Eagle Plug Summit: Harnessing the power of data to unlock Ghana’s creative economy

This was the focus of the inaugural Eagle Plug Summit held in Accra, Ghana, on 14 April that brought together accomplished minds in the entertainment and marketing sectors with the objective of exchanging valuable insights and fostering collaboration within the value chain. The event targeted key stakeholders including musicians, songwriters, producers, artist management teams and marketing agencies, among others.

Speakers at the forum included Boomplay Ghana general manager Elizabeth Ntiamoah-Quarshie, Ghud Music founder Kenneth Owusu-Akyaw, eGotickets CEO George Festus Mensah and artist manager George Britton.

During the two-hour event, the discussants honed in on how data can inform music production, distribution and promotion, stressing the importance of tracking metrics like streaming numbers, social media engagement and ticket sales to understand what resonates with listeners and how to effectively reach them. The discourse specifically touched on the science of music and how big data is transforming the music industry, the relationship between data science and the music industry, the importance of event data in business decisions, and consumer listening trends and their impact on the ‘perfect’ playlist.

The speakers also touched on ways in which data analysis can inform marketing strategies, increase revenue streams and optimise the overall fan experience, sharing examples of how data-driven insights have helped artists reach new audiences and connect with fans on a deeper level. By understanding the data behind music consumption, artists and industry professionals can make informed decisions about where to focus their efforts and how to create more impactful experiences for fans, it emerged.

Owusu-Akyaw, whose organisation provides music and monitoring and analysis services, stressed the importance of monitoring radio stations’ airplay data. This data, he said, is crucial for artists when it comes to how they market and operate when releasing a song or pursuing their general ambition. Studying data from the past can help guide an artist’s growth, he said: “To make any progress, you need to track your past. That’s what data does – it guides your journey. Add it to KPIs and career journeys so you can know where you are and what your value is worth.”

Ntiamoah-Quarshie cited how Boomplay uses data to personalise the user experience for its customers, adding that it is useful in identifying emerging artists and understanding user behaviour. “Data has informed and aided us in implementing strategies that have improved the overall outlook of our platform and sustained our user base. One major tool we have in place is the Boomplay for Artist which gives artists and their teams insight into their music consumption on Boomplay  –  where their listenership or fans are coming from, what is enabling a song’s growth or drop in numbers  –  and the next step to take to keep the momentum going. This is extremely key in this age for the success of a song or project.”

Artist manager Britton also reiterated that Ghana’s music industry needs to be led by data. “It’s not about hearsay,” he told Music In Africa. “It’s about knowing who is listening to your song and from where and what they want, so that you can actually feed their niche market.” Britton added that data is key to making informed decisions as an artist.

A strategy without data will fail, 3Media Networks CEO Rashidatu Yasmine Abdulai added: “You need data to tell you where you are, where you want to go and what the future looks like for you. So data is key in all aspects.”

Mensah explained that data is very key to eGotickets’ business module. “When someone sets up on the platform, they receive insights into who is buying tickets, the number of people viewing the event at any point in time, and the channels they are buying from,” he said. “After using the platform for a series of events, people can have insightful data to know the lifetime value of a fan or attendee. This can help plan loyalty rewards, discount coupons and purchasing trends to introduce things like early bird tickets and so on.”

Mensah also underscored that the culture of making use of data in Ghana is poor and urged practitioners within the value chain to educate themselves on how they can use data for insightful business decisions. “The creative industry economy is in excess of $5 million in Ghana, but there is still a lot of untapped potential. Understanding statistics, metrics, and data can help people see the potential they can tap into to grow the space,” he noted.

Emerging singer Kasar, who recently joined Lynx Entertainment, revealed that he learned a lot from the summit, especially the significance of data in understanding his audience. This knowledge, he said, will allow him to focus his energy on the right places when promoting his music or running ads, particularly on his Facebook and Instagram accounts. According to the artist, having access to this information is crucial to ensuring that his work is being valued and appreciated.

Organisers Eagle Plug, specialists in providing cutting-edge solutions and products for the African entertainment industry, stated that the summit sought to help businesses optimise performance and make informed business decisions moving forward. They added that subsequent events are already in the works to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the importance of data analytics in the music industry.