As COVID-19 continues to cause cancellations and ruckus within the music industry this year, it has also created a bigger need for fan experience. This means that DJs and producers are exploring new ways to come up with revenue streams and creative ways to engage with listeners despite being able to come together in real life. The growing online platform, Linktree has been combating continued event cancellations by allowing users, especially artists to store and promote their online links to fans and viewers. Platforms vary from social to musical profiles such as Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify.
You might be familiar with seeing the words, “Link In Bio” on an Instagram story where it then takes you to a page of more links. Because of this, Linktree so far has helped some of the biggest names in dance music stay connected to their fans during unprecedented times. Artists that are posting content ranging from upcoming streams to past festival experiences include Carl Cox, David Guetta, and Above & Beyond. As a platform user, there are endless ideas that are available to post to help promote these experiences for fans and viewers.
In 2016, Linktree co-founder, Alex Zaccaria started the platform for users to compile their personal links onto one page. It all started while she and her co-founders worked together in digital for many years running Instagram accounts for various bands and festivals.
“We found that constantly updating their bios with links to new music, tours, and merch was not only time-consuming but resulted in the loss of valuable click-throughs and a negative experience for fans,” Alex says.
The first Linktree was set up as a launch-pad that allowed artists to post about what they cared about. It started spreading in the industry as a good percentage of its early growth came through word of mouth in the music industry. The platform’s simple design gives artists the freedom to fully customize the look and feel of their accounts without changing the streamlined, uniform layout. This allows artists to store all the content and announcements they’re posting on other channels in one place while giving followed direct access to their music on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
“Not only does this make connecting with fans online beyond a single website easier for artists, but it gives artists the power to understand their audience on a deeper level – what platforms they’re on, where they stream music, and how they interact online,” Alex explains. “Some major names in dance music, like Above & Beyond, Carl Cox, and David Guetta are using Linktree to easily direct their fans to their virtual concerts, online merchandise stores, and new music releases across streaming platforms.”
As there are many social media platforms that allow artists to post numerous topics of content, Linktree is an outstanding platform for artists to explore and share other works. With approximately 4.5-billion internet users and 3.8-billion social media users, Alex claims that the digital landscape is more fragmented and crowded than ever before. Pair that with the rise in live-streaming and the cancellations of in-person events, musicians are currently faced with an uphill battle to being discovered and successfully monetizing their work.
“At its core, Linktree enables artist discovery,” Alex says. “With an average of 2.2 clicks per profile visit, followers are discovering more about their favorite artists and engaging in more ways than one. Social media, for many artists, is the most important medium to connect with audiences, and we’re helping them. Linktree exists to unify and democratize the internet so anyone who wants to achieve their goals online, can do so with complete ease and simplicity.”
Alex says she’s seen Linktree grow to over seven-million users across multiple verticals who link to all different kinds of things. This includes e-commerce shops, social media accounts, community initiatives, activism resources, and more.
“A few of our top verticals include: health & wellness brands sharing sign-up links, digital media publications sharing recently published content, and sports teams sharing schedule and ticket links,” Alex says. “It is frequently used across major social platforms, but we’re seeing Linktree being increasingly used in place of website builders like Squarespace and Wix.”
Alex and the team have remained steadfast in their goal to create an entirely new category, as they look into 2021 and the future.
“As the needs of our users shift and evolve, we shift and evolve with them,” Alex says. “As more and more users bring operations online, we are working in real-time to make it easier for artists, entrepreneurs, and creators of all kinds to grow their audiences and build awareness. We take feedback from our users to heart when building new features and offerings on the platform. As we continue to grow, we’ll continue acting as the digital filing cabinet for anyone with an online presence, from musicians to influencers, news publications, and everything in between.”
To find out more, check out Linktree here.
Check out David Guetta’s page here to see how artists are utilizing their content on the platform.