WHAT IS AN EPK? Electronic Press Kit

An Electronic Press Kit (you can review some examples here) is a resume for musicians, artists/musicians and bands. An EPK is an online media/marketing portfolio, designed to provide easy access to all your essential information about your music career and path.

EPK’s are one of the most professional tools to showcase your talents to the music and radio industry. You are able to submit them by email to labels, booking agents, promoters, venues, media, and anyone else who would like to learn more about you and your music. Furthermore, EPK’s can be attached to emails either as a digital file (PDF) a link to a hosted file or a EPK page on your website.

EPKs should feature your artist bio, music, images/pictures, tour dates, relevant media, achievements, links to your social media, and contact information.

CREATING AN EPK FOR ARTISTS & BANDS Tips & Tricks

There are many websites such as SonicBids and Reverb Nation which offer tools to create Electronic Press Kits. The format you choose is up to your preferences. However, when creating your EPK, be sure to follow the below tips:

Make sure your EPK represents your brand accurately. Don’t over-hype, exaggerate, or include irrelevant information.
Design an Electronic Press Kit that separates you from other artists/bands by making it eye-catching, professional and unique.
Keep your EPK simple and straight to the point. Provide all your relevant information in a way that is easy to read.
Include your very best material. Keep your EPK relevant.
Your EPK should always be kept up to date (current).
Be cautious of using any large digital files as file size may get flagged if sending via email. Instead, use links to content on the web such as your own domain name, SoundCloud or Youtube.
Avoid sending .zip files or other compressed file attachments with your email. Living in a tech world with computer viruses, these will not get opened.
It is also a very good idea to have a professionally printed versions of your EPK so that you may hand them out at events where you may run into industry professionals.

WHAT YOU I INCLUDE IN MY EPK? The essential elements of an EPK

MUSIC

Your music is the most crucial element of your EPK. People often play only the first few tracks featured on an EPK, so include your very best three tracks at the top of the list. Not sure order to rank your music? Use fan feedback, music which best represents you as an artist, purchase history, production quality, or stream counts to help you decide.

BIOGRAPHY

Your biography is another fundamental area of the press kit. This is your chance to focus the highlights of your career. Include brief details of any previous or upcoming releases, achievements, collaborations, recent shows at notable music venues or events, and any significant endorsements.

Bio’s should be professionally well-written, clear and concise. Provide enough detail to give an insight to you as an artist, but not overly detailed that it becomes tiresome to read. Avoid telling your entire musical journey. Keep your bio short, relevant, and up-to-date at all times.

It is also recommended to prepare different length versions of your bio for different media purposes. Keep a short version and a longer version.

MUSIC VIDEOS

Having a video that captures your artistry or demonstrating your live performances will help you. Music videos or promotional videos provide multimedia content for writers to share with their readers. Music writers are far more likely to feature an artist with a nice compelling video which accompanies their music. Similarly, promoters are more likely to book you for a gig if you have a great live video displaying your talents and stage presence.

PHOTOS & ARTWORK

Professional looking photographs are a must for any EPK. Be sure you include a compilation of vertical and horizontal (hi-resolution) photos to fit varying layouts of different media outlets.

High-quality press shots will more than likely have large file sizes. Uploading them to your website or a shareable Dropbox folder for ease of access is far better than attaching large files to emails.

ALSO INCLUDE:

PRESS & TESTIMONIALS

If you’ve been featured or interviewed in magazines, blogs, webzines and websites, be sure to include links to any press coverage or a few short quotes from the release. Add any favorable reviews or testimonials from respected industry professionals.

TOUR DATES

Listing upcoming gigs, tours, or shows helps booking agents schedule around your current event calendar. Additionally, anyone mentioning you on a radio show, podcast or in a blog post can include the dates and help promote them.

LOGOS & BRANDING

It’s also a good idea to provide your logo or any branding material. These should vector images of your logo for promoters and venues who will use it on any promotional material. Vector images allow the people to scale the image to practically any size they desire without losing any quality.

EMBEDDED LINKS

Provide links to your brand’s online presence. Include links to your website, social media, music, videos, and anywhere else that offers additional information about your brand. Also, make sure all your artist social media profiles are active and regularly updated.

Label all of your links so they are easily identifiable. For example, social media, official website, any places where people can listen or purchase your music.

CONTACT DETAILS

Don’t forget to provide your contact information. Include your management teams, promotion/marketing firm you are working with if applicable. Otherwise, be sure you place your own contact information. If using your own domain name for your EPK, it is recommended you use your domain name email address to represent you as a professional rather than a Gmail or Yahoo account as this is not as professional.

CONCLUSION

Make your EPK readily available. If you have an official website, make your EPK downloadable or accessible from your website. Print out a few copies you can hand out while out on the road.