Regardless of whether you've recently started creating music or are an accomplished touring musician, having an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is a must if you're looking to take your career to the next level. From gigging to getting featured on a news website, spending the time and resources to start your EPK is essential.
But what exactly is an EPK?
An Electronic Press Kit (EPK) is a digital package (usually held on one website page) of promotional elements that artists, bands, and musicians use to market themselves to gatekeepers such as booking agents, venues, curators and other industry professionals. It serves as a 'crash course' for anyone interested in learning about the artist and their work on a deeper level, providing all the essential information and media in an organised and easily accessible format.
Where should you create an EPK?
Ideally, you would want to create an EPK directly on your website, if you have one. This allows musicians to have total control over the way the EPK is presented and stored. It also allows for password access to the EPK which is crucial as it includes content such as high-resolution downloads of your music which shouldn't be leaked.
Websites such as:
Wix
WordPress
Squarespace
are ideal and allow you to create your own website. It is likely not free but Wix, for example, allows you to create a free version of your website.
Other platforms such as:
Canva
ReverbNation
Bandzoogle
Sonicbirds
Adobe Express
Cloud Storage (WeTransfer, Google Drive, etc...)
allows you to host your EPK on an already-made website, free or paid, which makes it easier to start but might be hard to customize as desired.
What to include in your EPK?
Artist bio - in third person, including information such as: music genre, artist inspirations, country/city, date created, what makes you unique and recognizable, achievements, etc...
Your music - include your streaming platform links and high-resolution downloadable music
Linked and embedded videos - music videos, performance videos, visualizers, etc...
Pictures/Logos - any artist pictures and performance pictures, easily downloadable and in high-resolution
Contact information - email, phone, name and contact information of managers (if relevant), name of band members, where are you based, etc...
Social media links - such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook and more...
Statistics - number of streams, views, followers, live shows, etc...
Past and upcoming live shows - date, city, venue and/or event name...
Tech rider - include a downloadable document which includes what you need when performing live (amps, mics, inputs, etc), stage plan, and any diet/hotel/travel requirements
Press coverage - any features in articles, blogs, TV, radio, etc... with links and pictures
Make sure to keep the information up-to-date and regularly update elements such as pictures, new music, links bio and statistics, especially after a significant accomplishment. Making your EPK easy to access and visually appealing while making it informative is also very important. Keep it simple and only include your best tracks, pictures and achievements.
Conclusion
In short, an EPK is your VIP pass to bigger things in your music career, no matter where you are right now. It’s your way to show off your talent and grab the attention of the right people. Put together a great EPK, keep it fresh, and get networking!
By the REAL Editorial Team | Aug 20th, 2024
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