Night Teacher
Breaking a niche "experimental doom-folk" artist with precision genre targeting
Finding Your People in a Niche Genre
When your sound doesn't fit a box, precision targeting finds your audience.
"Experimental doom-folk" isn't a Spotify category. It's not a Facebook interest. It's a sound that exists at the intersection of multiple underground scenes—none of which have easily targetable audience segments.
The challenge with developing artists isn't just budget—it's finding signal in noise. Traditional broad targeting wastes spend on people who will never connect with the music. The goal is precision: reaching the small but passionate audience that already exists for this sound.
The core insight: Niche artists don't need mass reach—they need to find their people. The algorithm rewards engagement, so delivering the right content to the right 1,000 people beats showing generic ads to 100,000.
Genre affinity targeting
Building audiences from adjacent scenes.
Affinity mapping
We identified artists with overlapping audiences—experimental folk, drone, dark Americana, post-rock. These scenes share fans who appreciate boundary-pushing music.
Live video prioritization
For artists where the live experience is transformative, polished studio assets undersell the magic. Raw, authentic live footage creates genuine connection with potential fans.
Platform-specific strategy
YouTube for discovery through algorithmic recommendations. Meta for retargeting engaged viewers. Different platforms serve different parts of the funnel.
Engagement over reach
Instead of optimizing for impressions, we optimized for meaningful engagement—comments, shares, saves. Quality signals that indicate genuine fan discovery.
Quality over quantity
Building a foundation for long-term growth.
Engaged core audience
New fans discovered through affinity targeting convert to email subscribers, merch buyers, and show attendees at higher rates than broad prospecting.
Balanced platform presence
YouTube and Meta working together—discovery on one platform, deepening engagement on the other—creates a sustainable audience development engine.
Authentic brand building
By leading with live performance content rather than polished marketing, the artist's unique identity remains intact while reaching new listeners.
Key insight
Developing artist marketing isn't about reaching everyone—it's about finding the people who will care deeply. A small, engaged audience compounds over time. Every true fan becomes an ambassador, sharing music within their own communities.
What this means for developing artists
Lessons that apply across niche genres.
Embrace the niche
Trying to appeal to everyone dilutes what makes you special. The most passionate fans are found by leaning into uniqueness, not away from it.
Live content reveals truth
For artists whose live performance transcends their recordings, video from shows creates connection that studio content cannot match.
Adjacent audiences exist
Even the most obscure sound has audiences in related scenes. The work is identifying those connections and building bridges.
Patience compounds
Developing artist campaigns are marathons, not sprints. Small gains in genuine fans accumulate into sustainable careers.