22/07/2026
20x more streams and 30x more saves in under two months, bullet proof attribution: PAID MEDIA CASE STUDY
We used strategically managed Digital Ads (Meta) to drive measurable increases in streams, saves and sustained listener growth for a new client.
Our impact on Daily Consumption:
- Since ads launched on June 3, daily streams have averaged 3,381 versus 624 in the pre-ads period — a 5.4x lift ( +442% ) — while daily saves jumped from an average of 30 to 249, an 8.2x lift ( +720% ).
- That works out to roughly £0.04 per stream
- Streams also kept climbing for two weeks after our spend peaked (July 2), suggesting the campaign built momentum beyond its immediate spend window rather than just driving same-day activity.
Our impact on Total Consumption:
- Before ads launched (May 21–June 2, 13 days), the track generated 8,106 total streams and 394 total saves.
- After ads launched (June 3–July 20, 48 days), the track generated 162,283 total streams and 11,930 total saves.
- That's 154,177 more streams and 11,536 more saves in the ad period — roughly 20x the stream volume and 30x the save volume of the pre-ad period, even accounting for the longer time window.
- The pre-ads period was 13 days versus 48 days with ads running — meaning the ad period was 3.7x longer (269% more days) — however , the period with ads delivered 20x the total streams and 30x the total saves, well beyond what the extra time alone could explain.
What if Scenario: What would streams and saves have looked like without our campaign?
- Based on the data we have available, if the track had kept performing at its pre-ads daily pace with no campaign, those same 48 days would have produced only about 29,930 streams and 1,455 saves — instead we generated 162,283 streams and 11,930 saves, a lift of +442% on streams and +720% on saves, meaning the campaign is directly responsible for roughly 132,350 additional streams and 10,475 additional saves that would not have happened otherwise.
Conclusion:
- The campaign clearly accelerated both listening and saving well beyond the organic baseline.
- Strong, compounding return on ad spend.
- There is clear attribution between Meta ad spend and both daily and total streams and saves.
- The impact of our campaigns compounds because meaningful listener discovery drives long-term fanbase growth.
- Daily saves are a key indicator of meaningful listener discovery, reflecting intent to return and listen again.
- This case study demonstrates how effective paid media can be for artists, labels and promoters when executed strategically. We apply the same methodology to ticket and merchandise sales, focusing on measurable business outcomes and scalable return on investment rather than vanity metrics.
***
Playliveartist are direct-to-fan and digital advertising specialists. We help artists, managers, labels, venues and festivals grow audiences and generate more revenue through strategic paid media. [email protected]
