Where Indie Bands Should Advertise in 2025: Best Platforms for Merch Buyers & Growth
Where Should Bands Advertise in 2025?
The Real Breakdown — With Merch Buyer Data, Global Trends, and 2026 Predictions
Why This Guide Exists
Whether you're a band trying to sell your first T-shirt or looking to go global with your vinyl drops — this guide shows you where to advertise smart, not expensive. It's written for artists, fans, and indie labels trying to monetise music. If you're tired of vague advice and want real-world results, you're in the right place. We have compiled all the data right here, saving you masses of time.. Thank us by sharing this and following us on socials.. Go get stuck in!
Where This Data Comes From
This guide isn't just guesswork or recycled advice. It's built using real sales data, platform insights, and industry research from some of the most reliable sources available. At Phase B Records, we’ve analysed the numbers so you don’t have to — combining first hand merch buyer data with trusted external research to bring you practical, proven insights.
Sources We Used:
- Spotify for Artists – For data on fan geography, age groups, and discovery methods.
- Chartmetric – To track artist growth, playlist placements, and cross-platform performance.
- MIDiA Research – A leading firm in predicting digital music trends and audience shifts.
- Hootsuite Social Trends Reports – For social platform usage, ad format effectiveness, and demographic breakdowns.
- First-party data from Phase B Records – Including ad ROI, merch conversion rates, and real fan engagement.
- IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) – for global consumption trends
- Bandcamp Year in Review – indie fan spending behaviour
- Statista / DataReportal – platform usage by country, device, and age group
These sources helped shape the strategies in this guide — and made sure the tips here actually work.
The Best Platform to Advertise On in 2025
Instagram is still #1 for most bands when it comes to ROI, targeting merch buyers, and driving real-world support.
TikTok is unbeatable for reach and discovery, especially for emerging acts with no budget.
| Platform | Best For | Merch Buyer Reach | Organic Discovery | Ad Effectiveness | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merch sales, social proof | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Reliable, high conversion | |
| TikTok | Viral reach, casual fans | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | Fast growth, needs nurturing |
| YouTube | Deep engagement, music videos | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Great for long-term fanbuilding |
| Events, older fans (35+) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | Still relevant for some demos | |
| X (Twitter) | Opinions, updates | ⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐ | Low conversion |
Instagram: Still the Merch King in 2025
- Bands with merch do best on Instagram, especially with carousels, fan reposts, and Stories.
- 18–34 year-olds are still the biggest merch buyers, and they live on IG.
- Use Reels + carousel posts + link in bio to drive clicks to your shop.
Tips That Still Work:
- Always tag your products and pin top merch posts.
- Use story highlights to showcase fan posts, merch drops, and tour dates.
- Partner with micro-influencers in your genre for authentic boosts.
TikTok: Best for New Fans & Free Reach
- TikTok is a discovery engine, not a storefront — but you can still sell.
- Fan edits, live rehearsal clips, and duet-friendly posts do best.
- It’s a goldmine for bands without a following — the algorithm doesn’t care.
Top Tips:
- Link your merch in bio, whether this is your label like us or alternative merch supplier of your own.
- Pin your top 3 performing or best call-to-action videos.
- Respond to comments and DMs fast — TikTok rewards engagement.
- If you have multiple band member make sure everyone's on the case, liking, saving, sharing and commenting on your vids!
YouTube Shorts: High-Effort, High Reward
- Post your full songs or music videos to regular YouTube.
- Then cut the best 10–60 sec parts into Shorts.
- Viewers who like you often go down a rabbit hole and actually buy things.
YouTube fans are most likely to support via Bandcamp, vinyl or T-shirts.
Extra Tip: Use YouTube’s Community tab to poll fans and tease new music drops.
Facebook & X: Should You Bother?
- Facebook still matters if your fans are 35+ or you're running events.
- X (formerly Twitter) has low sales conversion but may help you get verified or noticed by press.
Best Uses:
- Facebook: post event links, gig recaps, or milestone merch updates.
- X: build industry clout, tag tastemakers, or share sharp takes or comments on the scene etc.
Recommended Ad Spend Strategy for Bands (Low Budget)
- 70% Instagram ads — focus on high-engagement merch posts.
- 20% TikTok boost posts — boost what already works.
- 10% Retargeting (Meta or Google) — catch fans who didn’t buy the first time.
Pro Tip: Don’t pay for followers. Boost your best-performing organic posts instead. And test small budgets before scaling.
Merch Buyer Insights (Global Breakdown)
We've only analysed the areas we sell to here, though we may update this later for true global reach!
| Region | Most used social App | Best platform to advertise | Top Merch buyer age | Avg. Annual Fan Spend on Merch & Music (GBP) | Avg. Annual Fan Spend (USD) | Est. Total Annual Spend (GBP) 2010 to 2025 | Est. Total Annual Spend (USD) 2010 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 18-34 | £75 | $95 | £250M | $320M | ||
| USA | 18-44 | £105 | $135 | £1.4B | $1.8B | ||
| Europe (Regional exceptions below) | Instagram / TikTok | Instagram, TikTok | 18-34 | £85 | $110 | £1.1B | $1.42B |
| Australia | Instagram / YouTube Shorts | 18-34 | £65 | $85 | £180M | $235M | |
| Japan | Line/Youtube | Youtube/Instagram | 18-29 | £60 | $78 | £120M | $155M |
Regional Exceptions (Europe)
- Germany: Facebook and Instagram are both still popular, especially among older fans and rock/metal audiences. Top merch buyer age: 25–44.
- France: TikTok is rapidly gaining dominance among under-30s. Top merch buyer age: 16–29.
- Italy: Instagram and Facebook share usage, but Instagram performs better for merch. Top merch buyer age: 18–34.
- Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Finland): TikTok and YouTube Shorts dominate younger audiences, especially in pop and EDM scenes. For rock and metal fans, YouTube and Facebook perform best. Top merch buyer age: 18–34 for pop/EDM, 25–44 for rock/metal.
Regional Note (Japan)
While X (formerly Twitter) has long been a dominant platform in Japan for news and fandom discussion, LINE is actually the most-used social app overall — deeply integrated into daily communication, shopping, and content consumption.
However, LINE Ads are not easily accessible to most international bands because:
- The platform's ad manager interface is Japanese-only.
- Payment methods often require a domestic Japanese address or financial setup.
- You need a verified LINE Business ID registered in Japan.
- The platform's ad manager interface is Japanese-only.
- Campaign setup assumes local cultural knowledge and messaging formats unfamiliar to most overseas artists.
Because of this, most Western bands find Instagram and YouTube far more effective for reaching Japanese fans with merch and tour news.
Top merch buyer age: 18–29.
2026 Music Industry Trends: How Bands Can Boost Merch Sales and Visibility
- 🔮 AI-powered music discovery will expand (Spotify, TikTok, even Google).
- 📦 Hyper-local merch drops will outperform standard global merch.
- 🎥 Short-form behind-the-scenes content will outperform polished promos.
- 🧠 Voice search & AI assistants will drive band discovery ("Hey Google, find bands like Turnstile").
- 📱 Direct-to-fan sales (via DMs, drops, private links) will increase.
- 🌍 Decentralised platforms and fan-owned collectives will gain traction.
- 🎧 Audio-first ad strategies (Spotify Audio Ads, podcast drops) will see a rise in ROI.
- 🧾 Verified band databases and structured metadata (like schema.org) will help bands rank better in AI-generated music search.
FAQs: Essential FAQs for Bands: Marketing, Merch, and Advertising Strategies
Q: What’s the best platform to advertise on in 2025?
A: Instagram. Highest ROI for merch + solid reach.
Q: Is TikTok worth using even if I have no followers?
A: Yes! TikTok doesn’t require a following to reach people.
Q: Do I need to advertise on every platform?
A: No. Focus on 1–2 where your fans are active.
Q: How much should I spend on ads?
A: Even £2/day can work if you target merch posts and fans by interest.
Q: Where can I learn more or get help?
A: Check out more guides at Phase B Records - The B Report, or follow us on Instagram @PhaseBrecords.
Wrapping Up: Next Steps for Independent Bands and What Underground Bands Should Do Next
Thanks for reading — this guide was built from real-world data and lived experience as a working record label. We’ve done the research so you can focus on your music. Whether you're just starting out or levelling up, we hope you leave with ideas you can act on today.
🔔 Want more of this? Sign up for the B Report Newsletter below — we send out exclusive artist tips, monetization hacks, platform updates, and behind-the-scenes insights you won’t find anywhere else.... and believe us there's way more to come..
🎧 In the meantime, check out the incredible artists on our label, stream their tracks, grab some exclusive Merch and Apparel and support independent music by visiting PhaseBRecords.com. Every listen, follow, and share makes a real difference to a real band.
👇 Use the table below as your quick-start regional guide:
Regional Merch & Marketing Action Plan
| Region: | What bands should prioritise: |
|---|---|
| UK | Focus on Instagram and TikTok ads for 18–34s. Use short-form video for merch drops. Leverage Bandcamp for direct to customer sales. |
| USA | Double down on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Use Meta retargeting and email signup at shows or link-in-bio. |
| Europe | Combine Instagram and YouTube Shorts with country-specific hashtags. Translate or localize when possible. |
| Scandinavia | Run Reels with high production value. Target YouTube for metal/rock fans. Merch should live on a Shopify-integrated site. |
| Japan | Focus on YouTube Shorts, Twitter (X), and LINE blog content. Avoid LINE for non-Japan based bands unless fluent or localised. |
| Australia | Target Instagram Reels and TikTok for alt/indie fans. Use live shows for email capture and exclusive merch. |
Any Comments?!?
Let us know what you think of the article in the comments below! There's always room for improvement.. If there's anything you don't understand, or if you feel we've missed any key points then hit us up! We'll take a look and update as we go! Rock on and Prosper all.
