Why Pre-Promotion is Dead

Music Makin Cents Podcast

Are you still wasting time on pre-promotion? It’s time to stop chasing outdated strategies that simply don’t work anymore. In today’s on-demand society, fans want your music now, not weeks or months from today. Harkos dives deep into why pre-promotion is dead, how it’s killing your chances of success, and what you should be doing instead. Forget pre-save links and long buildup campaigns; they’re leaving your music lost in the noise of 150,000 daily song uploads. Harkos breaks down the exact post-release strategies you need to turn strangers into Superfans and finally build a brand that makes dollars, not just cents.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

-Why pre-promotion is a dead-end in today’s hyper on-demand world.

-The fan journey: how to move listeners from strangers to superfans.

-How to stop wasting time on Spotify and focus on platforms that actually pay.

- Why content creators won’t use your music if it’s not available immediately.

- The real strategy behind post-release promotion and how to build a marketing plan that works.

Don’t forget to join Harkos on Takeover Tuesday for live, actionable marketing advice to help you dominate your next release. Get off the hamster wheel of broken tactics and start growing your music business for real! Join Takeover Tuesday: apexmusicsystem.com

Resources:

Connect with Harkos:

Website: www.musicmakincentspod.com

Submit your music for WTF Wednesday music reviews at www.musicmakincentspod.com

Want a REAL interview? Send me an email at [e-mail] to get one set up. Stipulations apply.

If you want a "Hands-free" marketing system, work with me at www.apexmusicsystem.com

Join Takeover Tuesday: apexmusicsystem.com

Key Moments:

00:00 – Why is pre-promotion dead?

02:21 – What is hyper on-demand society and how does it affect music marketing?

07:07 – Why are pre-save links killing your fanbase growth?

09:29 – What is the fan journey from stranger to superfan?

11:11 – How to fix your paid promotion strategy and stop wasting money.

13:22 – Are you targeting the wrong audience with your ads?

18:01 – Why you’re losing superfans with weak content.

21:48 – How do streaming platforms promote music, and why aren’t you on top?

26:05 – Why you need a post-release promotional strategy.

28:09 – How user-generated content can boost your streams.

32:17 – What’s the real difference between you and a superstar artist?

34:24 – How ego is blocking your success in music marketing.

37:20 – What should you focus on for post-release promotion?

40:30 – Why consistency is key to staying relevant in the music industry.

45:18 – What is Takeover Tuesday and how can it help you?

50:09 – Why $50 a month on marketing strategy will change your career.