8-Week Marketing Calendar Template

How to Customize This Calendar

This calendar covers the 6 weeks leading up to your campaign launch plus the first 2 weeks of your live campaign. Here is how to make it work for you:

  1. Copy this entire calendar into a spreadsheet (Google Sheets works great) so you can edit, move, and check off tasks.
  2. Adjust the timeline to match your actual launch date. Work backwards from launch day.
  3. Skip what does not apply. If you are not on YouTube, ignore those tasks. If you do not have a PR contact, skip press outreach and focus on community instead.
  4. Add your own deadlines. Studio sessions, photo shoots, video shoots, and merchandise production timelines should be layered on top of this marketing calendar.
  5. Batch your content creation. Instead of creating posts daily, set aside one afternoon per week to create the next 7 days of content.
  6. Delegate where possible. A bandmate, friend, or superfan can handle some of these tasks. Mark items you plan to hand off.

Pre-Launch Phase (Weeks 1 through 6)

Week Email Actions Social Media (IG / TikTok / YouTube) Community Engagement PR / Press Content to Create
Week 1
(6 wks out)
  • Send “Something big is coming” teaser email
  • Segment email list: superfans vs casual fans vs new subscribers
  • Clean email list of bounces and inactive addresses
  • IG: Post a cryptic studio photo with “Something is coming…” caption
  • TikTok: Post 15-second clip of hands playing a new riff, no context, just “…” as caption
  • YouTube: Upload a “studio vlog” showing recording setup without revealing the project
  • Post 3x per platform this week
  • Reply to every DM and comment this week
  • Reach out to 5 superfans personally to let them know something is coming
  • Join 2 relevant music communities online and start engaging naturally
  • Build your press contact spreadsheet (20+ contacts)
  • Research local music blogs and podcasts
  • Draft your press kit outline
  • Professional photos (at least 5 high-quality shots)
  • 30-second teaser video
  • Artist bio (short, medium, long versions)
Week 2
(5 wks out)
  • No email this week (do not over-email in pre-launch)
  • Set up email automations for campaign launch sequence
  • Create a landing page to collect “notify me” signups
  • IG: Share a behind-the-scenes Story series from the studio (5+ slides)
  • TikTok: Post 30-second studio clip with trending sound, show your creative process
  • IG Reels: “What it looks like to record an album in 2026”
  • YouTube: Post a short about your songwriting process
  • Post 4x per platform this week
  • Run an Instagram poll: “Which of these song titles are you most curious about?”
  • Go live for 10 minutes and play a snippet of a new song
  • DM 10 fans who engaged with last week’s teaser post
  • Finalize press kit with all assets
  • Write press release draft
  • Identify 5 music podcasts that feature independent artists
  • Campaign video script (first draft)
  • Reward tier descriptions and images
  • 5 more social media posts (batch create)
Week 3
(4 wks out)
  • Send “Here is what I have been working on” reveal email
  • Add a “notify me” signup form link to your email signature
  • IG: Post the project announcement with album artwork or mood board
  • TikTok: “I am crowdfunding my album, here is why” story-style video
  • IG Stories: Q&A sticker “Ask me anything about the new project”
  • YouTube: Upload campaign video (or teaser version)
  • Post 5x per platform this week
  • Reach out to 3 fellow artists about cross-promotion on launch day
  • Share the project in relevant subreddits or Facebook groups (follow community rules)
  • Text message your 20 closest supporters personally
  • Send press kit to local music blogs
  • Pitch 3 music podcasts for pre-launch interviews
  • Reach out to local newspaper arts section
  • Film and edit campaign video (final version)
  • Create reward tier graphics for social sharing
  • Record a 60-second “why this project matters” voice memo for Stories
Week 4
(3 wks out)
  • No mass email this week
  • Send personal emails to 10 high-value contacts (venue owners, music bloggers, influencers) with a heads-up about the campaign
  • IG: Share individual reward tier spotlights (one per day)
  • TikTok: “What you get when you back my album campaign” series (3 videos)
  • YouTube: Behind-the-scenes of recording a specific song
  • Cross-post best performing content across platforms
  • Post 5x per platform this week
  • Host an Instagram Live or TikTok Live playing new music
  • Create a “street team” group chat with your top 10 fans
  • Comment on 20 posts from fans and fellow musicians daily
  • Follow up with press contacts who have not responded
  • Record podcast interviews if booked
  • Submit to Hype Machine blogs if applicable
  • Reward tier spotlight graphics (one per tier)
  • “Countdown to launch” content series
  • Thank you video for early supporters
Week 5
(2 wks out)
  • Send “You are going to be the first to know” early access email
  • Set up launch day email in drafts, ready to send
  • IG: “14 days until launch” countdown post
  • TikTok: “What happens when an independent musician tries to fund an album” storytelling video
  • IG Stories: Daily countdown sticker
  • YouTube: Upload a track preview or acoustic version of a campaign song
  • Post daily on all platforms from here on out
  • Brief your street team on launch day roles
  • Ask 5 fellow artists to share your launch post on their accounts
  • Prep your family and friends to back in the first hour
  • Send embargo press release (publish date = launch day)
  • Confirm any podcast episode air dates
  • Pitch local TV/radio for human interest story
  • Launch day social posts (pre-written and scheduled)
  • Email graphics and banners
  • Text message templates for personal outreach
Week 6
(1 wk out)
  • Send “We launch tomorrow” email (day before launch)
  • Test all email links and merge tags
  • Queue launch day email
  • IG: Daily countdown posts (7, 6, 5… days to go)
  • TikTok: “Counting down to launch day” series with new clips each day
  • Go live on at least 2 platforms during this week
  • YouTube: “Why I chose crowdfunding” honest discussion video
  • Post 2x daily on all platforms
  • Final briefing for street team: share launch post within first 30 minutes
  • Send personal texts to top 50 contacts: “Campaign launches [DATE], here is the link”
  • Confirm cross-promotion partners are ready
  • Final press follow-ups
  • Send advance link to key press contacts under embargo
  • Prep any scheduled interviews for launch week
  • Final review of all campaign page content
  • Test all reward tier checkout flows
  • Create “backup content” for mid-campaign if you run out of ideas

Live Campaign Phase (Weeks 7 and 8)

Week Email Actions Social Media (IG / TikTok / YouTube) Community Engagement PR / Press Content to Create
Week 7
(Launch Week)
  • Send “It is LIVE” email at launch
  • Send “First 24 hours” momentum email next day
  • Send mid-week update to non-openers from launch email with new subject line
  • IG: Launch announcement post, Stories every 2 hours on day 1, backer count updates
  • TikTok: “I launched my album campaign today” reaction video, milestone celebration clips
  • YouTube: Launch day live stream or celebration video
  • Share backer milestones as they happen (10, 25, 50, 100)
  • Post 3x daily on all platforms this week
  • Thank EVERY backer personally within 24 hours
  • Activate street team for sharing
  • Respond to every comment on every post within 1 hour
  • Go live daily this week to maintain energy
  • Lift press embargo at launch
  • Send “now live” follow-up to all press contacts
  • Share any press coverage on social media
  • Daily thank you content
  • Milestone celebration graphics (pre-make for 25%, 50%, 75%)
  • Behind-the-scenes reaction to first day results
Week 8
(Week 2 Live)
  • Send “Halfway there” update email
  • Personal email to 20 contacts who have not yet backed
  • If campaign is struggling: send “honest update” email with adjusted messaging
  • IG: Behind-the-scenes content, fan shoutouts, new reward teasers
  • TikTok: “What happens when real people fund your album” backer appreciation video
  • YouTube: Studio update or collaborator feature video
  • Introduce stretch goals if applicable
  • Post 2x daily on all platforms
  • Feature a backer every day on Stories
  • Host a backer-only live stream or listening party
  • Ask backers to share their “why I backed” story
  • Send “progress update” to media contacts
  • Pitch “crowdfunding success story” angle if hitting milestones
  • Schedule any remaining podcast appearances
  • Stretch goal announcement graphics
  • New reward tier content if adding any
  • Campaign update post for platform page
  • Start planning final week content push

Calendar Power Tips

  • Content batching: Dedicate Sundays to creating the next week’s posts. Having content ready to go prevents the “what do I post today” paralysis.
  • Repurpose everything: A YouTube video becomes a TikTok clip, which becomes an IG Reel, which becomes a Story, which becomes a still image post. One piece of content can fuel 5 or more posts.
  • Track what works: Note which posts get the most engagement each week and create more of that type.
  • Rest days are okay: If you are posting daily, take one day off per week from social media. Your audience will not disappear.
  • Adjust as you go: This calendar is a starting point. If something is working, do more of it. If something is flopping, drop it and try something else.
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