How To Set Up A Catch-All Page For Solo/Band Gigs

Adam Johnson

So on Episode 147 we talked about setting up ways to maximize opportunities for tips and minimize friction for potential tippers. The easiest way to do that is to set up a QR code on your song list or signage that directs people to your PayPal/Venmo information.  With the majority of people not carrying cash its a really simple method of giving people MORE opportunities to pay you money.

Now having links to your payment info is great, but what if there was a similar way to give people more information using the same method? One way to do that is Linktree, a freemium service that allows you to set up a link page for all of your pertinent information.  So not only could you have your payment info, but you also can link to your social media accounts, any merch you may have online, and any other page you wish to share with your audience!

The response from the episode was overwhelming!  It was easily one of the most popular episodes of recent and we got a lot of feedback from listeners who took those suggestions to heart and set up similar links for their own bands!

After thinking about this set up and doing some more research I have decided that while Linktree is an awesome service, it is not the best option for this kind of thing.
YOUR WEBSITE IS.

Now, if you currently don't have a website (which you absolutely should), then by all means, use Linktree or any other one of these kinds of services. But, if you have a band site already, you should set up a Linktree-styled page that is not a part of your navigation for this kind of thing.

Setting up a page like this on your existing site is fairly easy and better than a 3rd party page for a few reasons.  

The main reason is TRAFFIC.  By setting up a link to your band's website, you are drawing traffic to it in a way that usually isn't possible when playing a gig.

By putting a QR code on your song list or creating some signage you are pushing more eyeballs to your band’s site, which in turn allows you to capture additional information and improve the site's SEO.

This is from the first night I used the QR/Linktree link at my gig.

The other reason is CUSTOMIZATION.  Linktree has a great feature set and the PRO version adds more options and analytics but it is still limited to certain things.  Setting up my own page on my site (hosted by Squarespace) allowed me to put my full song list as an option, as well as things like setting up text messages* so the audience can send in requests without ever having to leave their table! 
Those two details alone make doing this on your own site a superior option.

One other thing to consider is the best method to get your audience to these links.  The easiest way is to implement signage at your shows.  This can be as simple as a QR code on your tip jar, or going to a sign store and getting a custom poster or retractable sign with your details on it!  The following design is a 18”x24” poster I mount to my mic stand.

Any of these suggestions are a great way to take your existing solo or band gigs to the next level both in professionalism and engagement with your audience.  Most of these are free to set up and any paid services were paid back in tips the first time I used them.  If you have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at coverbandconfidential@gmail.com or submit a message on our contact page!


​*if you plan on using text messages I highly suggest setting up a google voice number for that purpose.