0 to 100k streams on ‘Worry’ using Tik Tok

A case study by KZ

Who is KZ?

What’s up everyone - I first want to say thank you for being

here and taking the time to want to invest in yourself. I’m a
28 year-old artist/entrepreneur living in Hot Atlanta, GA.
Literally.. It’s so hot here and it gets even warmer when I
have to turn off my AC to record music!

I LOVE all things marketing, sales, and being able to create

opportunities out of thin air. All of the music that I create is
from my tiny bedroom with my brother, Scotty Z. He’s an
Environmental Engineer by day and happens to be the
mastermind engineer behind all of the music that we make.
We’re pro-independent and have almost 7 million streams on all of our songs on Spotify
combined. We still have a long way to go but I want to use my platform as a way to help and
encourage others. I know how it feels to have a clear vision, but not know how to get there. This
case study will teach you the exact way I got my song, ‘Worry’, to 100k streams on Spotify and
500+ videos on Tik Tok with no paid advertisement.

STEP 1: Create a catchy song with a good message

● When you want to have a successful song, it’s very important to focus on making good
music first. I feel like this is something that shouldn’t have to be said, but it’s truly evident
that good music always spreads itself.

STEP 2: Post snippets of your new song on Tik Tok before it’s
released
● In the middle of March 2020, I was unfortunately laid off from my
full-time job due to COVID-19. My song ‘Worry’ was actually
created months before this pandemic, but the timing was perfect.
● People LOVE when you’re vulnerable and sharing your story. I
didn’t have many followers on Tik Tok, but I started to share my
story on the app. For example, I created a couple videos around
losing my job and giving my full attention to music. Here’s one of
my first videos that blew up with the ‘Worry’ sound before it was
released on streaming platforms.
● I made about 10-20 videos around the song on Tik Tok before it
was released on music platforms!

STEP 3: Pick a release date and upload your music to streaming platforms
● It’s very easy to upload your music to streaming platforms. You can upload your music to
Distrokid using my link here to get 7% off your upload. My recommendation is that you
upload your song using Distrokid about 2 weeks before you plan to release it. This will
give Distrokid plenty of time to make sure your release goes live at the right time.
● Make sure you select ‘upload music to all stores’ so you don’t miss out on any streaming
opportunities!

STEP 4: Create a pre-save link for your release and hype

it up to your fans
● Why is this important to create a pre-save link? You
want to create a pre-save link for your release
because it helps trigger Spotify’s algorithm. For
example, if lots of people pre-save your song, you’ll
rank higher on Spotify’s organic playlists like
Discover Weekly and Release Radar.
 ● Put your pre-save link in your Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube bios, and any other
social media platforms that you might use.
● You can create a pre-save link for free using Distrokid and Feature.fm is a great website
to use too!
● Speak directly to your audience and create content to let your followers know that they
are able to pre-save your release. Share your excitement about the song and they will
be even more excited for your release!

STEP 5: Go live, use your official sound, and tell more stories about your release on Tik
Tok
● On April 1st, I released ‘Worry’ and I was live on Tik Tok with my supporters. This made
everyone feel more excited and passionate about sharing the song.
● The day your song goes live on streaming platforms, it will also be available for you and
your fans to use on Tik Tok. This is very important so you receive credit for your song
and people can go directly from Tik Tok to listen to your song on streaming platforms.

STEP 6: Continue to tell stories and create content for your release
● I feel like there’s no such thing as ‘too much content’ for your song especially within the
first month of releasing it.
● I continued to create creative content that told stories around my release. I made
probably around 50-100 videos to my song ‘Worry’. For example, this story video I made
blew up and I received a MASSIVE spike in streams that day.
● Whenever your video blows up a little bit using your sound, people will naturally start to
use your song in their tik toks. As you can see in the image on the first page of this case
study, almost 600 videos have been made to ‘Worry’ without any paid promotion. This is
100% free!
STEP 7: Create merchandise for your release if the song starts to perform well
● After 1 month of my release, the song had 20k+ streams so I knew that people were
enjoying the song.
● You can create a design, upload your artwork, and sell merchandise directly on
Teespring!
● I crafted ‘Worry’ merch and sold 48 products that made $568 in profit. The best part
about Teespring is that there are 0 startup costs and you don’t have to fulfill the orders
yourself. You simply just market the products, sell them, and Teespring does the rest!

FINAL RECAP:
● ‘Worry’ is now my 2nd most popular song on
my Spotify thanks to this Tik Tok approach!
● Making good music should be your #1 priority
and I promise the results will come.
● Don’t over think your approach. Instead,
focus on making content that tells a story so
you’re able to connect with your audience!
 ● Don’t ever give up, stay patient, and be open to trying new things! I encourage you to
take what you learned from me and add your own spin to it. The music and marketing
landscape is always changing and I know that you can be successful too!

Connect with KZ:

● Email: kzwavymusic@gmail.com
● IG / Twitter / TikTok: @kzwavy
● Youtube.com/keithzadig

Feel free to message me on social media platforms with any questions that you have because
I’d love to help! Keep it Wavy!