Music promotion, PR, and marketing is an ever-evolving beast. There’s always a new “thing” or avenue with which musicians and labels latch onto as the new and most effective way to promote an artist or event, and that new avenue almost always comes with gatekeepers and tastemakers who make the decisions. Be that playlist curators, bloggers, radio producers, or record stores.
There’s always a door to be knocked on and people with the keys to open them. In 2024, these are increasingly becoming influencers, predominantly on TikTok. Due to the platform’s high engagement rate and ease of viral content, there’s been a sharp rise in rave and electronic music content; the platform also learns your preferences and tastes incredibly quickly, leading to an adequate breeding ground for artists and music-sharing.
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The Rise of Influencers in Music Promotion
Influencer marketing as a concept is nothing new.
It’s been used by brands since social media became a part of our lives, and we’ve all now become accustomed to what defines an #ad on social media. But the most basic music fan might not understand how this works for artists and labels. The short version is that labels, events, artists, or promotion companies will have relationships with influencers and pay these content creators to use an artist’s music in their videos. The likes of Ari Elkins are one of the most established, but this filters down and includes the likes of Adam Cutting, In The Rave with Ryan, Crunchy Beat, and loads more that you might assume are sharing music purely for the love of it.
Very quickly, these names are becoming the new tastemakers and gatekeepers (If they aren’t already) – Where Mixmag, NPR, etc used to sit, these guys are now disrupting this space.
In principle, this can be read as a good thing.
For decades, Spotify editors, journalists, Labels, and DJs have hoarded the keys to the industry, making it difficult for new artists to find their fans. Now, some of the most influential people in the industry are people like you and me, who built their fanbase with nothing but their phones and a love for new music. The issue arises when we examine the costs of working with these influencers.
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Understanding the Costs and Challenges of Influencer Marketing
Remember that these influencers treat their page as a business and aim to make a living for their audience. Nothing wrong with that. But as a consequence, it means they will naturally price the use of music on their page based on what the market dictates. When these influencers work with an established label, brand, or festival – they will have allocated marketing budget towards influencers.
Therefore, they are (based on my personal experience) able to charge anywhere from £ 200k to £2k for one post. Bear in mind that, to run an influencer marketing campaign, you would usually look to bring on board at least 7-8 of these influencers. That budget makes sense if you have the money, but 99% of artists out there won’t have anywhere near that available.
The worry is that the disparity between those who can afford promotion and those who can’t is widening.
Ultimately, if an influencer can charge £1k for a track promo on their page to a label or brand, why would they reduce their prices for anyone else? That’s just business.
It means that the ROI on these sorts of campaigns is non-existent. It isn’t easy to track how much an influencer campaign has impacted your Spotify, gig sales, fan club, or any other revenue-driving platform.
Hopefully, TikTok’s new “find a track on DSP platforms” tool will help. Their streaming platform may also fix this in some way.
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Ultimately, as an artist, you need to decide what the value of a post from these sorts of content creators is for you individually, and that will vary depending on your overall plan and idea. However, don’t break the bank paying influencers to share your track on their page, to lead to a “Viral” track a-la Fred Again… these cases are sporadic and difficult to manufacture, even with much money behind you. Focus, instead, on building your brand through the content on your platform, learning what works on social media and what draws your audience in. If you find that your music is starting to be used by other users on social media, you can then look at building on that with influencers.
Suppose you want to explore a more affordable way of using influencers for your music. In that case, Submithub has a process for working with content creators, albeit not as effective or streamlined as it could be, and Zebr also has a unique way of partnering with influencers for your music without breaking the bank.
Striking a Balance: Navigating the New Era of Music Promotion
In conclusion, the influencer era in music promotion is a double-edged sword. Yes, it democratizes the music industry, breaking the monopoly of traditional gatekeepers. Anyone with a smartphone, a knack for content creation, and a keen ear for music can now catapult artists to new heights. But let’s not kid ourselves; this new model has its pitfalls. The cost of influencer marketing is skyrocketing, making it a game for the few who can afford it. The promise of viral success is tantalizing but elusive, often leaving artists chasing shadows while draining their pockets.
So, what’s the smart move for aspiring artists? It’s about striking a balance. Leverage influencers where you can, but don’t rely solely on them. Build your empire on your terms. Create compelling content, nurture your community, and let your music resonate organically. Remember, platforms like Submithub and Zebr offer more affordable influencer collaborations, but don’t expect miracles because everyone in the music industry is digging for gold. Still, the ones getting the richest will always be the ones selling shovels.
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