Underground Music Marketing

I am a musician, and I have run successful ad campaigns for my own music on Snapchat, driving Spotify streams, and gaining new fans. I started Underground Music Marketing on May 3rd, 2023 to help other musicians find new fans through Snapchat Ads.

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My Mission

Help Independent Musicians Gain New Fans

I've spent over $3,600 on Snapchat Ads for my own music, with varying levels of success. Obviously, I can't guarantee results, and from an ROI standpoint, it's highly unlikely that the ads will result in a profit. However, you will gain some fans as a result.

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What To Expect

Snapchat Ads will drive some results, but they won't make you a full-time musician by themselves. If your goal is more Spotify streams, it's one of the most effective advertising platforms for doing so, though if you're already great at Facebook Ads, stick with that instead. My single best day, I got 115 streams for $5, before something changed in the way that Spotify and Snapchat interacted, and I had to switch from traffic ads that went directly to Spotify, to conversion ads that require a landing page. Since then, my best day was somewhere around 20 streams for $5. My average ad generates 1-2 streams per dollar, and my best ads average 2-3 streams per dollar. Obviously, these aren't huge numbers, and with Spotify paying out less than a penny per stream on average, you're not going to make it profitable in the short term. My best countries to target are Ireland and the UK, as advertising in the US and Canada has a higher average cost per conversion.

Because I create a landing page, I can add several things to that landing page, such as a link to a show via a BandsInTown or Songkick widget, or just text/image info about the show. If you have merch for sale, I can add the merch link. There are limitations to what I can place on the landing page, as Snapchat doesn't allow advertising to other social media platforms, so my apologies, but I cannot place links to your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok. However, I can put a link to a YouTube music video.

I can geo-target as broadly as the entire world that Snapchat Ads serve, or as narrowly as an exact city within the United States. By default, I'll run the ads to the US and Canada in one campaign at $5 or more per day, and one will run to the UK and Ireland as they have yielded my best results. If you'd like to target a different geographic area, please let me know. My best results have also come from targeting 18-49 year olds, but you can target as low as 13, and as high as you want (though it doesn't get specific above the age of 49, it just targets 50+ as the maximum).

Ad campaigns work best on new releases, as you can get a Release Radar boost during the first 30 days of a new release. For one of my songs, I had 32 Release Radar streams in the first 28 days. On day 29, it received 19 streams from Release Radar in a single day, and on day 30, it received 53 streams from Release Radar in a single day. Had I received that Release Radar boost a week earlier, I'm confident it would have generated exponentially higher streams, and possibly would have resulted in hitting Discover Weekly. All of the songs I've run ads for have had an increase in streams from "radio," the algorithmically generated Spotify playlist.

In combination with pitching to playlists on Groover, I have pushed several of my songs into streams in the thousands on the platform, and have gained new fans. On Groover, I have organized playlist curators into categories so that now I have a core group of curators that almost always add my music. If you are unfamiliar with Groover, you pay $2 on average to pitch your music to a curator. You can easily do this yourself directly within the platform. I now average 10 streams per dollar spent there after pitching to hundreds of curators. If you would like me to pitch your music through Groover, I can add that service on as well. It'll be whatever level you want to spend, plus $10 for me to do the actual work of pitching to them, with any Snapchat Ad campaign.

$ 40

Starter Ad Package

The most basic package, which includes $20 worth of Snapchat Ads, plus setting up your ads in my Snapchat Ads account and reporting your results afterwards.

Details:

$20 worth of Snapchat Ads
Setup ads in my Snapchat Ads account
2-4 days at $5-$10 per day
Reporting with summary day after campaign ends
Send a full video ad that you create, or give me details on the video ad, and I'll create it for you.
I will create a landing page with links to Spotify and any other music services you would like (Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Bandcamp, Tidal, Pandora, etc.)
Optional, pitch to as many Spotify playlist curators on Groover as you'd like, for the actual cost of the campaign there, plus a $10 charge for me to do the actual work of pitching to the curators.

Email me to get started

$ 100

Bigger Test

The next step up, which includes $80 worth of Snapchat Ads, plus setting up your ads in my Snapchat Ads account and reporting your results afterwards.

Details:

$80 worth of Snapchat Ads
Setup ads in my Snapchat Ads account
2-16 days at $5-$40 per day
Reporting with summary day after campaign ends
Send a full video ad that you create, or give me details on the video ad, and I'll create it for you.
I will create a landing page with links to Spotify and any other music services you would like (Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Bandcamp, Tidal, Pandora, etc.)
Optional, pitch to as many Spotify playlist curators on Groover as you'd like, for the actual cost of the campaign there, plus a $10 charge for me to do the actual work of pitching to the curators.

Email Me To Get Started

$ 200

Deluxe

The most basic package, which includes $170 worth of Snapchat Ads, plus setting up your ads in my Snapchat Ads account and reporting your results afterwards.

Details:

$170 worth of Snapchat Ads
Setup ads in my Snapchat Ads account
$5-$20 per day
Reporting with summary day after campaign ends
Send a full video ad that you create, or give me details on the video ad, and I'll create it for you.
I will create a landing page with links to Spotify and any other music services you would like (Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Bandcamp, Tidal, Pandora, etc.)
Optional, pitch to as many Spotify playlist curators on Groover as you'd like, for the actual cost of the campaign there, plus a $10 charge for me to do the actual work of pitching to the curators.

Email Me To Get Started

YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I advertise explicit or inappropriate songs?

Snapchat ad policies have some restrictions, so the short answer is maybe, with age and location restrictions, and it also depends on how explicit the content gets. Here is their official policy:

Adult Content

All ads must respect the laws and cultural norms of the targeted location, even if they are more strict than the guidelines listed on this page.

Adult content includes depictions of, or references to:

Sexual organs
Other frequently-sexualized body parts (for example: butts, breasts, legs, bare abdomens)
Sexual activity

We restrict content that is sexually suggestive (i.e., intended to provoke sexual arousal, without being explicit). Suggestive content must be age-gated 18+ (or the age of majority in the targeted location). We do not permit sexually suggestive Sponsored Lenses. Restricted sexually suggestive content includes:

References to sexual anatomy human genitalia or non-specific sexual activity outside of a health, grooming or educational context.
Examples: a movie trailer with sexual innuendo, vibrator ads that do not use graphic language or imagery to describe their purposeallude to masturbation (without graphic language), condom ads that use non-specific phrases like “getting it on.”
Emphasis on frequently-sexualized body parts that are not relevant to the product or service.

We prohibit content that is sexually explicit. This includes:

Sexual solicitation of any kind.
Depictions or graphic descriptions of genitalia in any context, exposed nipples or bare buttocks, or partially-obscured nudity.
Examples: a person that is naked except for body paint or emojis.
Depictions of, or references to specific sex acts, in any context. This includes gestures that imitate a specific sex act, with or without props.
Dating ads that emphasize casual sexual encounters.
Sexual solicitation of any kind.
Adult entertainment
Examples: pornography, sexual live streams, strip clubs, burlesque.
Non-consensual sexual material.
Examples: tabloids that publish leaked, private, suggestive photos
Depictions of, or gratuitous references to sexual violence
Examples: graphic movie trailers that depict sexual assault, self-defense products that describe attempted sexual assault

Regulated Goods

Alcohol

Ads that promote or reference alcohol must not:

Target or be likely to appeal particularly to people under the legal drinking age in the territory where the ad will run.
Encourage or depict excessive or irresponsible consumption of alcohol.
Exploit an individual who is drunk or otherwise intoxicated.
Glamorize alcohol, or otherwise misrepresent the effects of consuming alcohol, or imply that alcohol is necessary for success or social advancement
Associate alcohol with operating a vehicle or other activities that require a certain degree of skill or physical coordination, or with any illegal behavior.

Mandatory warning labels, such as “please drink responsibly” or its local variation (if applicable) must be prominently displayed in the ad.

Snap does not permit targeting ads that promote or reference alcohol to the following countries:

Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lithuania, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

Ads for alcohol products must be age targeted to at least 18+, or the applicable minimum drinking age in the country to which you are advertising:

Canada: 19+.
Japan, Thailand: 20+.
United States: 21+.
Sweden: 25+.
India: either 18+, 21+, or 25+ depending on the States or Union Territories being targeted.

Drugs and Tobacco

We prohibit the depiction of illegal drug use or the recreational use of pharmaceuticals.

We allow some limited ads for cannabis, CBD and related products, where legal, with appropriate targeting.

We do not allow the depiction of smoking or vaping, except in the context of public health messaging or smoking cessation.

Weapons and Explosives

We prohibit ads for the sales of weapons and explosives and related accessories. This includes firearms, ammunition, fireworks, combat knives and pepper spray.

Entertainment

Ads for movies, videogames, and television shows must be age-targeted to the intended audience of the content they promote.

When illegal, regulated, dangerous, violent or otherwise harmful elements are presented in a fictional, newsworthy or documentary context, we will review based on appropriateness for the targeted audience, and whether the fictional nature is clear enough to the user.

Prohibited Content

Harassment

Ads should not promote harassment, bullying, or shaming. For example: fitness ads should not belittle anyone on the basis of body shape or size.

We prohibit profanity, obscenity and obscene gestures.

Violent or Disturbing

We prohibit the depiction of real-life graphic violence in creatives (e.g., top Snaps, Filters, Sponsored Lenses). Landing pages that depict real-life violent or disturbing imagery may do so only in a legitimate newsworthy or documentary context, only when the top Snap prepares the viewer in some way, and only if appropriately age-targeted.

For fictional violence in movie trailers, video games, etc., see the Entertainment section.

We prohibit the glorification of violence, including any glorification of self-harm, war, murder, abuse or animal abuse.

We prohibit disturbing content that may cause distress, such as graphic depictions of gore, physical afflictions, bodily fluids, and certain medical or cosmetic procedures.

We allow spooky and scary ads, but please avoid intense jump scares and audio of prolonged screaming or crying.

Deceptive Content

We are vigilant in our enforcement against fraudulent ads. Fraud includes a range of scams and deceptive marketing practices that abuse community trust or otherwise entice users to make purchases or engage in activities under misleading pretenses.

We prohibit:

Ads that are false or misleading, including deceptive claims, offers, functionality, or business practices.
Unauthorized or undisclosed sponsored content
Promotion of fraudulent goods or services, including counterfeit documents or certificates, or counterfeit products
Creating or sharing content that mimics the appearance or function of Snapchat features or formats
Ads that contain deceiving calls to action, or lead to landing pages unrelated to the brand or content being advertised.
Cloaking, otherwise restricting landing page access, or modifications to URL content following submission in an attempt to circumvent review.
Ads that encourage dishonest behavior. (e.g., ads for fake IDs, plagiarism, essay writing services).
Non-delivery of goods, or misrepresented shipping delays or inventory constraints
See also Industry Specifics: Financial products and services

Hate Speech, Hate Groups, Terrorism and Violent Extremism

The Snapchat community includes diverse users from all over the world. To foster a welcoming platform, we prohibit hateful, discriminatory, or extremist content that undermines our commitment to safety and inclusion.

Hate speech is content that demeans, defames, or promotes discrimination or violence on the basis of race, color, caste, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, immigration status, socio-economic status, age, weight or pregnancy status.

Avoid perpetuating stereotypes based on any of the categories listed above.

We strive to maintain an inclusive community for all Snapchatters. Avoid the inappropriate use of culturally-sensitive imagery.

Illegal Activity

We prohibit ads that facilitate or encourage illegal activity (conduct, products, or enterprises). For example, ads should not:

depict illegal drug use
promote the illegal wildlife trade, or products and services derived from endangered or threatened species (For Example: elephant ivory products, traditional medicine or supplements derived from tigers, rhinos, sharks, etc.)

Dangerous Activities

Ads should not encourage or enlist participation in dangerous or harmful activities. For example, ads should not encourage Snapping while driving.

How Do I Track The Results?

This is a multi-part answer. First, you can track your own analytics in Spotify For Artists, Apple Music For Artists, Bandcamp Analytics, etc depending on what you want to track on your own.

For the second part, I will send you a report with conversions from Snapchat's Ad system, as well as website analytics so you can see how many people clicked each link, and compare it to how many actual streams you received.

Can I promote a Spotify playlist?

Yes. Spotify finally has the ability to create a link for a song that plays within the context of a playlist. It will look like this:

Wonder in Great Indie Hip Hop
https://open.spotify.com/track/48OB5VM4UCNBAM0lW24BT9?context=spotify:playlist:6IgO69o67SHcktzPVptN5K&si=i3394mK0QaOVU8ooUIJQXA

Click the link, and my song "Wonder" will auto-play within the "Great Indie Hip-Hop" playlist. This simultaneously promotes the playlist and the song, and could give the algorithm clues as to which artists you should be associated with, or you can create a "best of" of "greatest hits" playlist with your best songs, generating a few streams for other songs on the playlist as well.

Do you have an example landing page?

Yes.

With Love We Find Hope Landing Page for the song "With Love We Find Hope"

Wonder Landing Page for the song "Wonder"

Will you run ads in my Snapchat Ads account?

I only run ads in my own Snapchat Ads account, in order to protect your Snapchat ads account from potential hackers, etc. I also already have pixels setup for my own account, which makes it easier for me to setup landing pages and track conversions, and it helps Snapchat Ads' algorithm.