A structured set of daily, weekly, and monthly marketing tasks for an independent artist in India. Consistency in these routines compounds over time.
DAILY TASKS (10-20 minutes)
Social Media
- ✓Check Instagram notifications: reply to comments on recent posts (within 24 hours)
- ✓Check Instagram DMs: respond to fan messages and industry contacts (within 24 hours)
- ✓Post 1 Instagram Story (can be informal: studio update, what you're listening to, a question)
- ✓Engage genuinely with 5-10 posts from artists you respect, curators, media outlets, or fans (not just likes, meaningful comments)
- ✓Check and respond to YouTube comments on recent videos
- ✓Check Twitter/X mentions and respond if warranted
STREAMING MONITORING (during active release only)
- ✓Spot-check Spotify for Artists: streams, listener trend
- ✓Note any new playlist adds
WEEKLY TASKS (1-2 hours per week)
Content
- ✓Post 3-4 high-quality Instagram feed posts or Reels (per social media calendar)
- ✓Upload 1 YouTube video or Short (or schedule next video in queue)
- ✓Post 2-3 Twitter/X posts (announcements, reactions, industry conversation)
- ✓Draft captions for next week's scheduled posts
Press and Media
- ✓Check for any new press mentions (Google Alert for your artist name, set at: google.com/alerts)
- ✓Share any new press coverage on social media and tag the publication
- ✓If in active press campaign: follow up on any outstanding press submissions
INDUSTRY OUTREACH (as applicable)
- ✓Send 2-3 targeted playlist curator pitches (SubmitHub / Groover / direct DM)
- ✓Follow up on any pending booking or PR conversations
- ✓Check for upcoming festival or venue submission deadlines
Data Review
- ✓Review Instagram Insights for past week: what content performed best?
- ✓Check Spotify for Artists weekly summary
- ✓Note any changes in listener geography that affect touring or advertising plans
MONTHLY TASKS (2-4 hours per month)
Analytics
- ✓Complete Artist Audience Report (see Artist Audience Report Template)
- ✓Pull Instagram Insights export for the month
- ✓Pull YouTube Studio monthly summary
- ✓Check distributor royalty dashboard for new statements or payment notifications
- ✓Check IPRS portal for royalty accruals
- ✓Check PPL India portal for royalty accruals
- ✓Update Chartmetric monitoring: any new notable playlist adds?
Content Planning
- ✓Plan next month's social media calendar (see Social Media Calendar template)
- ✓Brief any collaborators (photographer, videographer, graphic designer) on upcoming needs
- ✓Review content performance: which pillars are resonating? What should be increased or cut?
Press and Media
- ✓Identify 3-5 new press/media targets and add to outreach list
- ✓If no new press this month, consider: what is the next pitchable story?
- ✓Update artist bio and one-sheet if anything significant has happened (new show, new release, new streaming milestone)
Industry Development
- ✓Review the upcoming festival calendar and identify submission deadlines
- ✓Identify 2-3 new venues, playlists, or brands to introduce yourself to next month
- ✓Check on open applications: festival slots, grant opportunities (see India Music Grants & Funding Guide)
Financial
- ✓Reconcile this month's marketing spend against budget
- ✓Record any new streaming or royalty income received
- ✓Note invoice and payment status for any outstanding PR, design, or production bills
QUARTERLY TASKS (1-2 days per quarter)
- ✓Complete full Artist Audience Report for the quarter
- ✓Marketing campaign post-mortem: what worked, what didn't, what changes for next quarter
- ✓Update one-sheet with current numbers
- ✓Review distribution platform performance: are you on the right platform for your needs?
- ✓Review PR relationship: is your current publicist / PR approach working?
- ✓Assess brand partnership opportunities: is there a brand alignment worth pursuing?
- ✓Plan next major release cycle: is the next release ready? When should campaign begin?
- ✓Review mailing list health: unsubscribe rate, open rate, list size
RELEASE WEEK SPECIFIC TASKS (see Single Release Plan and Album Release Plan Timeline for full detail)
Days Before Release
- ✓Final check: release live on distributor? Pre-save link working?
- ✓All social content scheduled and ready
- ✓Email/WhatsApp list notification ready to send
- ✓Press embargo confirmed with all media
Release Day
- ✓Confirm all platforms have release live by 6 AM IST
- ✓Send email/WhatsApp at 8 AM
- ✓Post Instagram main post, Reel, and Stories
- ✓YouTube premiere or video post live
- ✓Twitter/X announcement
- ✓Active on all platforms all day: respond, engage, celebrate
POST-RELEASE (Days 1-7):
- ✓Monitor streams daily
- ✓Share all press coverage as it goes live
- ✓Post fan reactions and UGC
- ✓One new piece of related content (acoustic snippet, live clip, behind-scenes)
A Note on Sustainability
This checklist represents the full marketing routine. Not every independent artist can execute every task every day without burning out. Prioritise as follows:
MINIMUM VIABLE ROUTINE (if time is very limited):
- ✓Daily: 1 Instagram Story + respond to comments
- ✓Weekly: 2 feed posts + 1 YouTube Short
- ✓Monthly: Review data + plan next month
Active Release Routine
Add the full release-week protocol and increase daily social activity for the 4 weeks around any release.
As your team grows (manager, social media help, PR), delegate the routine tasks. Your time as the artist is best spent creating.
Checklist owner: Month: Last reviewed:
Free to use · Part of the Indie Music India toolkit · Updated September 2026