Growing a band's email list with a free virtual gig

The challenge

Followers on social media aren't really a band's fans to keep - the platform decides who sees each post. An email list fixes that: fans who sign up are the ones most likely to buy, and their email addresses let a band show adverts to exactly those people. esOterica needed a simple reason for fans to sign up - and one that would keep working long after launch day.

What I did

• Built a page that gives fans free access to a virtual live show in return for their email address, designed to work on any phone
• Connected the sign-up form to the band's own mailing list, so the fan data belongs to the band
• Set up tracking to record every sign-up and show which posts and adverts bring people in
• Tagged sign-ups from city-specific adverts with the fan's city (Berlin, Warsaw or Prague), so the band can follow up with fans by city
• Used the list to create audiences for Facebook and Instagram adverts aimed at fans who had already signed up

The result

The page has been live since July 2025 and is still collecting sign-ups. Because it isn't tied to a release date, the band can share it any time - in posts, adverts or from stage - and every fan who signs up can be reached directly for the next release or show, without relying on an algorithm to show them a post.