Creative Juice

Should you focus your music marketing before your release or after it drops? We get this question all the time. The real answer? You need both...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa break down how to build an effective release plan that actually converts your fans' attention into impact! From stacking bonuses ahead of streaming drops to building experiences for your fans, learn how...

More and more it seems like "Direct to Fan" is having a moment in the music industry...but it's not a new concept and a lot of what you're hearing about it misses the point entirely...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa set the record straight on what "direct to fan" really means for artists. We unpack the buzz around D2F in the industry, the confusion with D2C models, and how to...

Going viral and building momentum with your fans online is important but what you do after those moments can make your marketing count...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa unpack what to do once you've started getting attention online, whether it's from a viral video or slow, steady growth over time! Learn how artists get stuck in the murky middle when building a fan base, chasin...

Want a masterclass in fan engagement? Not everything you see in the music industry is worth copying, but now and then, artists' release strategies really stand out...   In this episode of Creative Juice , Jack and Circa break down Jon Bellion's release strategy for Father Figure and why it's one of the coolest fan-focused rollouts we've seen in a while! Learn about Jon's dedication to his email li...

As artists grow, it's easy to let the little things slide. It's the artists who stay locked in on the details who see long-term success...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa dig into the small tweaks that lead to big results as your music career grows. Learn about how email and text personalization, fan recognition, and better messaging habits are a superpower that the best artist...

As artists grow, it's easy to let the little things slide. It's the artists who stay locked in on the details who see long-term success...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa dig into the small tweaks that lead to big results as your music career grows. Learn about how email and text personalization, fan recognition, and better messaging habits are a superpower that the best artist...

What's up Indies welcome back to Creative Juice, this is the podcast where we cover growing and monetizing your fan base and building your music career with marketing strategies that are working RIGHT NOW based on what we see every day at our music marketing agency and across our community of thousands of artists and bands, I hope you enjoy and subscribe. I'm your host Jack McCarthy and with me as...

"How about TikTok?" It's one of the most common questions we get from artists and their teams when talking about running ads...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa dig into how we run TikTok Ads at our music marketing agency IndieX—where they fit, when we use them, and how to get results without burning cash! Learn why we don't use TikTok Ads for testing, how we rely on organic con...

In a noisy music industry, artists often find themselves stuck, spinning their wheels with different advice, and not knowing what steps to take to actually hit their goals. And it's not your fault...   In part two of this Creative Juice conversation, Jack sits down with IndieFounder Lead Strategist Jonah McLean to dig deeper into marketing systems that help artists hit their goals! Learn about gro...

Can music marketing actually help you hit your goals or is it just more noise in an already distracted industry?   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack is joined by IndieFounder Lead Strategist Jonah McLean to answer that question with real stories from artists who hit their goals and the marketing that helped them! Learn how to stay authentic in your marketing without losing effectiveness, how...

Many artists miss a fundamental business truth. Turning one-time buyers into lifelong customers and building your fan base year over year is where real growth happens.   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa share strategies and stories about how to keep your fans coming back for more after they've made their first purchase! Learn the three ways to grow a business, why high-ticket offe...

Getting fans to follow you is one thing — getting them to buy from you is another. But when you do it right, it can change everything for your music career...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa share stories of converting fans into first time customers and different ways we've seen it happen! Learn how to expand your playbook with offers that actually fit your brand, use live show...

Ever feel stuck wondering when (and how) to actually make offers to your fans? Most artists either rush it... or never do it at all!   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa have a candid conversation about timing your calls to action and why so many artists struggle to get it right! Learn about what needs to be in place before you make an offer, why attention alone isn't enough, and ho...

Is your marketing starting to feel stale? Not sure how to get better results or break out of a creative rut? It might be time to run some tests... In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa break down 3 split tests we've run at IndieX so that you can run them to improve your own music marketing with data-driven decisions! Learn how to compare interest targeting groups vs individual ad sets,...

Starting with a small fan base online and want to see that number grow? The right content strategy can be a major unlock for artists...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa are joined by IndieX Strategist and As December Falls guitarist Ande Hunter, who shares the story of their song "Therapy" going viral across social media! Learn about the three-step process that helped triple the...

What if music is the attention-getter in your career but not the main value driver? If this seems out of this world, it might deserve a deeper look...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa dive into the marketing behind Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco's new album "I Said I Love You First" and unpack the concept of features, benefits, and storytelling to your fans! Learn about her brand...

The music industry is famous for being extremely litigious. And now in 2025, it's more complex than ever, and knowing the legal ins and outs is critical for artists...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa are joined by music lawyer Ryan Schmidt to dive deep into the music industry's legal landscape in 2025! Ryan shares his unique journey from artist to attorney and discusses why he...

Ever heard the saying "the fortune is in the follow-up"? It's a core principle in marketing, but applying it to a music career can feel a bit strange for artists...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa talk about how to follow up with fans in automated sequences and our go-to follow up practices that we install for our clients for you to swipe! Learn to build engagement sequences th...

Are you reaching all your fans effectively or just casting a wide net and hoping for the best? Segmenting and targeting your fans is a tactic everyone LOVES to talk about but rarely gets right...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa demystify fanbase segmentation in digital marketing, how to do it effectively, and what it means for your music career! Learn the real differences betwe...

Are you crafting your artist brand, or is it unintentionally crafting you? For artists, it's easy to fall into traps that strip away your identity, especially online...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa tackle the tall task of developing a three-dimensional artist brand that's authentic to you! Learn the difference between emotional and visual branding, the risks associated with...

Looking to grow your studio business in today's rapidly evolving music industry? Or maybe you're an artist curious about what you can learn about branding outside the norms of music marketing?   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa sit down with Carl Bahner, a seasoned producer, engineer, drummer, and educator, to dive deep into the world of marketing and branding for studio professio...

Ready to take your music career to the next level this year? Whether you're an artist just starting out or looking to scale up, understanding where to focus your efforts can make all the difference...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa dive into the specific needs of artists at different stages of their careers! Learn how to identify your current needs, and what steps you can take...

Wondering what products to sell and how to market them to your fans so they ACTUALLY sell? It's one of the most common questions we hear from artists...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa unpack the top-selling offers from our IndieX agency artists last year to give you insights and inspiration for your own offers! Learn about value stacking, the patterns around these offers, crea...

Does all the talk around AI and music have you feeling doom and gloom? Is there no hope? You're not alone, so take a deep breath...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa open up a philosophical discussion about AI, the future of creative businesses, and where this whole dang thing might be headed! Learn what Andy Warhol can teach you about processes in your creative work, how to use...

Are you making simple mistakes in your music marketing? Many artists don't even know what to look out for...   In this episode of Creative Juice, Jack and Circa put a magnifying glass on common strategic and tactical mistakes that artists need to avoid in their marketing! Learn about myths around oversaturation, bad targeting choices and trigger cities, missed opportunities for fan engagement, and...