How a creative social media strategy, viral content and targeted Meta advertising helped Gilska build momentum for her single “Hands On My Body”.
For independent musicians, a successful music release isn’t just about getting views on social media. It’s about reaching new listeners, building an engaged audience and turning that attention into streams. When rising artist Gilska released her single “Hands On My Body”, LMSUK developed a focused music marketing strategy that delivered impressive results, including 2.5 million organic video views, approximately 2,000 new followers and 46,000 streams, supported by a Meta advertising campaign costing just £15.
Here’s how a combination of creative content, consistent promotion and a carefully managed advertising budget helped deliver those results.
The Challenge: Building Momentum with Every Release
Gilska was already making exciting progress in her music career, with BBC Introducing support and opportunities to perform live. The next challenge was ensuring her online presence continued to grow alongside her music career. With each new release, the aim was to reach more listeners, achieve stronger first-week streaming figures and keep building on previous successes.
However, maintaining audience engagement throughout a release campaign isn’t always straightforward. Promotional content can quickly become repetitive, and ideas that initially perform well don’t necessarily continue delivering the same results. Gilska needed a flexible social media strategy that would keep her content fresh, introduce her music to new audiences and encourage people to listen beyond the initial release period.
The Strategy: Creative Content and Targeted Advertising
LMSUK’s Jess H worked closely with Gilska to create a dedicated release strategy for “Hands On My Body”, combining organic social media content with targeted Meta advertising.
Keeping Content Fresh and Engagement Growing
Jess developed a series of content pillars to guide the campaign, with regular calls to discuss creative ideas, review performance and adapt the approach where needed. One of the most important discoveries was that the first one to three videos built around a particular concept often performed well, but engagement would eventually plateau.
Rather than continuing to repeat the same ideas, Jess and Gilska regularly brainstormed new concepts to maintain interest and give the music fresh opportunities to reach different audiences. This willingness to experiment became a key part of the campaign’s success.
One video went on to achieve an incredible 2.5 million organic views, helping Gilska gain approximately 2,000 new followers. For an independent musician, that kind of organic exposure is a valuable opportunity to introduce their music to people who may never have discovered it otherwise.
Making a £15 Advertising Budget Work Harder
Alongside the organic content strategy, Jess took control of Gilska’s Meta advertising, creating and managing a campaign designed to encourage listeners to stream “Hands On My Body”. With a budget of just £15, the campaign helped generate 14,000 streams within six days.
Importantly, the track continued gaining streams after the advertising campaign had finished, reaching 25,000 streams after just 11 days. The song has since climbed to 46,000 streams, demonstrating continued interest beyond the initial promotional push.
While those streams cannot all be attributed directly to the advertising campaign, the results highlight how targeted paid promotion can complement a wider organic music marketing strategy.
The Results: 2.5 Million Views, 2,000 Followers and 46,000 Streams
The campaign delivered strong results across both social media and streaming platforms, helping Gilska reach new audiences while building momentum around her latest release.
| Campaign Result | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Organic video views | 2.5 million |
| New social media followers | Approximately 2,000 |
| Meta advertising spend | £15 |
| Streams after 6 days | 14,000 |
| Streams after 11 days | 25,000 |
| Latest reported streams | 46,000 |
Perhaps the most encouraging result was the continued increase in streams after the initial advertising period. Rather than relying entirely on paid promotion, the campaign combined organic discovery, creative content and targeted advertising to support the release.
Gilska’s reaction to the results summed up the excitement: “It’s doing so well omg!!”
Why This Matters for Independent Musicians
Gilska’s success demonstrates that effective independent music marketing doesn’t necessarily require a huge advertising budget. What made this campaign work was the combination of a clear release strategy, regular collaboration and the flexibility to adapt content based on performance.
Instead of simply posting promotional videos and hoping for the best, Jess and Gilska continually reviewed what was resonating with audiences and developed new ideas to maintain engagement. The results also highlight the importance of looking beyond viral views. While reaching 2.5 million people is an impressive achievement, growing an audience of new followers and encouraging listeners to stream the music are equally valuable outcomes.
For Gilska, these results come at an important stage in her career. With BBC Introducing support, live performances and a growing digital audience, maintaining that momentum will be key to supporting future releases.
From Grassroots Connect to Growing Success
Gilska’s relationship with LMSUK extends beyond social media and music marketing. In 2025, she joined us as a panel member at Grassroots Connect London, sharing her experiences with fellow independent musicians. She returned in 2026 to perform live, showcasing her music and connecting with artists and industry professionals.
Her journey is a great example of why building connections within the independent music community matters. From industry networking and live performance opportunities to developing a stronger online presence, each element can contribute to an artist’s continued growth.
Join Us at Grassroots Connect London 2027!
LMSUK is teaming up once again with Radio Wigwam for Grassroots Connect London on 20 January 2027 at The Bedford. The event brings together independent musicians, industry professionals and music lovers for an evening of live performances, networking and genuine connections.
Whether you’re looking to meet fellow artists, expand your network or discover new music, we’d love to see you there. Tickets are on sale now!
Get your Grassroots Connect London 2027 tickets
How LMSUK Supports Independent Music Releases
At LMSUK, we know that every independent artist has different goals, challenges and budgets. That’s why we focus on developing music marketing strategies that work for the individual artist, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
From content planning and creative brainstorming to social media management and targeted Meta advertising, our team works alongside musicians to help them reach new audiences and make the most of their releases. Gilska’s campaign shows what can be achieved when creative content, consistent