No Money, No Problems.
An ongoing tips segment on how to maximise your marketing output, even if the well has run dry.
Common problem:
Anthology is great at picking up on the performance of your music across both DSPs and social media platforms and then alerting you to any movement. You’ve seen a song is getting a bump in streams or social media usage in an overseas territory, but have no idea why or how to capitalise on it!
Seeing a spike in streams or demand in overseas territory(s) where you have no obvious connection can be both exciting and puzzling. But before you go ahead and book that world tour, try these things first to ascertain why and what the smart thing to do about it is…
Solutions:
If the spike is in streams, it’s likely that your song has been picked up by algorithmic, user generated or even editorial playlists in a particular region. Check Anthology’s ‘trends’ section or directly on platform such as Spotify for Artists to see more detail. Look for playlists you don’t recognise as well as checking those driven by algorithms. If your track started performing well with a small group, the algorithm might have picked it up in a specific region first. If you’re using Discovery Mode, be aware this can also be a powerful tool when pushing your music globally.
Another great place to start can also be YouTube when trying to work out why fans are developing overseas and where they discovered the music. Check out the comments section for your music video - often you’ll see people posting in their native language things like ‘came here because of….’ Common reasons can be the track was used in a local tv show you might not be aware of, or sustained radio airplay etc. Also try using YouTube Analytics to understand your international audience. It allows you to analyse your top international fanbases and explore what content is performing best in different countries. This can inform decisions about translated titles, captions, or even potential collaborations with local artists you might want to explore such as remixes or duets.
Perhaps your content is going viral on social media. Search for your ‘sound’ on TikTok or Instagram and take a look at the content being generated and the demographics of who they are. Look for any common themes and hashtags with the content and region it’s originating from. Sometimes your song can unwittingly become the subject of a viral trend out of nowhere! Occasionally a song resonates in a place you didn’t expect due to certain sounds or trends which are currently ongoing. Lyrics can often be a big trigger for this too.
If what you discover seems organic, your best move is to try lean into it. And no this likely won’t mean hiring radio, press teams, or spending ££££ on digital marketing right away either. Pay attention to the content and way people are engaging with your song and either emulate it yourself, or find a clever way to take it further. Then more broadly focus on localising your contentfor these new fans. Consider if any of your profile bios or social media content could be tailored or translated to better connect with this new international audience. Engage with these fans where you can in those territories. Respond to comments, share user-generated content and so on.
If you do decide to spend a small amount on digital advertising to fan the flames further, try using our Slinky smart link tool to create targeted campaigns for these specific territories. Slinky provides actionable analytics on clicks, engagement and platform preferences, allowing you to fine-tune your marketing strategies. You can gather insights on fan location and behaviour to create highly targeted ad campaigns on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Google.
Lastly, If you've identified a strong and sustained bump, it might be worth discussing with your label manager about pitching (or re pitching) the track to local editorial playlists on DSPs in that specific territory.