Spotify “pre-save” campaigns are increasing in popularity, especially among independent music creators who are looking to boost their presence on Spotify. When a fan clicks your pre-save link, they’re brought to a page that allows them to “pre-save” your upcoming track or album. The “pre-save” is the streaming equivalent of yesterday’s “pre-order” – it ensures your track is added to your fan’s Spotify library the moment that track is released. And release day stats matter! The more “saves” you get on release day, the more likely your track is to end up on one of Spotify’s algorithmic or editorial playlists.
Setting up a pre-save campaign is relatively easy if you have the right tools. Read on!
Tools for Setting up a Spotify Pre-Save Campaign
The tools you’ll use depends on which aggregator you’re using to distribute your music. DistroKid has a built-in pre-save tool available for you to use. If you’re using any other aggregator, such as CD Baby or EmuBands, you can use smartURL to set up your pre-save.
OPTION 1: HyperFollow
HyperFollow is a free service available to all DistroKid members. After you’ve scheduled your release for distribution, simply log into your DistroKid account and go here: www.distrokid.com/hyperfollow/ to find the link to the HyperFollow page for your upcoming release. Easy peasy!
OPTION 2: smartURL
If you’re not using DistroKid, fear not! You can still create a free Spotify pre-save page for your upcoming release using smartURL.
1. After you’re scheduled your release for distribution, contact your aggregator to request the Spotify URI for your release. The Spotify URI is different than a Spotify Link; it’s the unique code that Spotify uses to identify different tracks and albums on the platform. Your release’s Spotify URI will look something like this:
spotify:track:3Y0O6CiCqe3iPfWCNXSnkq or spotify:album:3sW6cFk8bYvfMIt1DxhWor
2. While you’re waiting for your Spotify URI, sign up for a free smartURL account. Make sure to verify your email address after you’ve created your account; you’ll need to do this in order to get access to smartURL’s pre-save tool.
3. Once you receive your Spotify URI from your aggregator, log in to your smartURL account and select the “PRE-SAVE” option:
4. Enter your Spotify URI in the box labelled “Spotify Product Id”, then fill out the rest of the form to set up your pre-save page. You’ll see a preview of your pre-save page as you scroll down the form; you can customize this page if you want to using the “Customize Presave Page” options. Feel free to ignore any of the advanced options like “Additional Spotify Products”, “Customize Shareable Content”, “Advanced Retargeting”, etc.
5. Click the “Save smartURL” button at the bottom of the page when you’re done. This will take you to a new page, where you’ll find the link to your new pre-save page.
Rolling out Your Pre-Save Campaign
Now that you have the link to your pre-save page, it’s time to share it! Post the link on all your socials and via your email list, if you have one. Be sure to put a link to your pre-save page any time you post anything related to your new single or album. You can also (temporarily) change your Twitter and Instagram bio to include the link to your pre-save rather than your website.
Pre-saves can be an important part of your overall release campaign plan. Read on to learn more about how to ensure your upcoming release reaches a wider audience!