I gave my friend Adam Fink a call one evening.
“Hey Adam, what are you up to?” I asked. He mentioned he’d just left the Jamie xx show in our city. First off, Adam, why didn’t you tell me? Second off, how did I not know Jamie xx was even playing, despite following him on everything?
Unfortunately, this story is not uncommon these days. James Blake had a long run of press recently where he ended up on the BBC sharing a frustrating reality. He has over 700,000 followers, but he’s only reaching 1% of them on social media. For an artist like James, who might not want to churn out "viral" social content every day, this is a sign of the times. Reach is hard, and there are constant signals that these platforms are deprioritizing music content.
The "Day Late" Problem
I also remember my friend Zach from The Zolas telling me about being at a diner in a city while on tour. They would get recognized and asked when they were playing, only to find out the fan had no idea the show was actually the night before.
It’s an all-too-common story that musicians and artists of all levels run into. You’re in the city, the fan is in the city, but the algorithm didn’t play ball.
Precision over Noise
Luckily, if you have fans who like you enough to be on your email or text list, this doesn't have to happen. OnPitch’s geo-targeting map feature allows you to zone in on the specific locations where your fans live and message them directly. This doesn't happen through an app or a third-party platform they have to sign up for; it goes right to their phone or inbox.
This is vital because you don’t want to spam your entire list when you only have a show in one particular region. I’m a big fan of Foals, but I didn’t need to know about every stop on their Ireland run. I loved my time in Galway and Dublin, but I wasn't catching a flight for a Tuesday night gig.
Why Segments Convert Better
Beyond touring, there are so many use cases for targeting:
- Shipping Merch: Only notify fans in specific countries where shipping is available.
- Niche Releases: Do a "drop" specifically for a local scene.
- Secret Shows: Reward fans in a specific zip code with an exclusive invite.
Fans feel respected when you aren't filling their inboxes with things that don’t apply to them. That respect translates directly into open rates. With SMS and WhatsApp averaging 98% open rates, and our artists seeing well above industry averages on emails, OnPitch is the tool to build a hyper-targeted community.
When your message is relevant, you’re not just another person asking for something. You’re providing a thoughtfully planned update that actually applies to them.
