Glossary / Release

Industry terms

Pre-save

A pre-save lets a fan sign up for a song or album before it comes out, so it reaches them the moment it is released.

Also called: presave, pre-save link, pre-save campaign

By Aulto · Last reviewed

Why do artists use pre-saves?

Release day is when attention matters most. A pre-save turns interest you earn in the weeks before (a teaser, an announcement post, a live show) into listeners on day one, instead of hoping people remember.

How does a pre-save work?

The fan opens a pre-save page, usually from a link in bio or a story, and signs up. Depending on the tool, the release is added to their streaming library on release day, or they get a reminder with a link to listen.

When should a pre-save go live?

As soon as the release has a date and artwork. Two to four weeks of lead time gives you room to share it more than once without repeating yourself.

Example

An independent artist announces a single three weeks out, puts the pre-save link in their Instagram bio, and mentions it in every story until release day.

Doing it with Aulto

Aulto's pre-save pages collect a fan's email and send them a reminder on release day, with an option to add the date to their calendar. Those fans stay on your list for the next release.

See how it works →

Common questions

Does a pre-save count as a stream?

No. It brings people back on release day; the streams count once they press play.

  • Smart link

    A smart link is one web address for a release that sends each listener to the streaming app they already use.

  • Link in bio

    "Link in bio" means the clickable link on your Instagram profile, which is the main place a post can send people since captions don't have clickable links.

  • ISRC

    An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a 12-character code that identifies one specific recording, so its plays and sales can be tracked and paid.

  • Cover art

    Cover art is the square image that represents a release on every streaming service, store and smart link page.

  • Drop

    A drop is a release that goes out at a set moment, like a new song, a merch line or a product, announced ahead so people show up at once.

  • Hook

    A hook is the part of a song, or the first seconds of a video, built to grab attention and make people stay.

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