When promoting your releases, pre-orders, pre-saves, and smart links can be powerful tools. Understanding the purpose of each and how to leverage their features will help you maximize their impact.
Pre-order
A pre-order is an option that allows you to make your release available for sale before the official release date. Customers can see the release name, artwork, and tracks before the release. Using this feature, your fans can lock in their purchase of your release before it even comes out. See how to set up a pre-order.
Pre-save
A pre-save link promotes an upcoming release before it’s available. Fans can 'pre-save' the release to their preferred streaming service (like Spotify, Apple Music, or Deezer). Once the release goes live, it automatically appears in their library or playlists. Some services, like feature.fm, will automatically convert the pre-save link to a smart link once the release is live.
Smart Link
A smart link is a shareable landing page that collects all the platforms where your release is available. Fans choose their preferred streaming or download service (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, etc.) and are redirected to that platform. This is similar to a pre-save link, but the release is already live.
We have two options under Marketing ► Client Offerings that you can use for your pre-saves/Smart links: Hypeddit and Feature.fm. These tools are incredibly convenient because you can create pre-save links without the need for a URI/URL. Instead, you can utilize the UPC (and sometimes ISRC) to generate them.
Comparison Chart
| Feature | Pre-Order Link | Pre-Save Link | Smart Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| When it’s used | Before release | Before release | After release (sometimes also pre-release add-ons) |
| Purpose | Let fans purchase in advance (digital stores like iTunes) | Let fans save upcoming release to their streaming library | Give fans one place to access all platforms |
| Fan action | Pay in advance → download on release day | “Pre-save” → release auto-appears in library | Click → choose platform to listen/download |
| Works on | Digital download stores (iTunes, Amazon, etc.) | Streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer) | Streaming & download platforms (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, YouTube, etc.) |
| Expires? | Still valid after release (becomes purchase link) | Depending on the service, it will convert to Smart link and will still be valid after release | Stays useful as long as release is live |
| Benefit | Generates early sales and chart positioning | Builds hype and ensures day-one streams | Simplifies sharing and maximizes reach |
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