The Problem Every Band Knows Too Well

You’ve posted about your upcoming show on Instagram. Then Facebook. Then TikTok. Maybe Bluesky. Possibly Threads. You’ve covered all your bases, right?

Except your posts get buried by the algorithm. Instagram shows your announcement to maybe 10% of your followers - if you’re lucky. Facebook’s organic reach is even worse. TikTok might show it to people who’ve never heard of you but not the fans who actually want to come to your shows.

So you post again. And again. You’re spending hours creating content, chasing trends, trying to beat algorithms that were designed to keep you paying for ads. Meanwhile, your actual fans, the people who would show up if they just knew about the gig, never see your posts.

The social media ecosystem is completely splintered. There are five or six platforms you need to maintain just to reach your audience. Each one has its own algorithm prioritizing everything except what matters to you: getting people to your shows.

We can relate to this. We’re musicians and have experienced this frustration firsthand. We’ve watched talented bands play to an empty crowd not because people didn’t want to come, but because they simply didn’t know about the show. The announcement got lost in the noise.

That’s why we built BandAlert.

There’s a Better Way

Your fans shouldn’t have to be tethered to social media just to know when your next gig is. And you shouldn’t have to post content on five different apps just to get people to your shows.

BandAlert gets back to basics. We text your fans directly before your show with the important information: time, location, and a link for more details. No scrolling through feeds. No fighting algorithms. Just a text message that lands in their pocket at exactly the right time: one day before your gig.

Why SMS Actually Works

The numbers speak for themselves. While social media posts get buried, text messages get read:

  • 98% open rate: Nearly everyone who gets your text will actually see it
  • 90% read within 3 minutes: Your message isn’t sitting in an inbox for days
  • 83% of people say texting is their primary mobile activity on their phones

SMS isn’t trying to compete for attention with infinite scroll content. It’s direct. It’s immediate. It works on every phone without requiring fans to download another app or sign away their privacy to another media company.

How Bands Use BandAlert

BandAlert works when you build your fan list over time. This isn’t a magic solution where you flip a switch and suddenly 500 people show up. It’s a tool that gives you direct access to the fans who actually care.

At every show:

  1. Display your unique BandAlert QR code (we provide this to you)
  2. Encourage fans to scan it and text to subscribe
  3. When they scan, it opens a pre-filled text message they just hit send on
  4. They’re subscribed. No app required, no complicated signup

Before each gig:

  1. Log into BandAlert and enter your show details
  2. We automatically text everyone on your list 24 hours before the show
  3. They get the venue, time, and a link to more infos including a map
  4. You get more people in the crowd

The bands that are seeing success with this are the ones who make fan signup part of their regular show routine. Mention it from stage. Put the QR code on your merch table. Include it in your Instagram bio. Each show, you’re adding more fans who will get directly notified about the next one.

Chicago metro area band, Yhprum, put it perfectly: “If we get enough people on it, we’re going to get any and all local scenes absolutely POPPIN!!”

Pricing

We want to be transparent about costs. SMS isn’t free. We pay for every text message sent and received. Unlike social media platforms that monetize your attention with ads, we charge a fair price to cover our actual costs and keep the service running.

We have two tiers:

Basic - $10/month + $5 one-time sign up

  • Up to 100 fans
  • 4 gigs per month

Premium - $30/month + $10 one-time sign up

  • Up to 300 fans
  • 6 gigs per month

These limits exist because sending SMS is expensive. We’re running this service sustainably, which means we can’t offer unlimited texting at $5/month. What we can offer is a direct line to your real fans at a price that makes sense for working bands.

If you’re playing regularly and building your list at each show, you’ll quickly see the value. Getting 10 more people to a show can more than pay for itself due to better door splits, more merch sales, more energy in the room, and more momentum for your band.

This Is For Bands Like You

We’re not targeting Metallica or Taylor Swift. We built BandAlert for indie bands doing regular local shows, and small touring bands who are grinding it out in the real world. Bands who need every person in the crowd to count.

If you’re tired of shouting into the void on social media and want a direct connection with the fans who actually show up, BandAlert is for you.

Get Started Today

BandAlert is officially out of preview and open to the public. Sign up at bandalert.co, get your QR code, and start building your fan list at your next show.

Your fans are ready to hear from you. Let’s make sure they actually do.