An Electronic Press Kit, known in the music industry as an EPK, is your digital business card as an artist. Your EPK should contain all the relevant info a promoter would need to decide if they will book you or not. If you’re an artist who’s just starting out and just got asked for one, you might be a bit confused as to how to make one, and what kind of info to include. Fear not - here’s Stagent’s guide to making an EPK!
To start, you need an excellent biography that tells everyone who you are. You shouldn’t make it too long or too short - two paragraphs is an ideal length for someone to read before they get bored. Make sure to note your past achievements and focus on what you’re working on now. Work with some friends and ask around to fine-tune your bio, and you’ll have a great one in no time.
Good press pictures are a must as well. Promoters need to know what you look like before they book you! Reserve some studio time with a professional photographer and think about your image. These pictures will stick with you forever, so make sure that you think through how you want to come across in terms of clothing, hairstyle, facial expression, and the editing of the picture. Make sure you know what you want before you book the session and communicate it clearly to the photographer.
The next step is actually to create the EPK itself. EPKs are usually a PDF file or a website with embedded links. Unless you’re a design pro, you’ll want to hire a graphic designer to help you out with this part. If you don’t have a logo for your artist brand yet, this is an excellent opportunity to find someone who can help you out in multiple ways. You want to come across as slick and professional, and having someone who is fully immersed in the world of design can be very valuable here.
There is no set format for an EPK, so feel free to get creative with your designer. The most important things to include are the bio, press pictures, your logo, a list of releases with links to them, and clickable links to your social media channels, but if you have more ideas, shoot for the stars! Remember to keep it nice and simple, highlight the important information, give anyone who finds it easy access to your music and social media, and that it works flawlessly.
Ultimately, an EPK is a snapshot of you as an artist at the time of creation. Promoters need to have everything in one central place, as they’re busy with lots of artists trying to get booked. Your job is to make your message stand out and to get it out there in as concise of a manner as possible. It’s a good idea to keep updating your EPK over time and to try out new designs every year. Most important of all - make sure it represents your best self.
