Key takeaways
- Collect the artist credit, version, release date, UPC, ISRC and verified store URLs before announcing the release.
- Assign a release-day owner and test the public link on a phone, including the social app where it will be shared.
- Review page visits and store clicks separately from streams in the first week.
Before you announce
Put the release facts in one place: final artist credit, title, version, release date, territory plan, artwork, UPC and each track’s ISRC. Choose one person to maintain that record. Sending slightly different titles across artwork, distribution and marketing creates avoidable checking work later.
Ask the distributor when store destinations are expected and whether the release supports native pre-add or pre-save pages. Do not schedule a campaign around a feature you have not confirmed.
Build the destination before the campaign
Create the release page and decide which store should appear first. Check the exact recording behind each URL, including version, explicit status and region. Save the page URL in the release record so everyone uses the same address.
Choose a simple campaign naming convention. For example, use one campaign name for the release and a different source for Instagram, your mailing list and press outreach. Keep it consistent rather than inventing a new naming scheme for each post.
Run a rehearsal
Test the link from a phone, including inside the social app where it will be shared. Open it on a slower connection if you can. Check that the main button is easy to reach and that the page does not depend on a desktop layout.
For a scheduled release, check what is visible before release time and what should change afterwards. Agree who reviews missing stores. If several people are involved, write down a fallback: who can edit the page, where the source links live and how to reach them.
On release day
Open the public link, not just the editor preview. Confirm that listening buttons point to the released version. Check the stores most important to your audience first, then the rest. A missing store can be a delivery or territory issue; find the cause before changing your whole page.
Update your artist bio, scheduled posts and any reusable “latest release” link. Send reminders only to fans who asked for them. Capture a short note about anything unusual so it is easier to interpret the first day’s results.
Review the first week
Compare page visits, store clicks and campaign sources. Read those alongside your streaming-platform reports, without treating outbound clicks as completed streams. Record which posts and messages produced useful traffic, and one change to test on the next release.
Keep the release page maintained after the first week. Old posts, playlists, newsletters and QR codes can keep sending listeners long after the launch campaign ends. Unsleeve’s release-day workflow keeps the same URL through that transition.
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Sources & further reading
Provider documentation and Unsleeve’s own product information serve different purposes. Check current provider requirements before planning a release. Read our editorial approach or report a correction.
