Facebook Killed the Radio Star

Challenges:

• Digital democratization of the music industry leading to increased competition
• The modern streaming economy makes it harder for independent artists to gain exposure
• Limited budgets for marketing and promotion

Approach:

• Analyzed case studies of viral artists such as Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish
• Explored the potential for music discovery on Facebook and its ad platform
• Developed the "Free Trial Method" and "Free Sample Method" to maximize exposure on a limited budget
• Implemented a targeting strategy using interest-based audience targeting and lookalike audience targeting
• Created authentic and attention-grabbing content that embraced simplicity and bold first impressions
• Tested various headlines and ad placements to optimize campaign performance

Results:

• Proved that for as little as $5 a day, an independent artist can use targeted advertising to connect with audiences authentically and without compromising artistic integrity
• Successfully introduced Apollo Bravo to audiences most likely to enjoy their content through genre-affinity audience targeting, 75% view viewer retargeting, and lookalike audience development

This thesis demonstrates that independent artists can leverage targeted advertising and machine learning to create effective growth marketing strategies. By embracing authenticity, simplicity, and bold first impressions in content creation, artists can optimize their campaigns and connect with their target audiences on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.