Pre-Save Campaigns Explained: What They Are and How to Run One

A pre-save lets fans save your song or album before it comes out. When release day arrives, it's already in their library, so they hear it without needing to remember to look for it. It's one of the simplest ways to turn hype before a release into listens after it.

How a pre-save works

You share a pre-save link before release day. A fan opens it, picks their streaming service and confirms. Depending on the service, the release is added to their library or a playlist when it comes out, or they get a reminder. The exact behaviour varies by platform, and some ask fans to log in or grant permission first.

Why bother

• Day-one listens: fans who pre-saved hear the song when it drops, which is when a release needs momentum most.
• A reason to post: a pre-save gives you something to share in the weeks before release.
• A sense of who's interested: many pre-save tools show how many people pre-saved.

How to get a pre-save link

Pre-save links come from your distributor or a music marketing tool, not from the streaming services directly. Most distributors offer them as part of a release. You'll usually need:

• The release already delivered to your distributor
• The release date and artwork
• Sometimes the track's codes, like its ISRC or the release's UPC

Lead times vary, so check your distributor's guidance. Set it up as early as you can.

Put it on your link page

Once you have the link, make it the first thing on your page:

• Title it clearly: "Pre-save Paper Moons, out Friday"
• Add a countdown to release day right above or below it
• Keep your other links lower, so the pre-save stands out

On LiteLinks, countdowns are on the Lite plan, and free accounts can choose them as their one unlocked embed type.

Promote it

Mention the pre-save every time you post about the release:

• The announcement: artwork, date, "pre-save in bio"
• Short clips of the song
• Behind-the-scenes posts
• A "one week to go" and "tomorrow" reminder
• An email to your mailing list

Ask collaborators and featured artists to share the same link.

Swap it on release day

On release day, the pre-save has done its job. Replace it with the listening link straight away, ideally a smart link that sends each fan to their own app. On LiteLinks Pro, you can schedule the pre-save to end and the listen link to start at midnight, so the page switches on its own.

For the full launch plan, see the music release day checklist and link in bio ideas for musicians.