What’s the difference between marketing and promotion?

Marketing = Your Long-Term Game Plan

Marketing is everything you do to:

• Build awareness of your songwriting
• Attract and grow your audience
• Create a brand people remember
• Position yourself for industry and fan attention

It includes:

• Your personal brand
• Content strategy
• Fan engagement
• Email list
• Networking
• Storytelling

Think of marketing as planting seeds—you’re creating long-term interest in you as a songwriter.

 Promotion = Short-Term Attention

Promotion is about getting eyes and ears on something specific:

• A new demo
• A song you’re pitching
• A lyric video
• A contest or giveaway

It’s often time-sensitive and high-energy. Examples include:

• “Check out my new demo!” post on Instagram
• Sending emails about your latest song drop
• Running ads for a specific placement opportunity
• DMing artists with a pitch

Promotion is the push.

 Side-by-Side Comparison

Aspect	Marketing	Promotion
Focus	Brand, catalog, identity	Specific song or event
Timeframe	Ongoing, long-term	Short-term, campaign-based
Strategy vs. Tactic	Strategy	Tactic
Goal	Awareness and relationship-building	Immediate attention and action
Example	Building a brand around emotional pop	Promoting your new heartbreak ballad

 How They Work Together

Marketing lays the foundation.
Promotion activates it.

If you promote without marketing:

• You might get plays, but not followers or long-term fans.

If you market without promoting:

• People may know your name but never hear your latest songs.

The real power is using both together.

 Takeaway:

• Marketing = Who you are as a songwriter
• Promotion = What you’re sharing right now

Both are essential to grow your career.