How do I choose the right channels and creative per objective (streams, saves, followers, sign-ups)?

Awareness → short-form video · Engagement → playlist / retarget ads · Ownership → email / SMS opt-ins · Revenue → merch bundles.
Color-code results (green = scale, yellow = tweak, red = pause) and budget only where KPIs stay green.

1 │ Channel & Creative Matrix (Q3 2025 targets)

Primary Objective: Streams (first listen)
Best Organic Channels: TikTok · IG Reels · YouTube Shorts
Paid Channel Boost: TikTok In-Feed · Meta Reels ads
Winning Creative Style (9:16, captions on): 6-12 s hook-first clip + CTA “Listen Full”
Key KPI (Green): Cost-per-Stream ≤ $0.03
Budget Thumb-Rule: $5-10 / day until on target, then +50 %

Primary Objective: Saves (algorithm fuel)
Best Organic Channels: Fan playlist swaps · Discord “Save Squad”
Paid Channel Boost: Spotify Marquee · Showcase
Winning Creative Style (9:16, captions on): 15 s clip + deep link “Save on Spotify”
Key KPI (Green): Cost-per-Save ≤ $0.15
Budget Thumb-Rule: Pause any ad > $0.25 CPS after 48 h

Primary Objective: Followers (reach)
Best Organic Channels: TikTok/IG Lives · BTS Shorts
Paid Channel Boost: Meta Conversion → profile · Snap Spotlights
Winning Creative Style (9:16, captions on): Next-drop teaser + lower-third “Follow to hear first”
Key KPI (Green): Cost-per-Follower ≤ $0.20
Budget Thumb-Rule: Duplicate winner into new audiences

Primary Objective: Email / SMS Sign-ups
Best Organic Channels: Link-in-bio · Bandcamp Friday giveaway
Paid Channel Boost: TikTok Spark Lead · Meta Lead Form
Winning Creative Style (9:16, captions on): Gated download / contest carousel
Key KPI (Green): Cost-per-Lead ≤ $1.00
Budget Thumb-Rule: Kill ads > $1.50 CPL in 3 days

Primary Objective: Revenue (merch / tickets)
Best Organic Channels: Spotify Merch shelf · YouTube end-card
Paid Channel Boost: IG / FB Reels → Shopify PDP
Winning Creative Style (9:16, captions on): UGC demo + urgency “72 h left”
Key KPI (Green): ROAS ≥ 1.20
Budget Thumb-Rule: Double spend after 20 profitable sales

2 │ Creative Blueprints

• Streams: punchy visual in ≤ 2 s, chorus hit, overlay “Tap to hear full”, deep Spotify URI.
• Saves: Reel showing Canvas screenshot, overlay “Hit ❤️ so it lives in your library”, retarget viewers ≥ 50 %.
• Followers: 3-part cliff-hanger series; profile banner promises new track every 3 weeks.
• Sign-ups: free MIDI / sample pack gated via Linkfire or Mailchimp form.
• Merch / Tickets: UGC unboxing or show recap with coupon code; dynamic remarketing catalog.

3 │ Funnel-First Budget Split

Funnel Stage: Awareness / Streams
% Spend: 40 %
Rationale: Lowest CPM; fills retarget pools

Funnel Stage: Engagement / Saves
% Spend: 25 %
Rationale: Conversions that boost algorithms

Funnel Stage: Ownership / Leads
% Spend: 20 %
Rationale: Highest lifetime value

Funnel Stage: Revenue / Merch
% Spend: 15 %
Rationale: Profits finance next release

Re-balance weekly—shift 10-20 % toward any stage beating its KPI, pull from under-performers.

4 │ KPI Traffic-Light Targets

TikTok → Streams — Green (Scale): CPS ≤ $0.03 — Yellow (Tweak): $0.04-0.06 — Red (Cut): > $0.06
TikTok → Saves — Green (Scale): CPS ≤ $0.15 — Yellow (Tweak): $0.16-0.25 — Red (Cut): > $0.25
Meta Lead Form → Emails — Green (Scale): CPL ≤ $1.00 — Yellow (Tweak): $1.01-1.50 — Red (Cut): > $1.50
Meta Reels → Merch — Green (Scale): ROAS ≥ 1.20 — Yellow (Tweak): 0.90-1.19 — Red (Cut): < 0.90

5 │ Common Mistakes & Quick Fixes

Mistake: Same creative for saves and streams — Fix: Re-edit with explicit “❤️ Save” CTA.
Mistake: Only smart-link (no deep URI) — Fix: Use direct Spotify URI for save pushes.
Mistake: Paid ads before organic proof — Fix: Post 3-5 organic clips; boost the best.
Mistake: Ignoring geo CPM vs. merch margin — Fix: Run merch ads only in top-margin countries.

6 │ Case Study — “Neon Horizon” Channel Mix

Stage & Goal: Streams — Paid Channel / Creative: TikTok In-Feed 9 s hook — 7-Day Spend: $120 — KPI Target: ≤ $0.03 CPS — Result: $0.028 CPS · 4 800 streams
Stage & Goal: Saves — Paid Channel / Creative: Spotify Marquee — 7-Day Spend: $160 — KPI Target: ≤ $0.15 CPS — Result: $0.12 CPS · Save-Rate 11 %
Stage & Goal: Leads — Paid Channel / Creative: Meta Lead Form (carousel) — 7-Day Spend: $80 — KPI Target: ≤ $1.00 CPL — Result: $0.82 CPL
Stage & Goal: Revenue — Paid Channel / Creative: IG Reels → Shopify PDP — 7-Day Spend: $140 — KPI Target: ROAS ≥ 1.20 — Result: ROAS 1.46

$500 total spend yielded: 9 400 saves · 87 k streams · $204 merch profit—funding the next recording session.

7 │ Implementation Timeline (example)

Day T-28 — Action: Post 3 organic hooks on TikTok/Reels; pick the winner.
Day T-21 — Action: Launch TikTok In-Feed awareness campaign $10/day.
Day T-14 — Action: Start Discord “Save Squad”; prep Marquee draft.
Day Launch — Action: Marquee live · Meta retarget on Linkfire visitors.
Day +3 d — Action: Launch Lead-Form to video viewers.
Day +10 d — Action: Reels ad for 72-hour merch drop.

8 │ KPI Dashboard Template

Columns: Date; Channel; Spend $; Streams; Saves; CPS / CPL; Followers; Merch $; ROAS; Light

Conditional formatting: green ≤ target, yellow = 10-25 % over, red > 25 %.

4-Step Channel-Selection Recap

Name the objective (stream, save, follow, lead, revenue).

Pick channels whose user intent matches that objective.

Design creative with one CTA + UTM/pixel-tracked link.

Judge by the KPI—scale green, tweak yellow, cut red.

Follow this structure—one objective per asset, one KPI per spend—and your channel-creative mix stays laser-focused and profitable every time.