Spotify is briskly rolling out new tools to help musicians reach new listeners. These campaign products includeDiscovery Mode, Marquee, andShowcase. This article goes into the details and discusses what they mean for artists.
Discovery Mode
This feature gives musicians the ability to influence Spotify's recommendation system. If you have ever been presented new music after finishing a song, album, or playlist, then you have experienced Spotify's recommendation system. By utilizing Discovery Mode, you are signaling the algorithm to place your music in front of listeners who are most open to discovering new music. If listeners from Discovery Mode are engaging with your music, such as liking and adding to playlists, your music has a better chance of continued recommendations. Likewise, if a track fails to engage listeners, the recommendation system adjusts and de-prioritizes the music.
How much does it cost to promote music using Discovery Mode? It is free to use, however Spotify takes 30% of royalties on enrolled music. While Discovery Mode is in beta, artists may experience mixed results.
Marquee
Marquee is a completely different campaign tool. It is a full screen advertisement that appears when Spotify is launched, and it is specifically designed to re-target past listeners. Anyone who has intentionally streamed or followed you in the last two years is targetable. If your active audience is large enough, you can narrow the scope of your target to light listeners, moderate listeners, or super listeners. The point here is that you can promote a new release for a maximum of 10 days. The minimum budget for Marquee is $100.
Is Marquee worth the using? According to Spotify, listeners from Marquee are 2x more likely to save your track or add it to a playlist. There is also the added benefit that listeners may check out the rest of your library. Spotify claims that Marquee listeners are 3x times more likely to stream other releases in your catalog.
Showcase
The last campaign tool is Showcase. Showcase is different in that your promoted music gets its own section at the top of Spotify's home screen. Unlike Marquee, you can choose to promote any release from your catalog, and you can still target your previously active audiences. The cost of Showcase also starts at $100 and is charged on a CPC (cost per click) basis. That means that each click on your Showcase cots you $0.40. $100 divided by $0.40 is 250 clicks.
Should you spend money on Showcase? For $100, you are guaranteed 250 clicks on your Showcase, however that does not guarantee plays on your music. Showcase may make sense to use if your music is already doing well organically. For example, if your music is experiencing a viral moment, Showcase may be beneficial in providing additional exposure.
Closing Thoughts
Spotify has released tools to help artists reach their goals. Discovery Mode, Marquee, and Showcase are the latest campaign products available. As of writing this article, Discovery Mode is still in beta and results may vary.
While outcomes are not guaranteed, setting SMART goals and being strategic about audience targeting is crucial to your long term marketing success.
