How To Create An Electronic Press Kit To Get Noticed

Making it large in the media industry is a dream of many individuals.

Some individuals go down the wormhole of going for auditions, walk-ins, and continuously approaching art directors with a document they consider to be their portfolio. Then, they wonder why their application got rejected.

Taking the same approach as millions in the room doesn't work in the creative industry. What works is an accessible electronic press kit that includes a record of previous accomplishments, notable mentions, creative samples, and an exhaustive portfolio that exhibits your creative efforts.

Other than an electronic press kit, it is also important to have the right media alliances and press coverage. Reaching the right media agencies with PR distribution software can help amass target audience attention and open doors for success. 

The most professional way to tell your story is through an EPK. Individuals in the music industry review hundreds of EPKs daily, so making one that stands out and tells people why they should care about your music is crucial to your success. 

The good news is we have all the tools and insights to help you take your first steps toward getting discovered.

Why do you need an EPK?

With an EPK, you can make a lasting first impression on an expert who is meeting you for the first time. Making a repository of your creative work is a decent way to please media agencies. By putting your work in one place, you make the reviewer's job easier, and that increases your chances of getting shortlisted. Unless you’re trying to recreate a “Where’s Waldo?” hunt for your information, crafting the perfect EPK will help you prove that you were born to be famous.

Think of how Huge Jackman landed the coveted role of Wolverine, and how the director and casting panel were determined that he play this character in different movies like Star Wars, Wolverine, Logan, and X-Men series. That's the magic of EPK. Building an EPK can set you apart from the crowd that lines up outside production studios and audition venues to get the attention of casting directors and production crew.

The EPK sample encompasses all the media and PR assets that showcase your blood and sweat. The EPK can contain ongoing projects, timelines, plans, research, drafts, articles, artworks, music composition, clips, reels, and other assets that exhibit your sense of interpretation, style of thinking, and intellectual quotient. 

What to include in your Electronic Press Kit (EPK)

Now before jumping into creating your EPK, collect all aspects of your brand. Yes, I said brand. It may feel strange to consider yourself, or your bandmates, part of a brand, but the goal here is to deliver a whole package deal, just like a media kit. And crafting a cohesive brand look and feel is what makes an EPK successful.

• Music: If you are an aspiring musician, you might want to include your recording CDs, published records (if any), studio runs, soundcheck, gig deals (if any), music qualifications, jams and other proven aspects of your work in a document form).
• Biography: Include your basic personal biography for the receivers to know you better. Mention your contact information, educational qualifications, address details, co-curricular activities, additional certifications and recognitions, and personal hobbies so the receiver can understand your persona better. 
• Branding: Make the panel aware of your branding efforts. Through EPK, enlist your most praised work, personal brand posts, social media accounts, and followers to keep their judgments on the same page as you.
• Music videos: Redirect the panel to video hosting platforms where you've rendered your videos. They could be music videos, short films, podcasts, digital storytelling or audible books and talks. These videos can familiarize them with the depth of your art and make them aware of whether you have a good knowledge bank of music or not. 
• Embedded links:  Paste the URL links of the notable mentions or publications you have contributed to. Embedding direct links can make it easy for the panel to view and scrutinize your work with more clarity. Embedded links could either be article links, YouTube links, Wordpress links or social media account links. The only thing to consider is that these links should lead to a genuine artwork or creative piece that you developed.  
• Press and testimonials: Cite relevant third party press releases and testimonials for instances where your work received media attention. Being already in the media limelight can increase your potential of gaining more eyeballs among the judging panel.
• Tour dates: Include your tour dates, upcoming trips and availability slots within your electronic press kit so that in case your name gets shortlisted, the selectors can check your calendar and mark a slot that confirms your availability. Mentioning tour dates can also entice selectors to collaborate with you on your own ventures. 

I understand that this list may seem overwhelming, but once you tell your story, the possibility of achieving your personal goals will skyrocket. Plus, we have more details below to help! 

Creating your EPK

You know what an EPK is, why you need one, and what its components are, but now comes the most challenging part: actually putting everything together. Once you get going, it will get easier, and luckily, several websites offer tools to help you piece together the details of who you are as an artist.

EPK template

If you're more of a visual learner, here's a template to give you an idea of what your finished EPK should look like. 

See, we’ve got your back. If you’re still looking for more information, we’ll explain each component.

How to make an EPK

Include these elements in your EPK, and you’ll be one step closer to the Grammy stage or maybe just booking a gig.

Music

Of course, this is the most prominent and important aspect of your EPK. But the order in which you list your songs matters, too. Be sure to place the song that is most well-received by your fan base first. You can determine this by analyzing your stream or purchase history. Furthermore, export the highest-quality MP3 or MP4, preferably 320 kbps. Music professionals will likely listen to 1-3 songs at a maximum.

Artist Bio

Make two separate bios— one long and one short. The shorter of the two will be your elevator pitch. It should cover your musical career highlights and/or notable moments, whatever you feel will capture the audience’s attention. Your short bio should be no more than three sentences, so sell yourself and make readers yearn for more.

Your longer bio is your background story, which will paint a clearer picture of who you really are and why you should matter to the reader. Avoid being long-winded and unclear. Instead, make your bio so captivating and concise that your audience wants to be your best friend—or at least not X out.

To get you started, we suggest beginning with the most important information, like your name and where you’re from. Then, define your sound very clearly. If you’re having issues talking about yourself, have multiple people edit your bio, or take it one step further and hire a music writer.  

Branding

Every aspect of your EPK makes up your brand. From the album art to the logo, you’re taking the audience through a branded journey so that they can recognize you in the cluttered world of information. Go on an internal quest to search for your identity— ask yourself— who you are, your audience, and how you want to make people feel.

Photos

Photos help tell your story and give your readers an idea of what kind of artist you are. Band photos differ from live photos, but both should be included in your EPK as hi-res (300 dpi) and lo-res (72 dpi) versions and a maximum of 600 pixels wide.

Do not add iPhone and Android photos to your EPK. If a professional photo shoot isn’t in the budget, be scrappy and recruit some talented friends with a nice camera to capture you and your band. Not only will these photos be used in your EPK, but if the press picks up your music, they’ll likely pull a photo from this section.

Album art

If you haven’t designed a cover for your album, have no fear. As I’ve said many times, ensure your design aligns with the brand look and feel for which you’re promoting.

Not everyone is a graphic designer, so if you are having trouble making your own album cover, use the best graphic design software for you.

 

Music logo

If you don’t already have a music logo, now’s the time to make one. The good news is that there are many tools to help you create an impactful and memorable logo. Check out logo design software and save everything as a scalable vector for the press or vendors to use while promoting your music.

Music videos

What better way to tell a story than in video form? If you’ve had the privilege of having either a gig recorded or, even better, a music video made, include it in your EPK. A video is especially useful because it can show your personality, your stage presence, and, most importantly, what you’ll look, feel, and sound like if they decide to book you. A compelling music video seals the deal.

Embedded links

Before adding links to your EPK, check to make sure your social media presence aligns with its branding. These things work together to tell your story, and if the story seems disjointed, it will scare off potential connections.

• Social media links (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.)
• Your official website
• Where your music lives (Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)

Press and testimonials  

If you’ve already been featured in the news or have reviews about your music, then you’re ahead of the game. Include short, meaningful quotes from reviews and any news coverage about you/your band. This will make you look extremely credible and increase interest. If you haven’t been covered yet, don’t worry! Your EPK will help make that possible.

Tour dates

When are your upcoming shows? List your current schedule so that music professionals can check you out themselves, promote your gigs, or book around your current schedule. Already all booked up? Congrats! Now, take this opportunity to show how popular you and your band really are. Tip: If you're touring with another brand as a partnership, create a press release to publicize the event further. 

Contact details

Let’s continue making everything as easy as possible for whoever the reader may be and provide them with how to get in touch with you. If your manager handles your marketing and communications, include these contact details instead.

If you work in the music industry, an EPK can give you an edge over your competitors.  Setting up your EPK can help you grow your music influence and your band's online branding. Event co-ordinators or agents that are looking for music artists end up shortlisting EPKs online and reaching out to the artists. This is why having an online band EPK is a must if you want to book gigs or reach out to your listening audience fast.  

How to create a band EPK

Creating a band EPK is a work cut out for a beginner band or a beginner duo trying to break into the music industry.

The EPK portfolio should consist of

• key members of the band
• current band collaborations
• contracts with music record labels
• individual gig deals
• composition drafts
• brand tour dates
• group pictures
• music videos
• videos of live performances
• contractual obligations
• next projects or music albums
• engagement metrics of your videos.

The document must also explain your music genre, fan responses, music certifications, technical production studio knowledge, and connections with recording artists or production companies. To make a successful brand EPK, also pay attention to whether your work has been applauded on a grand media scale. Include public press releases, newspaper columns, and other media-based mentions within your EPK to make your portfolio stand out from other substandard or confused creators who bank on raw talent. 

Let us look at some notable bands with electronic press kits that made it big in the industry.

Band EPK examples

Are there instances of famous rock and pop bands that built a class-apart EPK and landed themselves a contract? Here are a few to get you to create one

• Imagine Dragons EPK: Imagine Dragons's comprehensive EPK included high-resolution band photos, performance photos, a concise bio, music videos, press coverage, social media profiles, and a website. It also featured contact information, the band's current manager, and tour dates.
• HAIM EPK: HAIM EPK focused on their music and promoted a few teasers from their latest album, music videos, and live performances. It also included testimonies, achievements, influences, music community, paparazzi photos, and press links. 
• Arctic Monkeys EPK: This EPK journaled a band's evolution. It presented an anecdote of how the members grew with their art. It also featured detailed bios, press releases, high-energy music videos, and social media links. 
• Lizzo EPK: Lizzo's EPK is vibrant and energetic, reflecting her bold and courageous personality. This EPK is a league of its own, but it ascribes her work, press photos, news mentions, and UK top song mentions. 

Take a bow

If you are still not convinced that you need an EPK to advance your music career, there is undeniable proof that having one is imperative. Kendrick Lamar, Brittney Spears, and even Jackson 5 have had one! That's convincing enough, I suppose?

Congratulations on learning what an EPK is and how to make one. We wish you the best of luck on your path to success and hope to see you on the Billboard Top 100. 

Make your public relations strategy even stronger by learning how to write a press release.

This article was originally published in 2019. It has been updated with new information.