In this piece, Zach Smith discusses how he was able build and promote a Spotify playlist by reaching out across different networks to various individuals and fan groups.
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Guest Post by Zach Smith on William Paterson University’s Music Biz 101
What is the Ultimate Guitar Riff? Over the past few months, I have been promoting a Spotify playlist that I created which compiles what I believe to be the Ultimate Guitar Riffs. My idea of Ultimate doesn’t necessarily mean the most impressive or difficult riffs, but mostly how iconic and influential the guitar riffs are. The simple ones are the ones you remember and can hum along to.
My goal was to really build up a community with this playlist and get some conversations started. I am truly curious what people think is the Ultimate Guitar Riff. I wanted to see what people thought about the songs I chose to include on the list, and what they either agree with or disagree with. The playlist is also collaborative, so anyone who follows it can add whatever they want. The playlist can be found at the bottom of this page.
How I Optimized My Spotify Ultimate Guitar Riff Playlist
The hands of the ‘Riff Lord’ Tony Iommi
The main way I tried to promote my playlist was by sharing it in certain Facebook groups that serve as fan pages for specific bands. If I included a band in my playlist, I would post in that band’s fan group. I did this for a few band, and while I did get a decent amount of interactions on the posts, I did not obtain any followers from this method.
Posted in a Rival Sons fan group on Facebook.
Posted in a Black Sabbath fan group on Facebook.
Posted in a Led Zeppelin fan group on Facebook.
I directly messaged people telling them about my playlist. This was the most effective way for me to gain followers on my playlist, as it was a more personable way to communicate.
I also made a video using iMovie to promote my playlist. The video was of me playing through ten various guitar riffs all in the same key for smooth transitions and continuity. While the video got a lot of positive feedback, I did not gain many followers after posting it.
I discovered that promoting a Spotify playlist is not as easy as one may think. It definitely requires a lot of effort and dedication. My playlist currently has seven followers, and I plan to continue promoting this playlist and gaining more followers. While the true Ultimate Guitar Riff may be a matter of opinion, it is still interesting to think about. In the mean time, click below & enjoy some good music.