It couldn't be easier to create your own Smart Formats with Serenade by getting started through our Creator Platform.
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Just head over to serenade.co and sign up as a creator to start using the platform.

If you've watched the video above but want a bit more guidance, please follow the steps below and reach out to us if you have any more questions.

Once signed up to the Creator Platform, you'll be able to start creating your releases, add team members, purchase Smart Formats and more.

You'll also be able to build your entire release by uploading music and bonus content including videos, audio, images, files and more before making your release live.
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By following the steps below, you'll be on your way to creating a release that your fans are going to love!
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If you have team members you want to add to the Creator Platform to help with creating a release and adding content, simply click on 'Team' on the left hand side. Input the details required and an email will be sent inviting that team member to your team who will then have access to your releases.
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You're now ready to start creating a release! Click on 'Releases' in the top left and hit 'create your first release' to get started.
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You'll then be asked to add a release title and artist name before being taken to the details page.

It's all in the details. This important step will collect all the vital information you need to build your product and digital page that your Smart Format will be linked to.
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Here is a rundown of the options on this section and what to add:

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Choose a genre

Choose a genre that mostly fits your music (Note: this will not be displayed on the page)

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Add a description of the release

Think of this as an album pitch to your fans

What's Included

Add details of what bonus content will be included with your Smart Format - this could be anything from a thank you message, track by track voice notes, BTS images and videos, acoustic versions of songs, hi quality flac files of the album or anything in between.

Try to add this as bullet points so it's nice and clear.

Record label

The first box is a drop down to choose between the parent record label or whether you are an independent. The second box is for the actual name of the record label you are releasing under.

Website URL

If you have a website you want to shout about and be displayed, add the URL here.

Album cover artwork

Upload the image of the album cover you want to be displayed on your page. If you don't have album artwork yet, upload a placeholder that can be changed at a later date. All images must be in square format.

Release credits

If you want to add release credits for the overall album/release, switch the box to yes and click 'Add Credits'. You will then be given options of credit titles you can choose from and be able to add people to those credits. Press 'enter' after adding each name to confirm.

Release date

This is an important one - especially if you are planning for this release to be chart accredited as it will affect the on screen countdown on your release page and also the date that chart data would be sent to chart accreditation companies.

In the first box you can choose the time zone you want the date and time of your release to follow. The second box is to add the day of release and the third is for the specific time the album/release will go live.
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Please be aware that you can change this at any time if the release date changes - you will receive a pop up warning to confirm your release date the first time you enter one and subsequent times for any amendments.
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Sign in options

You now get to decide how people access your digital page after they tap your Smart Format against their phone.

Click 'Yes' on the slider to make fans sign in with an email address to claim their Smart Format - this is great for data collection if that's what your campaign is after but means the process of a fan getting to their content is a little longer.
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Click 'No' on the slider if you don't want fans to have to sign in to view content from their Smart Format - this is great if you want fans to have a more streamlined experience.
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For more details on these options, check out our guide here.

Chart accreditation

If you want your Smart Format to be chart accreditable, click 'Yes' on the slider. You will then be asked to add the chart bodies where you want to be chart accredited for this release.
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​IMPORTANT: Please read through this guide before clicking 'yes' to chart accreditation. Only certain releases will be eligible and there are additional steps you will have to perform in order to register with specific chart companies.

You will need to create and add a UPC in this section for chart accreditation (more guidance on this in the guide above). You can add this at a later data but it's better to add as soon as possible and at least a week before the album is set to be released at the latest.

Once all the above is completed, click 'Next' - you're current progress will be saved and you will move onto the next section - Content.

Now the fun part! Uploading the music and bonus content.
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If you click on the Content tab at the top of the creator platform, you will be taken to the page where you can start uploading content. Click on 'Album Release' to begin.
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NOTE: As you work your way through adding
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At he bottom of the content page you will see 8 selectable blocks - hover over each to see what they are. They each create a block when clicked that you can add specific content to. Once clicked they will appear as an editable block on your screen allowing you to choose options and upload content.

Once added, each block can be edited, moved, and deleted. As you upload content using these blocks, be sure to save your progress by clicking the 'Save' button at the bottom of the screen.
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You can also preview what your release page will currently look like as you build it out by clicking 'Preview' at the bottom of the page.

Let's look at each of these blocks below:

Click the tracklist block at the bottom of the content screen to start uploading album/ep tracks. Once the tracklist block appears on your screen, click 'Upload Album' to start uploading the music.
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Once you choose a track to upload, you will then see a progress bar as the track starts to upload. You can continue to add more tracks while others are uploading by clicking 'add track'.

You can also delete and tracks if you made a mistake, and drag and drop tracks into a different order if needed by holding down a mouse click on the 6 dots next to a track and dragging it to it's new position.
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Once you've uploaded all the tracks for your release, it's time to start editing the details for each track. Click on a track name and a new options box will appear to the right of your screen specifically for that track.
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With the new options box you can amend the following details for each track:
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The audio block is to add specific audio content that wouldn't sit under the actual album. This could include bonus tracks, voice notes, demos, and any other audio-only related bonus content.
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Click the audio block at the bottom of your screen and the block will appear on your page. You can now click 'upload audio' to upload any audio content.

Once uploaded, just like the tracks above, if you click on the audio name you will be able to use the side window to rename the track, what it's displayed as, whether it's streamable and/or downloadable and add any individual credits.
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The video block is to add any video content you want as bonus content. This could be 'Thank you' messages from the artist, BTS content, sound checks, full-length documentaries or anything in between.
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As usual, click the video block and it will be added underneath the previous block. Click on 'Upload video' to upload your content then click on the video name to access the additional options. Videos will be streamable as soon as they are uploaded and published but you have the option to turn off or on downloads for the video.

If you have any images you want available to the fans, this is where you upload them. Click on the image block and it will be added to your release. Upload any images in the usual way and then use the additional options by clicking on the image name to change the name, allow to download, or add credits.
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If you have additional content that is in the form of a PDF, DocX, or Zip File, this is where you upload them. Click on the File Block at the bottom of the screen to add to your release and upload in the usual way.
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Once something is uploaded, click on the file name within the release to see the additional options. You can amend the name, add an image for the file, set it as downloadable and add credits.
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If you have any additional text you want to display on your release page at a certain point, you can add a text block. Click on the Text Block at the bottom of the screen to add to your release and add your text by clicking on the word 'Text'. The usual additional options section will open where you can add your content.
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If you have anywhere you want to link to from your page, add a link block. Click on the Link Block at the bottom of the screen to add to your release and add your link by clicking 'click to add'. The usual additional options section will open where you can add your link.

Finally we have the divider block. If you want a little more space and a line between each of your blocks on your release, add a divider block. It's not necessary but some people like to have this aesthetic.

You can preview how your page is looking with your blocks at anytime by clicking the 'Preview' bottom at the bottom of the screen. Use this to make sure the release page looks how you want it too and move or remove content to your liking. Click save at any point to save your progress. You can come back ad amend at any point.
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Please also note, you can continue to add and amend content even after your release is live. Some artists like to continue giving fans more bonus content in the lead up to the release day and event after the release but these is no obligation to do so.
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If you have already purchased a Smart Format directly with Serenade via invoice, you can skip this part. Please speak with your Serenade contact when you're ready to publish
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If you have set up your release but you are yet to purchase a Smart Format, you can purchase one here.
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Instant purchases that can be paid for directly by card payment or invoice are Stickers and Clothing Tags. The rest of the products are made-to-order due to needing design work so click on the item and then press 'Get in Touch' and one of our team will be with you shortly to discuss next steps.
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Once you are happy with how your release is looking, you've added all the correct details and uploaded all your content you need at that moment, it's time to publish!

Before publishing, please contact Serenade to let them know you are ready so we can make sure everything is accurate and ready to go.
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This is especially important if your release is going to be chart eligible. It is also extremely important to make sure your release date is accurate and you are ready to publish at least a week before release.
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There are safety mechanisms in place where if your release date changes you can unpublish and amend to the new date.
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Once published, Serenade will make sure your physical Smart Formats are linked to your release so anyone tapping your products will be taken to the correct release.
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Congrats on your Serenade Smart Format release!
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The Serenade team is here to support you at any point during the above process. IF you need support or guidance, please contact us via support@serneade.co or reach out to the Serenade contact you have previously been using.
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