pre-save filters for more detail.
See Set Up a Pre-save Broadcast for a full walkthrough.
5. Build your release day Post
Prepare your release day Post in advance and schedule it for release day. Include:
A Spotify block and DSP links so fans can listen immediately
A Releases block so fans can play the music directly from your Fan HQ
Store, merch, and ticket links where relevant
Once your Post has gone out, retarget fans who did not open it on the evening of release day or the following day - your announcement can get lost in a busy inbox. Select Retarget in the top right of the completed broadcast, or build an audience of non-openers in the Audience Builder.
See Create and Publish a Post for a full walkthrough.