What is a musician EPK and why do people keep talking about them?

EPK stands for Electronic Press Kit and the reason people are talking about them is because they’re an extremely effective tool for marketing. Whether you’re a business, a cause or an individual, EPKs can really boost your credibility…when done well. Here's a great example of a musician EPK to give you an idea.

If you want your musician or band EPK to make a strong impact, don’t cut corners. Another plus about musician EPKs is that they’re cheaper than traditional press kits because they reduce the need for printed materials.

A proven way to get media professionals to view you as a top-tier professional AND it’s cost-effective? Sounds pretty good to me! So we know what a musician EPK is. Now, what are we supposed to put in it? You want to provide enough interesting information for journalists and bloggers to be able to write about. Keep reading for our suggestions on what materials are typically included PLUS a free musician EPK template.

Musician EPK Biography

Including a biography in your musician or band EPK is a given. Your reader will definitely want to have some background info on you before diving straight into your kit. Your biography is like your introduction or brief origin story. Most musicians tend to play it safe and keep the bio pretty short, however, it’s not uncommon to include biographies of various lengths (short, medium, and long) in an EPK.

Most importantly, your bio needs to be creative! I know a lot of musicians wince at the thought of writing a biography. It can seem like you’re trying to sell your persona whereas you prefer to let the music speak for itself. Well it’s time to face the music (hehe), marketing is king in this digital era. So it’s time to get used to the idea.

We also recommend writing your biography in third person. It sounds more modest and is also practical, allowing your musician bio to be copied and pasted by media professionals with ease.

Include Existing Press Coverage

In my opinion, it’s more impactful to have other people promote you rather than promoting yourself. If you or your band has already been featured in an article, blog or press review, then be sure to include that. The media will be more inclined to share your story if they see that other people have taken an interest in you.

Quotes from any feedback you’ve received from vendors or fans of your music are a nice touch.

Professional Photography

“Professional” being the keyword. Sure you can take great pictures with a smart phone these days but having the insight of a professional photographer can really help take you to the next level. Work with your photographer to brainstorm a unique concept. They will likely have the equipment and know-how to pull it off effectively.

It’s also a great idea to have candid photos from a live performance for instance. Even a logo could be useful and make a good addition to your musician EPK.

If you need help with your artwork check out some of the pros on Indiy here

Professional Videography

Why stop at photography? I think by now we can all agree that as far as story-telling goes, few things are more powerful than video. It’s fine to do a storyboard for your video but again we recommend taking a more candid route. So video of live performances, behind the scenes content or even a self-interview will be really helpful in telling your story. Not to mention, video content is conveniently shareable.

It’s a good idea to choose your most recent videos to include so consider continuously updating this as you create more content.

Your Musician EPK Needs…Music

Makes sense! We suggest linking to your most popular or most streamed tracks. An EPK is very comprehensive and so it’s important to note that a promoter may not have time to go through each aspect thoroughly. Make sure the tracks you choose to include make an impact and have proven to be commercially successful. A short excerpt about your selected tracks is a nice touch for providing a bit of context.

Website & Social Media

It’s really important to have a professional website with all the latest information about you or your band. This is the crux of your musical identity where you can go as in depth as you want and give the truest and most authentic representation. All your social media links should be listed and easily accessible. We recommend linking to the platforms that display the most audience engagement.

Contact Information

It’s important to include the contact information for every member of your band or team and briefly explain what their role is. If you have a contact form on your website – which is good idea – then provide a link to that page as well for people to ask general questions.

Musician EPK Timeframe

Be prepared to devote a solid few days to developing your musician EPK if you want it done well. If you take the time to set a solid foundation, then updating your EPK as time goes on will be a breeze. It may seem like a hassle but it will be well worth the effort when you start to reap the benefits.

Free Musician EPK Template

As promised, here’s a basic, free musician EPK template to help get you started. Feel free to play with the style or just use it as inspiration. Don’t be afraid to make it your own and promote yourself in the most authentic way possible.

We hope this helps to propel your music career to the next level!