Here’s something every gigging musician learns sooner or later: the people who book shows and write about music are busy. When your link lands in a booker’s inbox or a blogger’s DMs, you usually get one quick look before they move on to the next act.
That’s where a good electronic press kit (EPK) comes in very handy. Done well, it gives bookers and media everything they need to book you for their venue in one place, which makes saying yes to you a lot easier.
Bandzoogle recently updated a handy guide on exactly this topic, The 8 things that should be in every band’s electronic press kit by Julia Kater.
I’ve pulled together the key points below, along with a few tips of my own from years of playing gigs, pitching music and building websites.
What is an EPK, and why does it still matter?
An EPK is the online version of the promo pack musicians used to post out to venues, festivals and talent buyers. These days it lives on your website as a single page you can link to from any email or booking form.
As Bandzoogle points out, you can use your EPK to land gigs, build interest in a new release, and get your music in front of journalists and bloggers. It can also grow as your career does, or get a refresh every time you put out something new.
The big advantage is control. Instead of sending a pile of attachments and hoping the right one gets opened, you send one link that shows you at your best.
The 8 essentials…
1. Artist bio
Bandzoogle suggests opening your EPK with your bio, starting with a quick elevator pitch: who you are, what kind of music you make, and something recent you’re proud of.
Because bookers and festivals ask for bios of different lengths, it’s worth having a few versions ready, from a one-liner up to several paragraphs. You can offer these as downloads, or put a medium-length bio on the page itself.
My take: Write your first paragraph so it works on its own. Plenty of people will copy just that bit into a gig listing or festival program, so make sure it says everything that matters.
2. Promo photos
Include a mix of posed shots and live photos that show your energy on stage. If you’re pushing a new release, add images that match its look, plus the cover art.
Cover the formats people actually need: portrait and landscape, at least one black and white image, a wide shot with room to crop, and a square-friendly option for social posts. Show thumbnails on the page and link each one to a high-res download.
My take: Name your files clearly, something like artistname-live-2026.jpg, and include a photo credit. It saves the person on the other end from guessing, and photographers appreciate the shout-out.
3. Music
Lead with your strongest tracks. A booker or music supervisor might only hear the first song or two, so don’t make them dig.
Use a player that streams full tracks with one click, and add a short description of your sound. That gives writers a starting point in your own words, or you can use a quote from a reviewer or DJ that sums you up well.
Bandzoogle also suggests building a separate EPK around a single album or release when you have a campaign running.
My take: Think about who’s listening. A venue booker wants to know you’ll get a room moving, so lead with your most crowd-pleasing song. A blogger may respond better to your most distinctive track.
4. Video
Media sites like to embed videos in their articles, and venues and festivals use them to sell shows. Pick a few of your best clips and swap out older ones as you go. For booking, live footage is king. For a release, a music video or lyric video for the lead single does the job.
My take: Two or three strong videos beat ten average ones. If your best live clip was filmed on a phone in a dark pub, it might be time to get a decent one shot.
5. Press and reviews
Give your media coverage its own section rather than leaving it scattered across social posts. Good reviews add credibility and give people a reason to press play. Keep it tidy: pull the best line from each review, name the source, and link to the full article.
My take: Newer artists often skip this section because they don’t have much press yet. Don’t. Community radio play, a feature on a local blog, or a kind word from a venue you’ve played can all go here.
6. Highlights and achievements
Treat this as your music CV. Awards and nominations, radio airplay, streaming milestones, big YouTube numbers, support slots with major acts and festival appearances all belong here. Stick to your biggest and most relevant wins, and update the list as new ones happen.
My take: Keep it short and recent. Five strong lines will do more for you than a long list going back fifteen years.
7. Social and streaming links
Link to the platforms where you’re actually active and that show you best right now. If a release is the focus, streaming links may be enough. If you’ve got a strong following on Instagram or TikTok, include those too, since curators and bookers like to see real engagement.
My take: A dead account does more harm than no account at all. If you haven’t posted somewhere in a year, leave it off.
8. Contact information
Make it easy to get in touch. A contact form or an email address both work, as long as people can find it without hunting. If you have a team, list separate contacts for your agent, manager or publicist. If you’re doing it all yourself, give your main email for press and bookings.
My take: Set up a dedicated address like bookings@yourname.com. It looks more professional than a personal Gmail and makes these emails easier to spot in a busy inbox.
Beyond the eight: extras worth adding
The essentials will cover most situations, but a few extras can make your EPK work even harder.
- Keep an industry-only version. In the comments on the original post, a Bandzoogle team member suggests a dedicated EPK page that’s hidden from your site menu, so only people with the link can see it. It’s a good way to share unreleased tracks with industry before fans hear them, and it comes across as more professional.
- Make release-specific EPKs. When you have a single or album campaign on, a focused page built around that release keeps the message clear.
- Add a stage plot and tech rider if you play live. Sound engineers and venues will thank you, and it cuts down the back-and-forth emails before the gig.
- List upcoming shows. It shows you’re active and gives bookers a sense of where and how often you’re playing.
- Check it on your phone. Plenty of bookers will open your link on mobile first, so make sure photos load quickly and the music player works on a small screen.
Keeping your EPK working for you
Treat your EPK as a living page, not a one-off job. Every new release, tour or bit of press is a reason to update it.
A simple habit helps: set a reminder every three months to check your bio, swap in fresh photos and videos, and clear out anything outdated.
It’s also worth thinking about who, or what, is reading your EPK. More and more people use search engines and AI tools to look up artists before booking them or writing about them.
Clear headings, accurate text and properly labelled photos make it easier for those tools to get your details right. A tidy, current EPK keeps working for you even when you’re not the one sending the link.
Wrapping up
Your EPK is your pitch, your CV and your first impression, all rolled into one link. Get these eight essentials in place, add the extras that suit your act, and keep it current.
If you don’t have an EPK yet, set aside an afternoon this week to build one. If you already have one, open it up and check it against this list. Chances are there’s at least one thing worth fixing.
Source: The 8 things that should be in every band’s electronic press kit.