Playlist marketing is the process of getting your music added to Spotify playlists to increase streams and algorithmic visibility. Beginners start by researching playlists in their genre with 1,000 to 10,000 followers, finding curator contact information via Instagram or playlist descriptions, writing personalized pitch emails explaining why the track fits, and following up professionally after 7-10 days. Target 20-30 playlists for first campaigns to build experience before scaling.
TLDR: Step 1 research playlists matching your genre and follower range. Step 2 verify playlists are real using engagement metrics. Step 3 find curator emails or Instagram via playlist descriptions. Step 4 write 100-150 word personalized pitches referencing playlist theme. Step 5 send pitches and follow up once after one week. Step 6 track results and refine targeting. Aim for 2-5 placements from 20-30 pitches as a beginner.
Understanding Playlist Types
Understanding playlist types is the first step. Editorial playlists are curated by Spotify employees and submitted through Spotify for Artists, not pitched directly. Algorithmic playlists like Discover Weekly are generated by Spotify's algorithm based on listener behavior. User-generated playlists are created by independent curators who accept submissions through email or Instagram. Beginners focus on user-generated playlists because they are accessible through direct outreach.
Finding Playlists In Your Genre
Finding playlists starts with genre research. Search Spotify for your genre keywords like indie folk, lo-fi beats, or chill electronic. Browse results and open promising playlists. Check follower counts, update frequency, and save counts to identify active, legitimate playlists. Target playlists with 1,000 to 10,000 followers for best acceptance rates as a beginner artist.
Verifying Playlist Legitimacy
Verifying playlist legitimacy prevents wasting time on fake curators. Check follower-to-save ratio: a 5,000-follower playlist should have 200-800 saves. Check monthly listeners: real playlists have listeners proportional to followers. Listen to the playlist: real curators build cohesive themes; fake playlists have random unrelated tracks. Use these checks to filter out bot playlists before pitching.
Finding Curator Contact Information
Finding curator contact information requires detective work. Check the playlist description for emails, Instagram handles, or submission forms. Search Instagram using the curator's Spotify username to find their profile. Check their bio for contact emails or submission instructions. Playlist finder tools automate this process by scraping public curator data, saving hours of manual research.
Writing Your First Pitch Email
Writing your first pitch email is intimidating but follows a simple template. Line 1: Hi curator name, I found your playlist name and love the recent additions. Line 2: My track title shares similar vibe description with recent addition names and would fit well. Line 3: Here is my Spotify link. Line 4: Thanks for your time and consideration. Total length 100-150 words. Personalization is more important than perfect grammar.
Instagram DM Pitching Strategy
Instagram DM pitching works when email is unavailable. Keep DMs shorter at 50-75 words. Same structure as email but condensed. Lead with compliment about the playlist, explain fit in one sentence, include link, and thank them. Instagram DMs feel more casual, so friendly tone works better than formal language.
Follow-Up Strategy For Beginners
Follow-up strategy matters for beginners. Wait 7-10 days after initial pitch. Send one polite follow-up saying Hi, following up on my pitch for track name. No pressure, just wanted to make sure it did not get lost. Do not send multiple follow-ups; one is professional, three is spam. Most curators who will respond do so after the follow-up, not the initial pitch.
Tracking Your Pitches
Tracking your pitches prevents duplicate outreach and measures results. Create a spreadsheet with columns for playlist name, curator contact, date pitched, response status, and notes. Log every pitch you send. This prevents accidentally pitching the same curator twice and helps you identify which types of playlists respond best.
Setting Beginner Expectations
Setting beginner expectations prevents discouragement. A 10-20 percent acceptance rate is excellent. If you pitch 20 playlists, expect 2-4 placements. Each placement drives 100-500 streams depending on playlist size and engagement. Your first campaign might generate 500-2,000 total streams. This seems small but triggers algorithmic momentum that compounds over subsequent releases.
Learning From Rejection
Learning from rejection improves future campaigns. If 90 percent of curators ignore you, analyze why. Are you pitching wrong genres? Using generic templates? Targeting massive playlists? Refine your targeting, improve personalization, and try again. Most successful artists faced dozens of rejections before their first placements. Persistence and iteration are key.
How Playlist Pilot Simplifies Beginner Marketing
Playlist Pilot simplifies beginner playlist marketing by providing verified curator contacts, bot detection to avoid fake playlists, and AI-generated personalized pitches. The tool reduces the learning curve by automating research and pitch writing, letting beginners focus on understanding results and refining strategy rather than spending weeks learning manual processes.