Independent artist’s guide to electronic press kits

Here, we break down what an electronic press kit (or EPK) is, why it’s essential that an artist have one, and how to go about putting one together.

By Melanie Kealey of CDBaby’s DIY Musician Blog

Making your own music is a true labor of love. You can pour your heart and soul into crafting the melodies and getting the words just right. Having your songs come to life is an unforgettable experience.

You might create music for the love of it, but most artists also want fans to hear their music. Whether you’re taking on the role of publicist and promoter for your new album, or you’re looking to book a tour for your band, an electronic press kit (EPK) is a must-have for any musician — and especially an indie musician — trying to grow their career.

What is an EPK for musicians?

An electronic press kit is an essential tool for musicians. EPKs communicate all of the important information that festivals, industry and media need to cover your music. It typically contains media assets that summarize your career to date. This includes an artist bio, promotional photos, music, video, press quotes and more.

Why does a musician need an EPK?

Excellent music will set you apart from the crowd. But your EPK will help you take that music out into the world in an organized and professional manner.

If you’re planning press outreach for a new album or single, you’ll want an up-to-date EPK in hand. When you or someone on your team sends a pitch email to a press outlet, everything necessary to promote your music is contained on the page.

An EPK is also handy when you contact venues, booking agents or talent buyers. It’s a quick and concise introduction to your music, and will show that you’re not only well-prepared, but also a good match for a specific venue.

How to make an EPK for your music

The best thing to do is make a music website and host your EPK there. This means you’ll have a simple URL to share if someone asks for your bio, wants to share a video, or needs to listen to your latest release. You can also use these assets to create a downloadable folder that lives on a file sharing service, such as Dropbox or Google Drive, and link or share that URL.

Now that you know why you need an EPK, what should you include in your band’s digital press kit?

What do I need for my EPK?

1. Your artist bio

Your band bio is the perfect way to make a first impression in your EPK. Include a long and short bio, since different press outlets and promoters might have different needs and word counts. 

To help you craft this bio, imagine it being used to introduce you out loud at a showcase, or on a podcast. It might also appear on a venue website, in a music review or a brochure.

Kick off your musician bio with a recent press quote, mention your music and then add a recent notable show or career highlight to round it out. Make sure you write it the way you want it to be received; this is your chance to create a compelling narrative that illustrates who you are as a musician.

2. Photos for promotion

Add a few high-resolution images to your press kit. These artist photos should be tailored to whatever your goal is. If you are trying to book shows, use good quality live shots. If you are promoting upcoming music, include some posed promo shots as well as your album cover or single artwork.

Make sure to include a variety of sizes that will work across all avenues. You’ll need horizontal, vertical, and easily cropped to square images.

3. Music

Whether you’re creating an online résumé for your career, or actively promoting an upcoming release, you’ll want to carefully consider the music that you add to your EPK.

Add your new single or songs from your recent album, if your goal is to garner press for this release. If you’re making a press kit to book shows, choose a mix of your best-known and well-received songs, and make them easy to stream in a music player right on your page.

The key to adding music to your EPK is that the titles are clear, and the songs are easy to listen to. Don’t add too many tracks; make sure you curate your song choices on your EPK carefully, without inundating your target audience with too much music at once.

Don’t want to have a free copy of your latest single floating around just yet? This is a case where password-protecting your EPK can come in handy. Otherwise, creating an EPK as a public facing page is a good way to be sure any promoter or talent buyer can access it quickly.

4. Album information

If you’re promoting an upcoming album or a latest release, make it easy for a manager, blogger, or radio station to grab details (in text) from your EPK.

Add information about your music that’s easy to copy and paste. You can include album credits or liner notes mentioning the songwriters and production team, and place lyrics into your music player for easy access.

Update this information as your promotion evolves as well. If your song was playlisted and had success on streaming platforms, for example, add that info to help with future promotion.

5. Video

It’s common for a festival or venue to share a recent video once they’ve booked a band to help with selling tickets. By adding a video to your press kit, you’re enhancing your brand by suggesting a video that best represents you and your music.

Choose a video that reflects your current goal for your EPK. A live video is perfect if you’re booking shows, or showcasing your performances to date. If you’ve got a video that accompanies your new single, put that on your EPK to help with album promotion.

6. Press

There’s no better way to add authenticity to your music than press quotes or music reviews. Update these as your career progresses to be sure that anyone accessing your EPK sees recent reviews that talk about the music you are making now. These reviews will help give a sense that your music has momentum, especially if you’re promoting a release.

Add quotes from venue owners, music reviews and more. To be sure your EPK looks concise and remains easy to scan. Use one sentence and then link out to a full review. As you get new press, swap in the most relevant quotes.

7. Social and streaming links

Your social and streaming links will paint a fuller picture of your artist brand and your music.

If a press outlet is developing a story about your new album, a view into your online presence across all channels will help them understand you better. A venue or booking agent, for example, may be interested to see if you regularly promote shows and get good engagement.

Add the links only to platforms where you’re active, and show that you built up your social media presence in a professional way.

8. Downloadable files for more information

To be sure your EPK is concise and easy to scan, consider adding additional files for download. This could include versions of your bio in PDF format, tracks in MP3 or WAV format, links to download extra promotional images, or a stage plot.

You could also create a downloadable version of your press kit, and add that as a file on your EPK for additional reference.

9. Contact information

Finally, to be sure that you’re easily reachable for further inquiries or follow-up details, add contact information to your EPK. This might just be your email address, and it might also include your manager, your publicist or anyone else who’s working with you.

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A digital press kit should contain everything about you on one page, and be easy to scan. If someone is interested in your music, they won’t want to search across all of your social media channels to find out what they need.

Make it easy for people to hear your music and book your band by putting all of your media assets in one place. Update your EPK regularly, using it as a valuable tool in marketing your music. About the Author

Melanie Kealey is the Communications Manager at music website platform Bandzoogle. In addition to overseeing the Bandzoogle blog, she regularly writes posts with helpful website tips for musicians. Melanie also coordinates external communications including email marketing and social media. She lives in Ottawa with her two young sons and husband, musician Tyler Kealey.