Water & Music’s Post

I am extremely excited to announce the launch of the private beta for Malt, a next-gen all-in-one platform for independent musicians that empowers them to take control of their music careers and connect directly with their fans. Many of my LinkedIn connections may not know this, but I've been playing music for about 21 years now. After co-founding Subject and having the privilege of working at Curious Cardinals, I really wanted to start something that married two of my greatest passions: music and technology. Throughout high school and into early college, I would constantly be playing in bands, and some of them (I felt!) had a real chance of making it. Despite that, I decided to become a software engineer. A little while back, I wondered why I didn't consider a career in music seriously, and I realized it's in part due to my upbringing - a Latino born in Cuba from a working-class family who didn’t see a music career as financially viable. I spent a lot of time thinking about what could have been and educating myself on the music industry and the various revenue sources that might have supported a reasonable living. I realized that it is possible to make a living and even thrive as a full-time musician, even if it may not be the traditional Grammy-winning star route. But it requires a decent amount of knowledge, a lot of grit and hustle, and a willingness to put yourself out there. And thus, Malt was born with a simple mission: to educate and make being a musician a sustainable career. Therefore, Malt launches with that in mind as a link-in-bio service with a focus on the music and powerful data and marketing analytics - a dedicated platform for musicians. Now I know what you might be thinking, "link-in-bio services are a dime a dozen." What makes Malt different? Malt is taking things in a different direction by creating something that truly serves artists' needs: • 5-Minute Setup: Create a beautiful home for your music that feels authentically you • Direct Music Playback: Skip the DSP and let fans experience your music right where they discover you • Powerful Real-time Analytics: Understand your audience deeply - from where they are to how they connect with your music • Complete Commerce Solution: Share your music, merch, and more directly with your fans • Specialized Pages: Craft dedicated spaces for your releases, pre-saves, and tour dates that tell your story Every artist deserves the tools to build a sustainable career doing what they love. I can't wait to show you all Malt as it gets closer to the public launch! If you're a musician who resonates with the above, I'd love for you to be part of our private beta. I'm personally reviewing each application to ensure we can provide the best possible experience and support during this early stage. You can sign up for early access at https://www.malt.bio/ or just shoot me a DM - I'd love to hear your story and learn about your music! 🎸🚀

Hey Canadian Artists! Spotify has launched Showcase in Canada. The new feature will let artists promote their new *and* catalogue releases anytime at the top of Spotify Home. Remember - catalogue is a massive part of your career and you should always be planning to promote your catalogue releases as you hit milestones and anniversaries. #Music #IndieMusic #IndieArtist #MusicBusiness #MusicIndustry #MusicMarketing #Marketing #Spotify

Here's my hot-take on Meta's Advantage+ Campaigns: For years, digital marketers have relied on manual targeting, but as Meta’s algorithm evolves, ... interest-based, lookalike, and even retargeting strategies are becoming obsolete (especially for brands looking to scale). But this shift isn’t a setback. It’s an opportunity. The most successful brands aren’t clinging to outdated tactics; they’re embracing broad targeting and AI-powered campaigns like Advantage+, ...but always with strategic oversight. AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not a strategist. Meta can efficiently find the right people, but successful campaigns aren’t just about targeting; they require deep strategy, funnel optimisation, and high-quality creatives tailored to a broad audience, at scale. The brands winning today focus less on hyper-specific targeting and more on scalable, compelling content. AI has certainly changed the role of paid ads managers, but automation alone isn’t enough. It doesn’t understand brand goals, customer lifetime value, long-term profitability, margins, customer journey experience... the list goes on. The takeaway? AI is an enabler, not a replacement. The best brands will use it strategically — balancing automation with human insight, incredibly strong creative (and a lot of it), and a well-structured funnel to drive sustainable, profitable growth through ads. My podcast about Meta's Advantage+ Campaigns is out now, you can listen here: https://lnkd.in/e-imQbw8

📈 Analytics and Improvement: Driving Smarter Content Decisions Serialized content has become a cornerstone for building loyal audiences and driving engagement. But how can brands and companies ensure their content evolves to resonate better over time? The answer lies in tracking performance and leveraging analytics. By examining metrics such as viewer retention, engagement rates, and demographic breakdowns, companies can identify what’s truly working and what’s falling short. Are certain themes consistently outperforming others? Do cliffhangers boost the likelihood of binge-watching? Tracking serialized content performance reveals these patterns, turning data into a roadmap for future success. Actionable insights from analytics can inspire improvements in storytelling, pacing, and audience targeting. For example, brands may discover that specific release schedules maximize viewer engagement or that audiences respond better to serialized arcs with emotional depth. The result? Smarter investments in content that audiences love, driving both loyalty and revenue. Analytics isn't just about looking back; it’s about building forward. The stories we tell today should inspire the strategies of tomorrow, ensuring every episode or installment is more impactful than the last. Listen to audio soap operas, Kingsport and Affairs of the Heart, on your favorite services & get in touch about crafting a series for you: Linktree: https://lnkd.in/e-tC3J-r #ContentStrategy #DataDrivenDecisions #AudienceEngagement #SerializedContent

Discover how Spotify's powerful tools can help you grow your fanbase! From Audience Segments to Listener Conversion Metrics, learn to find and engage your target audience. https://bit.ly/3yKHTbs #spotifyforartists

How Media Brands Can Use Music Industry Data to Improve Email Marketing Email marketing remains a powerful tool for media brands, but standing out in an overcrowded inbox is more difficult than ever. Consumers are bombarded with spam and promotional emails daily, making engagement rates decline. However, media brands can dramatically improve their email open rates and engagement by leveraging music industry data to create compelling, personalized, and timely content. By integrating real-time music trends, listener data, and audience segmentation, media companies can craft emails that feel relevant, valuable, and engaging. Here’s how: Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/gzscwMUE

Great read on Live Nation's Fan DNA segmentation strategy in MarketingWeek! Understanding your audience is key to any successful marketing campaign, and Live Nation's approach of segmenting fans based on their behaviors and preferences is a great example. The six segments they've identified (The Enthusiasts, The Social Butterflies, The Connoisseurs, etc.) provide a clear roadmap for targeted messaging and engagement. Personalising experiences for different fan segments can lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, and a data-driven approach to audience segmentation allows for more effective marketing campaigns. 🚀 Safe to say I'm a huge fan of their strategy here! 🤩

Optimize fan engagement with comprehensive metrics from our Artist Stats. Elevate your audience interaction! #SocialEngagement #MusicMarketing

Discover how Spotify's powerful tools can help you grow your fanbase! From Audience Segments to Listener Conversion Metrics, learn to find and engage your target audience. https://bit.ly/3yKHTbs #spotifyforartists

Discover how Spotify's powerful tools can help you grow your fanbase! From Audience Segments to Listener Conversion Metrics, learn to find and engage your target audience. https://bit.ly/3yKHTbs #spotifyforartists