How do I plan and scale campaigns (songs, music videos, live shows, remixes, limited budgets)?
TL;DR - Map the year, stack micro campaigns, prove ROI small, recycle assets, double down on the winners
Case Study - “Nova Vista” (indie-electro duo, €3,000 annual budget)
Single launch: spend €380, main KPI cost per save ≤ €0.20, result 1,900 saves at €0.20
DIY lyric video: spend €120, main KPI 10% YouTube CTR, result 11% CTR
Club showcase (home city): spend €410, main KPI margin ≥ 40%, result 60% profit including merch
Remix EP (3 collabs): spend €290, main KPI plus 30% Spotify followers, result plus 34%
Micro TikTok challenge: spend €150, main KPI 500 fan videos, result 640 fan videos
Playlist push (SubmitHub plus Groover plus one One Submit batch): spend €450, main KPI save to stream ≥ 10%, result 12.2%
Retarget ads (Meta): spend €250, main KPI cost per follower ≤ €0.25, result €0.21
Second live stream (Twitch): spend €0 with home setup, main KPI €200 tips, result €240 tips
12 month roll up: blended cost per save €0.18, email list plus 2,800, Twitch subs €1,400, net merch plus show profit €2,100.
1 - Build the macro roadmap
Q1: lead single; supporting content TikTok challenge and IG teaser ads; budget cap 25%
Q2: lyric or performance video; supporting content YouTube Shorts and behind the scenes Reels; budget cap 15%
Q3: remix EP; supporting content producer livestreams and sample pack drop; budget cap 20%
Q4: two city mini tour; supporting content live video clips and merch drop; budget cap 40%
Note: percent of annual spend, adjust if a sync fee or grant comes in.
2 - Sprint planning for each moment
Goal and KPI: pick one such as save to stream percent, ticket margin, or cost per subscriber
Audience segment: superfans, casual followers, or cold prospects
Channel mix: playlists, ads, shorts, email, live clips
Budget split: 70% proven tactics, 20% experiments, 10% buffer
Timeline: 1 week prep, 2 week launch, 3 week sustain
3 - Low budget scaling tactics
€0 to €100: fan playlist swaps, Discord AMAs, self shot Shorts; sweat equity that fosters core fans
€100 to €300: SubmitHub or Groover credits, boosted IG Reel, local blog outreach; fast feedback with low risk
€300 to €600: One Submit or DailyPlaylists Boost plus Meta retarget ads; hands off playlist adds with measurable ROAS
€600 plus: PlaylistPush or regional PR, two city showcase; high volume reach once KPIs prove out
4 - Recycle and compound assets
One TikTok hook becomes an IG Reel and a YouTube Short
Lyric video B roll becomes a Twitch backdrop and Story GIFs
Live show audio becomes remix stems and a Patreon perk
Press quote becomes a LinkedIn post and an email footer
5 - Measurement sheet, single source of truth
Example rows
Week 14, Groover batch, spend €60, 540 saves, KPI €0.11 per save, decision scale two times
Week 15, TikTok ads, spend €40, 130 saves, KPI €0.31 per save, decision pause
Week 16, mini tour merch, spend n a, €420 profit, decision repeat next city
Color code: green beats target, red pause, yellow watch.
6 - Common pitfalls
No KPI per sprint leads to money burn with no clarity
Chasing virality first; better to prove conversion on 5,000 people than reach 500,000 once
Forgetting to repurpose; fresh edits of old footage keep feeds alive
Overspending on unproven tracks; validate with small credits before big pushes
Neglecting backend rights; clear remix splits and show recordings before release
Key takeaways
Annual roadmap to six week sprints; each asset gets its own mini budget and KPI
Prove, then scale; small tests on credits or micro ads show if a channel deserves more cash
Track in one sheet; cost per save, cost per ticket, or margin decides the next spend
Recycle everything; one shoot fuels multiple platforms and revenue lanes
Allocate flex funds; 10% of every sprint stays unassigned for surprise opportunities or to boost a winning clip