Guide ·
Create a DistroKid Pre-Save Link (HyperFollow) and Share It
Find your DistroKid HyperFollow link, use it as a Spotify pre-save before release day, and share it on Instagram and in your bio.
In this guide
The short answer
DistroKid's pre-save link is called HyperFollow, and you don't have to build it. DistroKid says a HyperFollow page is created automatically for every upload, it's free, and it's available to all DistroKid artists. Upload your release, copy the page's URL, and share that instead of a plain Spotify link.
Below: how the link behaves before and after release day, where to find it, where to post it, and what it can't do. For the wider plan around a release, see our guide to promoting music on Instagram.
What a HyperFollow link does before release day
DistroKid's launch post for HyperFollow (March 30, 2018) explains the idea. You share the HyperFollow link, for example on Instagram or Facebook, instead of sending fans straight to Spotify. Fans click one button and go to Spotify. That click follows your Spotify profile and saves the release to their library.
If your release is uploaded to DistroKid but not live yet, the page works as a pre-save. DistroKid detects when the release goes live, adds the follows and saves, and emails those fans.
Each page also has an embedded Spotify player. DistroKid says it gives you page-visit and follower stats, city-level location data and anonymized demographics.
One caution: DistroKid's support article says some HyperFollow pages won't have pre-save functionality or automatic release link updates, and that those pages can be used for purposes other than music. The part of that article we could read didn't say which pages those are. If your page doesn't act as a pre-save, contact DistroKid support.
Find your HyperFollow link
DistroKid's own help page, What Is HyperFollow, is the place to confirm current menu names, because DistroKid changes its dashboard. The steps below come from a third-party walkthrough by Dynamoi, not from DistroKid's documentation.
- Log in to DistroKid.
- Open the release. Dynamoi says this works even while the release is still processing.
- Find the HyperFollow section.
- Copy the URL.
Paste the link into your notes app or message it to yourself before you do anything else. You'll use it in several places.
Where to share the link
Use the HyperFollow URL anywhere you would have pasted a Spotify link.
- Your Instagram bio. Our guide to adding a link to your Instagram bio covers the steps.
- Posts and Stories. Tell people the song is coming and where to save it. Facebook is named in DistroKid's own launch post.
- Your TikTok and YouTube bios, if you have them.
- Messages and emails to people who already follow you.
RouteNote's pre-save article says pre-saves aren't essential, and it recommends giving fans a reason to use one. Its ideas: a preview, a competition, unlockable content, an email signup or early access. Post a short clip of the song with the link, and say what saving does for you.
What changes on release day
You don't need to swap the link. DistroKid detects the release going live and delivers the saved follows to fans. An ARIS Take review also says the page converts to live links on release day, and that its pre-save works on Spotify only, with Apple Music links added on the live page. DistroKid's own post only describes Spotify, so check its help page before you promise Apple Music users anything.
Keep sharing the same link after launch. Fans who click then get the Spotify button and the player.
Know the limits before you run ads
Dynamoi's guide lists these limits of HyperFollow. They are one writer's findings, so test them on your own page.
- It doesn't natively support a Meta Pixel, so you can't retarget people who clicked but didn't save.
- It doesn't collect emails directly, and customization is limited.
- Pixel-enabled Smart Links, such as Feature.fm and Linkfire, let you change the background, button text and store order.
DistroKid's 2018 post says opt-in fan emails are available only on its Musician Plus and Ultimate plans. That wording is old, so plan names and prices may have changed. Check your plan before you count on it.
| Situation | Better fit (per Dynamoi) |
|---|---|
| First release, no ad budget | HyperFollow |
| Running paid ads, want retargeting | Pixel-enabled Smart Link |
Dynamoi gives that as its opinion. For more on running a campaign, read our guide to Spotify pre-save campaigns for musicians and our overview of Spotify pre-saves.
How this works with Olaa
Your HyperFollow link is one link, but a release has more to point at. Olaa is a link in bio tool: one short link, olaa.im/yourname, opening a page with everything you want people to find. Put it in your bio, and put the HyperFollow link at the top of that page.
On the free plan you can add unlimited links and featured cards, and play music or video on the page with Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo and TikTok players. That means your pre-save link, an older single and a music video can sit together on one page. The free plan also includes 7 days of analytics.
Olaa Pro ($8 a month or $72 a year) fills one gap mentioned above. It adds email signups sent to Mailchimp, so you can collect addresses without HyperFollow doing it. It also adds countdowns and scheduled links, and products from Stripe, Etsy, Shopify or Gumroad. See Olaa for musicians and pricing for details.
Questions people ask
Is DistroKid's pre-save link free?
Yes. DistroKid says HyperFollow is a free promotional tool available to all DistroKid artists. A page is created automatically for every upload.
Can I create a pre-save before my song is live?
Yes. DistroKid says that if a release is uploaded but not yet live, the HyperFollow page works as a pre-save. It adds the follows and saves when the release goes live, and emails those fans. The exact lead time you need before the release date isn't something we could confirm.
Does a DistroKid pre-save work on Apple Music?
That's unclear. DistroKid's launch post only describes Spotify, and an ARIS Take review says pre-save works on Spotify only. RouteNote adds that pre-save functionality varies by music service. Check DistroKid's help page for its current position.
Can I collect fan emails with HyperFollow?
Not directly, according to Dynamoi. DistroKid's 2018 post says opt-in fan emails are available on the Musician Plus and Ultimate plans, but that may be out of date. If you want to collect emails on your link in bio page, Olaa Pro sends signups to Mailchimp.
Can I run Meta ads to my HyperFollow link?
You can send people to it, but Dynamoi says HyperFollow doesn't natively support a Meta Pixel. That means no retargeting of people who clicked but didn't save. A pixel-enabled Smart Link is the alternative it suggests for ad campaigns.
Can I edit the HyperFollow page?
We couldn't confirm which parts you can edit, such as artwork, text or the URL. Dynamoi describes customization as limited. DistroKid's help page is the place to check.
Make your page
One link for everything you make.
Free to start, ready in a few minutes. Your links, your look, your name: olaa.im/you.