Why Updating Your ArrangeMe Catalog Matters (and How to Do It Well)
Uploading new music is exciting. It feels productive, creative, and forward looking. But one of the most effective ways to grow your ArrangeMe sales often has nothing to do with brand new scores. It comes from revisiting what you have already published!
An updated catalog signals professionalism to customers, improves discoverability, and helps your older music stay competitive during key buying seasons. Whether you have five titles or 5000, regular catalog maintenance can have a meaningful impact on your revenue.
Below are practical reasons to update your uploads and clear, manageable ways to get started.
Why updating your catalog is worth your time
Customers are searching differently than they used to
Musicians, performers, and music educators rely heavily on search filters. Instrumentation, Descriptions, Difficulty Level, Genre, Ensemble Type/Format, and Keywords all influence what appears in search results. Missing metadata and outdated terminology on older uploads can prevent your music from appearing in searches. Refreshing your titles, descriptions, and tags helps your music surface in more relevant searches so customers can find what you’ve created, all without changing a single note on the page.
Your best music might be underselling itself
Many arrangers uploaded their strongest work early on, before fully understanding how buyers browse and evaluate scores online. Short descriptions, vague titles, or missing preview elements can unintentionally undersell high quality arrangements.
Small updates can significantly improve conversion. Clear descriptions, accurate difficulty levels, and strong preview pages give buyers confidence to purchase.
Polished catalogs perform better during peak buying seasons
Back to school, festival prep, and concert planning seasons drive major traffic to the ArrangeMe retail sites. When those moments arrive, you want your catalog to look current, complete, and customer ready.
Updating ahead of peak seasons ensures your music is positioned to capture demand when it matters most.
What to review when updating your uploads
You do not need to overhaul everything at once. Start with a manageable subset of your catalog, ideally your top selling or most promising titles.
1. Product Descriptions
A strong description does more than restate the title. It guides the buyer through how and why the piece works.
Effective descriptions often include:
Intended ensemble and difficulty/grade level
Style or genre
Performance context such as concert, contest, or worship
Notable musical features like solos, flexible scoring, or simplified rhythms
Aim for clarity over creativity. Buyers want to know if the piece will work for their group. For more tips check out our article on description writing here!
2. Metadata (Genre, Format, Instrumentation)
Metadata is one of the most overlooked but impactful parts of an upload.
Double check:
Instrumentation and ensemble settings
Difficulty level accuracy
Genre and style tags
Any applicable seasonal or thematic categories
These fields directly influence how your music appears in filters and search results.
3. Score and part quality
If you have improved your notation skills or formatting standards over time, your older scores may benefit from a refresh.
Look for:
Clear page turns
Consistent font and spacing
Readable dynamics and articulations
Even minor layout improvements can make your music feel more professional to buyers.
4. Audio and preview materials
If your older uploads lack audio or use lower quality mockups, consider updating them!
High quality audio previews help buyers quickly evaluate a piece and often increase conversion. This is especially valuable for lesser known titles.
Additionally, if you have since created YouTube videos to support your work, make sure that you’ve added those links to your titles!
5. Pricing that reflects value and demand
Pricing is not something you have to set once and never revisit. As your catalog grows and customer behavior changes, your prices may need adjustment!
Consider reviewing prices if:
The piece consistently sells well and may be undervalued
Similar titles in your catalog are priced higher or lower
You have improved the score, parts, or audio since the original upload
The piece is commonly inquired about or used recurring programs
How to make catalog updates manageable
Catalog maintenance does not have to be overwhelming. The key is consistency.
Work in small batches
Set aside time to review five to ten titles at a time. This keeps the task approachable and makes progress visible.
Start with what already performs well
Updating top sellers or frequently viewed titles often yields the fastest return. These pieces already attract attention, so improvements compound their success.
Create a simple checklist
Using the same checklist for each title ensures nothing gets missed and speeds up decision making.
A basic checklist might include:
Description completeness
Metadata accuracy
Score formatting
Audio quality
Schedule regular reviews
Instead of waiting years between updates, consider quarterly or seasonal check ins. Even small touch ups can keep your catalog fresh. An excellent guide to follow is our Self-Publisher’s calendar!
The long term benefit of maintaining your catalog
A well maintained ArrangeMe catalog works for you around the clock. It builds trust with customers, supports repeat purchases, and helps your music compete alongside newer uploads.
Think of catalog updates as an investment rather than a chore. Each improvement strengthens the foundation you have already built.
Before the next buying season arrives, take a look back. Your existing music may be closer to its full potential than you think!
