Advertising & Partnership Rate Card
Transparent pricing for venues, promoters, artists, and brands who want to reach Upstate New York’s most engaged live music audience.
Upstate Concerts is the only editorial publication dedicated to live music across all of Upstate New York. We cover 100+ venues in 7 regions, reaching active concert-goers who spend money on tickets, travel, dining, and nightlife.
Our readers are not passive scrollers. They come here to find their next show, discover new venues, and plan their weekends. That intent is what makes advertising here different — your message reaches people who are already in spending mode.
Every ad placement is designed to complement the reading experience, not interrupt it. We keep things clean, relevant, and tasteful — because a great environment for readers is a great environment for advertisers.
For current traffic and audience metrics, contact us directly. We are transparent with our numbers and happy to share analytics with prospective partners.
Display Advertising
Premium placements across the site, designed to be visible without being intrusive. All display ads run in brand-safe editorial environments with no pop-ups, autoplay video, or interstitials.
Sidebar Display
Persistent sidebar position on article pages, venue profiles, and concert listings.
| Duration | Rate | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $250 | — |
| Quarterly | $675 | 10% off |
| Semi-Annual | $1,200 | 20% off |
| Annual | $2,100 | 30% off |
Specs: 300×250 or 300×600. Static image or animated GIF. Max 150KB.
Mid-Article Display
Placed between content sections within concert articles, venue guides, and editorial features.
| Duration | Rate | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $300 | — |
| Quarterly | $810 | 10% off |
| Semi-Annual | $1,440 | 20% off |
| Annual | $2,520 | 30% off |
Specs: 728×90 or 300×250. Responsive formats accepted.
Homepage Feature Banner
Top-of-page banner on the homepage — highest-traffic page on the site. One advertiser at a time, guaranteed exclusivity.
| Duration | Rate | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | $200 | — |
| Monthly | $650 | 19% off |
| Quarterly | $1,750 | 10% off monthly |
Region Hub Sponsorship
Exclusive display ad on one of our 7 regional hub pages. Ideal for businesses serving a specific geographic market — a brewery in Rochester only pays $150/mo to own the Western NY page.
| Duration | Rate | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $150 | — |
| Quarterly | $400 | 11% off |
| Semi-Annual | $750 | 17% off |
One advertiser per region. 300×250 or custom banner.
Newsletter Sponsorship
Our weekly newsletter delivers curated concert picks, editorial highlights, and upcoming show alerts directly to subscriber inboxes. This is a hand-crafted editorial product — not a blast of links.
Primary Newsletter Sponsor
Top-of-newsletter banner plus a 50-word text block with your link. Your brand is presented as the week’s presenting sponsor.
| Duration | Rate | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Single issue | $150 | — |
| Monthly (4 issues) | $500 | 17% off |
| Quarterly (13 issues) | $1,400 | 28% off |
Newsletter Classified
Text-only placement in the newsletter footer. Short, punchy, direct. Great for event announcements and ticket promotions.
| Duration | Rate | Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Single issue | $50 | — |
| Monthly (4 issues) | $175 | 13% off |
| Quarterly (13 issues) | $500 | 23% off |
Dedicated Email Send
A standalone email to our full subscriber list, written in our editorial voice. Best for major announcements — festival launches, season ticket sales, grand openings. Limited to 2 per month to protect subscriber experience.
| Product | Rate |
|---|---|
| Per send | $400 |
Includes full email design, subject line collaboration, one round of revisions, and open/click reporting.
Social Media Packages
We maintain active audiences on Facebook and Instagram with daily posting — concert announcements, On This Day historical content, and editorial features.
Sponsored Social Post
Your message shared as a clearly-labeled sponsored post, written in our editorial voice to feel native to the feed.
| Platform | Single Post | Monthly (4 Posts) |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook only | $75 | $250 |
| Instagram only | $75 | $250 |
| Both platforms | $125 | $400 |
Instagram Stories Takeover
Your venue, festival, or event takes over our Instagram Stories for a day. Behind-the-scenes content, countdowns, ticket giveaways.
| Package | Rate |
|---|---|
| Single-day takeover | $200 |
| Weekend takeover (Fri–Sun) | $450 |
Concert Giveaway Partnership
We run a ticket giveaway on your behalf across our social channels and newsletter. You provide the tickets, we provide the audience and promotion.
| Product | Rate |
|---|---|
| Per giveaway | $100 + tickets provided by partner |
Sponsored Content
Editorially-produced content about your venue, event, brand, or destination — written by our team to match the quality and voice our readers expect. All sponsored content is clearly labeled per FTC guidelines.
| Product | Rate | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Concert Preview | $350 | 600–800 word article, SEO-optimized, social distribution, newsletter mention |
| Venue Spotlight Feature | $500 | 1,000–1,500 word prestige feature, images, SEO, social + newsletter |
| Festival Preview Guide | $750 | 1,500–2,500 word guide, full lineup coverage, social campaign (3–5 posts) |
| 4-Article Series | $1,200 | 14% savings — branded series page + recurring social/newsletter promo |
| 8-Article Series | $2,000 | 29% savings — full season content partnership |
All sponsored content is permanent — your articles live on the site indefinitely, continuing to drive organic search traffic long after publication.
Featured Placement Upgrades
Premium visibility positions within the editorial ecosystem. Your existing content gets elevated — no separate ad creative required.
| Placement | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Editor’s Picks (Homepage) | $100/wk · $300/mo | Promoting a specific upcoming show |
| Venue Spotlight Widget | $75/wk · $250/mo | Persistent venue brand visibility site-wide |
| Region Hub Priority | $150/mo · $375/qtr | Competing for attention in your regional market |
| Concert Listing Boost | $50/show | Subtle visibility upgrade for a specific show |
| Boost + Social + Newsletter | $175/show | Full push without a sponsored article |
Event Promotion Bundles
Bundled solutions for venues, promoters, and festival organizers who want maximum exposure.
Single Show Push — $500
Everything needed to give one show maximum exposure:
- Sponsored concert preview article
- Editor’s Picks homepage feature (2 weeks)
- Concert listing boost with “Featured” badge
- Social media post on FB + IG
- Newsletter mention
Savings: $175 vs. purchasing each component individually.
Season Ticket Package — $4,500
For venues with a full season of 10+ shows. Sustained visibility across the entire concert season:
- Venue Spotlight feature article
- 6 sponsored concert previews (your choice of shows)
- Sidebar display ad (6 months)
- Monthly newsletter primary sponsor (6 months)
- 12 sponsored social posts across FB + IG
- Editor’s Picks rotation for all 6 featured shows
- Region hub priority listing (6 months)
Savings: ~$2,500 vs. a la carte pricing. Ideal for amphitheaters, theaters, and casino venues.
Festival Promotion Package — $3,000
The complete promotional package for multi-day festivals:
- Festival preview guide (1,500–2,500 words)
- 3 sponsored artist spotlight articles
- Homepage feature banner (2 weeks pre-event)
- Dedicated email send to full subscriber list
- Social media campaign: 8 posts over 4 weeks
- Instagram Stories takeover (day of event)
- Newsletter primary sponsor (4 weeks pre-event)
Savings: ~$1,200 vs. a la carte pricing.
Promoter Partnership (Multi-Venue)
For regional promoters routing tours through multiple Upstate NY venues:
| Package | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to 4 shows | $1,500 |
| Up to 8 shows | $2,500 |
| 12+ shows | Custom pricing |
Includes sponsored preview, listing boost, social post, and newsletter mention for each show.
Local Business & Tourism Partnerships
Live music drives more than ticket sales. Concert-goers eat, drink, stay overnight, park, and shop. If your business benefits from people going to shows, we want to talk.
Concert Night Partner Spotlight
Your restaurant, bar, hotel, or parking service is featured as a recommended partner on concert articles in your area. When someone reads about a show at SPAC, they see your nearby restaurant.
| Duration | Rate |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $200 |
| Quarterly | $500 |
| Season (6 months) | $900 |
Tourism Board & CVB Partnership
| Package | Includes | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Spotlight | 2 features + region hub sponsor (3 mo) + social | $1,500 |
| Destination Campaign | 4 features + region hub (6 mo) + newsletter (3 mo) + social | $3,500 |
Artist & Label Promotion
Bands, solo artists, and their teams can use Upstate Concerts to build buzz ahead of Upstate NY tour dates.
| Product | Rate | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Tour Date Spotlight (single date) | $250 | Article + social + newsletter + listing boost |
| Tour Date Spotlight (2–4 Upstate stops) | $400 | All benefits for each date |
| Pre-Sale Amplification | $100 (or $75 add-on) | Timed newsletter + social push at ticket drop |
Policies & Specifications
Ad Creative: Advertisers supply creative assets. We can assist with design for an additional $75 per asset.
Labeling: All sponsored content and paid placements are clearly labeled per FTC guidelines. This is non-negotiable.
Editorial Independence: Advertising placement does not influence editorial coverage. A sponsored venue spotlight does not guarantee positive reviews.
Payment: Due before placement begins. Monthly packages billed on the 1st. Quarterly and annual packages may be paid in full or in equal monthly installments.
Cancellation: Monthly packages may be cancelled with 15 days notice. Quarterly and annual commitments are non-refundable but may be paused up to 30 days with notice.
Reporting: All advertisers receive monthly performance reports including impressions, clicks, and engagement metrics.
Content Approval: Sponsored content includes one round of revisions. Final editorial decisions rest with Upstate Concerts.
All rates effective April 2026. Rates subject to adjustment as audience grows. Current advertisers lock in rates for the duration of their commitment.
Custom Packages & Next Steps
Most of our best partnerships don’t fit neatly into a menu. If you’re a venue planning a full season, a promoter routing a national tour through Upstate NY, a festival looking for a media partner, or a brand that aligns with the live music lifestyle — let’s build something custom.
The longer and deeper the partnership, the better the value.
Or email directly: hello@upstateconcerts.com