Wavo Blog: This series shares information that’s most relevant to music marketers around the globe.

Context

Events are a vital aspect of the music industry, both in terms of revenue generation and fan engagement. From presale and announce to closeout, there are several key stages in the events life cycle and each stage demands a tailored marketing approach to achieve optimal results. In this blog, we'll discuss the best practices for each stage and focus on creative strategies that have proven successful for music marketing professionals.

Strategy

Presale/Announce

The presale/announce stage is all about building buzz and creating momentum for the upcoming event. The main goal here is to drive as much awareness as possible among core and prospective fans. Targeting past purchaser data (CSV's), core fans, lookalike audiences, related artists, and demographic/behavioral targeting is critical. The most effective creative strategy for this stage is artist content with a direct call-to-action, followed by live concert footage. These types of creative generate high engagement levels, which is key to spreading the message.

Ticket On Sale

The ticket on sale stage is all about driving ticket sales and filling up the venue(s). The main focus here is on efficiently driving high-intent traffic, targeting those who were engaged in the previous phase. The most common metrics for this stage are clicks and conversions. We recommend allocating approximately 40% of the total marketing budget to the on sale phase. As the on sale period progresses, the frequency of promotional activity can increase, but be mindful not to over-promote, which can lead to audience fatigue.

Maintenance

The maintenance stage is typically one month out from the event and aims to stay top-of-mind with fans, building anticipation. We recommend using 10-15% of the marketing budget for this stage. It's a good idea to use new creatives to reignite interest and generate excitement leading up to the event. The most common metrics for this stage are engagements and clicks. Social media platforms are an excellent channel for this stage, as they offer a cost-effective way to keep the conversation going.

Closeout

The closeout stage, which is 2-3 weeks before the event, is all about retargeting audiences that have engaged in previous phases. This is the time to use 40-50% of the total marketing budget. The most common metrics for this stage are clicks, LPVs (landing page views), and conversions. The preferred creative approach for this stage is videos between 15-30 seconds in length, featuring fan-created content and live show footage, as well as promotional videos highlighting the show at a particular venue. Leveraging retargeting campaigns, social media ads, and email marketing can help maximize engagement and drive ticket sales leading up to the event.

Key Takeaway

The event's life cycle requires a strategic and creative approach to achieve optimal results. By following these best practices for each stage, music marketing professionals can build buzz, fill up venues, and create an unforgettable experience for their artist’s audiences. It's essential to keep in mind that each stage is unique and requires a tailored approach, but by focusing on targeting the right audience and using engaging creatives, you can ensure success at every stage of the event's life cycle.

Written by Nicholas Morrison, Wavo Touring/ Live Events Team at Wavo

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