What Is A Static EPK?
Good question!!!
A Static EPK Page Is . . .
What Is A Static E.P.K.? Hint, it stands for Electronic Press Kit 😉
A Static EPK Is A Press Page
A press page all its own which is attached directly to your website. It stands for Electronic Press Kit, by the way. But not exactly there in support of the website as a whole. It is there to represent and showcase your most recent release, project or endeavor.
Before treading too deep;
What’s a Press Page?
Ah, yes. Rather important information. Let’s not put the cart before the horse! A press page.
It’s easiest to think of a Press page as being one and the same with a Press release. We’re just going to jazz it up a little and give it a home on the internet. This is opposed to a traditional ‘hard copy’ rendition of your newsworthy announcement.
But, we keep opening can of worms after can of worms. To continue, we’ll take a step back just one inch further.
What Is A Press Release?
A Press release is another form of announcement named rather on the nose. The more I dive into research on this end while writing this, the more I am aware how lazy past generations of musicians were! A safe bet is to take unfamiliar terminology when discussing music marketing and not look past its naming convention. Often, the answer is easier than you would assume!
Your Press release is concocted whenever something of influential note occurs. It is intended to make the Press aware of news they not otherwise would have received. It’s your way to make light of your awesome and recent accomplishment by raising a flag that says, “Your next article already wrote itself because I am right here and have a tale to tell.”
Press releases are somewhat passe. At least the paper kind. This is where the E.P.K., or Electronic Press Kit, brings us up to speed on the digital press releases you should be using as savvy, modern musicians.
What Is A Static EPK ? – Convenient!
A Static EPK is first and foremost a time saver. For both you and party you are submitting to for consideration. The word static in this context is also yet to be defined but also plays into the whole idea of convenience as well. By using static, we’re just stating that this page isn’t going anywhere. It will reside in this one spot and the web page itself will not re-direct elsewhere on your website at any time. Redirect meaning a command you’ve built into your web page intended to change pages when the user reaches a certain destination from the Static E.P.K. page.
To Elaborate On The Convenience Of A Static EPK
A Static EPK allows you to cut straight to the chase when explaining who you are for anyone interested in featuring your material. It takes just a tad of elbow grease from the artist up-front, but permits efficiency to go through the roof when it really counts; The post-post-production process of seeking playlist placement, radio play, or label consideration, to name a few.
Anyone with genuine access to a playlist, broadcast or legitimate label is swamped with hundreds of people contacting them daily for the same reason you’re reaching out. If it takes too much time to access all your material or information, they’re likely to dump you and move on. To counter this fickle recipient, you draw in their attention with the appeal of….
What Is A Static EPK ? SIMPLICITY!
BOOM!
To learn anything you need to know about my latest release, me or my music, press this button. Then, add the link for your static EPK page, and hit send. That’s way easier, right? For both you and the person you’re submitting to.
What’s most crucial for us artists is you can now do away with the idea of slapping this entire block of information sloppily into every email you send –
Chuck W.
Please feel free to reach back out by replying to this email address; [email protected]
If you would like to review a press release for this project, I’ve attached one to this note.
Here’s my social media information as well!
Instagram – Chuck_W_ny
Facebook – @Chuck.w.ny.1
Twitter – @Chuckw_ny
Website – ChuckW.com
Bla
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Doesn’t
‘Press this link to learn anything you need to know about my latest release?’ sound way, WAY more appealing?
Cool! So, we have significantly reduced the excess text from… Well, any time we want to deliver a press release for this project. This brings us to the next point of this particular write-up and actual point of this whole thing – That Press Release! Oh yeah, that thing!
Easy enough to find a template for on Google, Press releases can be completed all on your lonesome. However, if you are not a strong writer be sure to outsource this one. This press release is something you will hold onto and re-purpose for your websites general press page down the line.
There’s a number of ways to write a press release, with originality always being the factor to crush the rest. For the purposes of this article, I’m going to stick to the format of a very traditional press release for further elaboration. Please feel free to go wild from there!
Begin With The Date
Then, where you are announcing this Press-worthy event occurred at and be sure to add a catchy title.
Paragraph one will serve as an intro for the new participant in your experience. You’ll ease them into this place you are creating only to – – –
WHAM!
Hit them with all the cool details there may be regarding this project in the next paragraph. The who, what, where, when, and why of the material.
Round out the third paragraph (maybe fourth, fifth) with a succinct little back story about you, or the band.
Finally, be sure to include all relevant contact info at the bottom.
This is just the minimum of points to be hit. Do be careful not to push too many things like videos, or photos onto the static E..P.K page. We definitely want some to spice it up, but the more information we add the more the clock ticks against us. Also, frivolous additions will slow site loading time and our entire aim here is to speed things up and work efficiently. Let’s not be counter-intuitive!
It’s a fine line to tow, but we want to display flair without pomposity. The individual receiving our submission is actively judging everything they see in front of them as the totality of your art. They know nothing else about you at this moment in time. This is that super important first impression popping up again. Make it a good one! A humble, yet impressive one.
Actual Press
Next, since this is a Press release, please discuss any Press this release has yet to receive. it could be a short list to pick from. Especially since you’re yet to release this thing!
If you are just gaining traction and this is NOT your first release, you will want to consider listing Press received for another release. Especially if this is the beginning of of your attempts at submissions to media outlets, you will likely not have Press lined up for your forthcoming release. This is your attempt to gain such Press. By covering older Press, you’re still able to convey how serious you are, that other people agree with that notion and have been willing to write about you. This gives a nudge towards the recipient hitting that approve button because you will help maintain their reputation as Mr./Mrs. Cool Guy/Gal, Lord of all things Underground music.
To Not Sound Completely Cynical For A Moment
To not sound cynical a moment, I’d actually like to thank the honest taste makers out there. Ones writing for the music, about the music, FOR the sake of music. Taste makers who actually play the song and MOST important – The ones without an auto-reply on their e-mail asking for you to PayPal them money in exchange for consideration. When you find compassionate taste makers who appreciate you and vice versa, hold onto your friendship with them at all costs. They are a rare breed and becoming harder to find daily.
What To Do? – Further Tips On Approaching Press With A Static EPK
First, don’t lie. It’s easy to source this stuff. Why get caught with your pants down over this? Obviously if you’ve been around the block a bit, please list past and present press for any releases of note, including link!
Instead of lying when we don’t have other press to fill this section, we’re going to let some colorful language make us look much more impressive then we know ourselves to be.
One thing to consider is obtaining written reviews / testimonials from musician friends. They can speak in-depth about the music in a way no one else can go about describing it. Any time a friend is kind enough to forward me nice words about something I’d sent them, I ask if they mind if I use that on my press page. After obtaining their approval, I’ll place that text onto the Static E.P.K. page with a header declaring, “See what peers are already saying about Chuck W.’s XXXXX.” There’s no lying and it sounds great!
Do Be Sure
That as the submission train keeps on chugging, that list stays up to date with all your recent cool news. Anything with a hyperlink that puts you on display is something you want linked to on that page in the press section.
Be sure to leave your contact information! If they are interested, that Curator is going to be mightily pissed once they reach the bottom and realize they don’t know how to get hold of you. They’re not about to go looking for you, so consider your email now trashed and your submission passed over.
It May Be Worth
Considering adding a video for the single if it is of high production value. If a friend did it on a handycam using iMovie to cut it, tell them they’re awesome and thank them for it. Place it on your YouTube, but don’t put it into that press release. There may be some cool photos or behind the scenes video you could use for the purpose of spicing up the static EPK page, but again use your discretion as to not make this read too long for the recipient.
And for the biggest d’uh of them all!
The single! Sending them the actual dang music! Yes, there’s particulars to be covered there too. Of course there is!
Since this material is yet unreleased, it’s best to not provide this person a hard copy of the song. Also, they don’t want that file sitting on their computer. Instead, please upload the song onto your soundcloud to permit you to create a private link to it. This way it’s readily available for you to send off in a manner which won’t make the distributor angry. This is in addition to, again, making that Curator’s decision easier and easier by the moment by putting the song up for review only one click away.
There Is So Much Relevant Info Which A Static EPK Can Provide
There is just so much relevant information to place on the static EPK page that I really cannot see a reason why one wouldn’t do it. Upon reviewing that more traditional press release format above did I say to myself, “Man, this way is stale.” So long as you can conceive an interesting way to present this press release, you’ll be that much further ahead of the curve. And now you own a unique page dedicated to that purpose. Say goodbye to the days of attaching, copying, pasting, asking people to be sure to check the footer, and hoping they open your PDF. Say hello to, “Hey, all my info?”
Yep, it’s right HERE.
To learn more about submitting your music to various outlets for consideration of all sorts, please check out or Premium services. We can help and it would be our pleasure to help you gain exposure!
Contact Chuck at [email protected] if you have any questions about how to earn listens, or marketing your music!
