“Do digital ads actually pay off for musicians?” Our March QOTM!
The question every musician has wondered at some point.
Kelsy says:
I get asked about ad campaign ROI for artists constantly. It varies wildly, but here's a snapshot from a recent, highly targeted Instagram-to-Spotify album campaign: we spent $1.15 per Spotify album save/stream/follower, and $1.61 per conversion showing future intent (saves/followers). While 400 streams might seem needed to break even, focusing on fan conversion matters more. For this artist, 10 vinyl sales at $25 covered the ad spend. With 1692 monthly listeners, converting just 0.59% to vinyl buyers achieves the same.
Key takeaways: smart targeting is crucial. Know your audience. Then, engage your streaming fans. Use Spotify for Artists effectively: 1) Connect BandsInTown for concert promotion. 2) Link your Shopify merch store, even for print-on-demand. 3) Add a bio and links! Even unclickable URLs help. "Support me at mywebsite.com" is better than nothing.
Finally, artists: treat your music like a business. Advertise, sell, and don't be afraid to ask for support. It's how you make a living.
Tori says:
“Ah yes, the age old question! In my experience, digital ads can pay off for music artists, but they work best as part of a larger strategy. It’s not just a “oh, we’ll run ads and see growth in the immediate.” While they certainly help with visibility, the real success comes from combining them with strong branding, engaging content, fan interaction, and other organic growth efforts.
I mean, ads are an awesome tool, but it takes time to see what works best for you according to your goals. If you want to build a community, focus on engagement-specific ads and if you want more followers, focus on follower-specific ads.
Personally, though, my biggest piece of advice is to spend your time working on your brand first and make sure you are rolling out good content and then invest in ads.
If you want a more detailed answer on this, reach out to Kelzana here to see how we can create a strategic ad plan for you, depending on your goals and budget.