This guest blog comes from Dave Cool of one of MI’s partners, Bandzoogle. Through this partnership, MI students get an extended 6-month free trial of their services (instead of 30 days,) plus 15% off lifetime on any subscription. Please reach out to Artist & Career services for more information!
What Is an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) and Why Does Every Musician Need It?
If you already have a website for your music, you may be wondering if it’s really worth it to go through the trouble of creating an electronic press kit (EPK) as well. It’s true that there’s going to be some overlap in content, but your website and EPK actually serve different purposes for different audiences. They should complement each other, but they should never act as a substitute for one another.
You can think of your EPK as a sort of résumé — a one-stop shop for anyone interested in working with you to get everything they need without having to click around, dig for it, or reach out and request it. It should contain specific information and assets for promoters, venue owners, journalists, bloggers, and other industry folks — stuff that you don’t necessarily want the general public to see or have access to. With a great EPK, you’ll put yourself in the strongest position possible to pitch your tracks, get press coverage, book gigs, and even attract a manager or label executive.
Depending on the situation, your EPK could very well be your first and only opportunity to make an impression. That’s why it’s worth putting in the time up front to craft something that represents you in the best light possible, and that you’ll be proud to share. A quality, up-to-date EPK will help you stand out as a professional musician who takes their work seriously.
EPK Essentials
So, at this point you may be wondering: What exactly do you need to include in your EPK?
The finer details will vary depending on where you’re sending it, but here’s your checklist of absolute must-haves:
- A compelling artist bio (having both a long and short version ready to go is a great idea)
- A curated selection of your best music (make sure every track can be streamed with the click of a button)
- Hi-res press photos (provide landscape, portrait, and square options)
- One or two high-quality videos (opt for your best music video and/or live performance)
- A few of your most impressive accomplishments to date (success on streaming platforms, a festival slot, a quote from a review, an award, a sold-out show or tour — whatever you’ve got)
- Your social media pages (wherever you’re most active and have the most engagement)
- Your contact information (if you have a manager, publicist, or booking agent, be sure to list their info)
Check out this article for more details on what exactly should go in your press kit.
How to Build a Stunning EPK
Once you’ve compiled all of your assets, it’s time to focus on layout and design. You want your EPK to tell a clear and concise story about who you are as an artist or band — and the design will contribute to that just as much as each individual piece of content.
Try to give the whole page a cohesive look, with a clean font and a decent amount of space between each element. Make sure you lay out the information and visuals in a way that’s easy to scan. Take a look at these EPK examples for design inspiration.
There are a few different platforms out there that will host your EPK for you, but keep in mind that you’ll be limited to whatever template they provide. For the most control over how you present yourself, we’d recommend building an EPK page right on your website.
Bandzoogle provides a number of beautiful EPK templates and custom tools to help you look as professional as possible. You can easily customize your theme design, colors, and fonts to your liking — and you don’t have to know any coding to do it.
Even if you’re just starting out as a musician, it’s always good to have an EPK link at the ready. You never know when an industry person might ask for it!
Dave Cool (yes, that’s his real name) is the VP of Business Development at Bandzoogle. Built for musicians by musicians, Bandzoogle makes it easy to build a beautiful website and EPK for your music. He’s also a recovering punk rock drummer, comedy nerd, and wine snob.