Managers
Pre-save campaigns for managers
Pre-saves should be part of every release you manage. They're one of the few things you can directly influence that affect how streaming platforms treat your artist's music on day one. Coordinating pre-save pushes across your roster takes organisation, but the payoff in first-week streams is worth the effort.
Making pre-saves a standard part of your release process
Every release on your roster should have a pre-save campaign. No exceptions. It doesn't matter if the artist has 100 monthly listeners or 100,000. Pre-saves improve first-week performance, and first-week performance affects how the algorithm treats the release going forward. Build it into your release checklist. Two to four weeks before release, the pre-save link should be live. Include it in every promo campaign you send through Promoly, share it on the artist's social channels, and add it to any press materials going out. This consistency means you never miss an opportunity. When an artist releases four singles a year, four pre-save campaigns compound into real algorithmic momentum.
Coordinating pre-saves across artist channels
As a manager, you often have access to (or influence over) the artist's social media, email list, and website. Use all of them. The Promoly smartlink goes to your promo contacts, but the same link should also appear in the artist's Instagram bio, their email newsletter, their website banner, and their stories. Coordinate the messaging. The artist posts personally ("I can't wait for you to hear this, pre-save it now"). You handle the professional outreach (promo campaigns to DJs, press, and curators). If the artist has a label, coordinate with them too. The label might be pushing the pre-save to their audience while you push it to yours. The more channels, the more pre-saves.
Reporting pre-save results and streaming impact
Pre-save numbers are a leading indicator of first-week performance. Track them and report them to your artists. After each campaign, note how many smartlink clicks your Promoly sends generated alongside the total pre-save count from the distributor. After release day, compare pre-saves to first-week streams. This ratio tells you how well your campaigns are converting. If 200 people pre-saved and the first-week streams are 2,000, each pre-save is roughly worth 10 streams. Use this data to set expectations and plan future campaigns. Over several releases, you'll develop benchmarks specific to each artist on your roster.
Pre-Save Campaigns checklist for managers
Add pre-saves to your release checklist
Every release gets a pre-save campaign. Make it non-negotiable.
Get smartlink URLs from the distributor early
Request pre-save links as soon as distribution is confirmed.
Build a Promoly smartlink
Include Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, and other relevant platforms.
Include in every promo campaign
Add the smartlink to your Promoly sends alongside the audio player.
Coordinate with the artist's social channels
Get the pre-save link in their Instagram bio, stories, and posts.
Coordinate with the label
Make sure the label is pushing the pre-save to their audience too.
Send a reminder to engaged contacts
Follow up with people who opened your first send but didn't click the pre-save link.
Track pre-save clicks per campaign
Promoly shows smartlink click data. Log this for your reports.
Compare pre-saves to first-week streams
Build benchmarks per artist to set realistic expectations for future releases.
Quick tips
Treat every release equally
Don't skip pre-save campaigns for "smaller" releases. A B-side or loosie still benefits from algorithmic momentum.
Create a pre-save template
Write a reusable campaign template you can customise for each artist. It saves time when you're managing multiple releases.
Track pre-save to stream ratios
This metric helps you predict first-week performance for future releases and set realistic targets.
Frequently asked questions
Should the manager or the artist run pre-save campaigns?
Ideally both. You handle the professional outreach (promo contacts, press, curators). The artist handles the fan-facing push (social media, newsletters, personal asks).
When should pre-save links be ready?
Most distributors generate pre-save links two to four weeks before release. Push to get them as early as possible so you can include them in your first promo send.
How many pre-saves count as a success?
It depends on the artist's size. For emerging artists, 50 to 200 pre-saves is a solid start. For established artists, aim higher. Track your numbers over releases to set your own benchmarks.
Do pre-saves from industry contacts matter as much as fan pre-saves?
Yes. The streaming platform doesn't distinguish between a fan pre-save and a DJ pre-save. Every pre-save sends the same signal.
Build pre-save momentum for every artist on your roster
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