Home.

IndiePub Platform - PRD

Cover Image for IndiePub Platform - PRD
Salomon Lee
Salomon Lee

Product Requirements Document (PRD) - IndiePub Platform

1. Overview

1.1 Product Name

IndiePub Platform

1.2 Purpose

The IndiePub Platform is a digital solution designed to empower independent (indie) bands and music venues to increase ticket sales, drive mutual growth, and enhance engagement with fans and clients. By providing tools for ticketing, promotion, analytics, and community-building, the platform bridges the gap between indie bands, venues, and their audiences.

1.3 Background

Indie bands and smaller venues often lack the resources and reach of mainstream artists or large-scale promoters. They face challenges such as:

  • Limited visibility for upcoming shows.

  • Difficulty competing with larger ticketing platforms that prioritize mainstream acts.

  • Inefficient communication with fans and clients.

  • Lack of actionable data to optimize performance and growth.

    The IndiePub Platform addresses these pain points by offering a tailored ecosystem that supports both bands and venues while fostering stronger connections with fans.

1.4 Goals

  • Primary Goal: Increase ticket sales for indie bands and venues by 20% within the first year of platform launch.

  • Secondary Goals:

    • Improve fan engagement through personalized communication and community features.
    • Provide actionable analytics to help bands and venues optimize their strategies.
    • Drive mutual growth by creating a collaborative ecosystem for bands and venues.
    • Achieve a user base of 1,000 active bands and 500 venues within 12 months.

1.5 Stakeholders

  • Indie Bands: Artists seeking to grow their fanbase and sell more tickets.

  • Venues: Small to mid-sized venues looking to increase bookings and attendance.

  • Fans/Clients: Music enthusiasts who want seamless access to shows and closer connections with bands.

  • Platform Team: Developers, designers, marketers, and support staff responsible for building and maintaining IndiePub.

  • Partners: Local promoters, music blogs, and sponsors who may integrate with the platform.

2. Scope

2.1 In-Scope

  • Ticketing system for events hosted by indie bands at partnered venues.

  • Promotional tools for bands and venues to market shows.

  • Fan engagement features (e.g., newsletters, social integrations, loyalty programs).

  • Analytics dashboard for bands and venues to track performance metrics.

  • Mobile and web applications for accessibility.

  • Venue management tools (e.g., scheduling, capacity tracking).

  • Payment processing for ticket sales and revenue sharing.

  • Community features to connect bands, venues, and fans.

2.2 Out-of-Scope (for Initial Release)

  • Merchandise sales integration.

  • Streaming or live performance broadcasting.

  • International ticketing (focus on a single region/country for MVP).

  • Advanced AI-driven recommendation systems.

  • Physical box office hardware integration.

3. User Personas

3.1 Indie Band Member

  • Name: Alex, 28, Lead Guitarist

  • Needs:

    • Affordable ticketing solution with low fees.

    • Tools to promote shows to existing and new fans.

    • Insights into fan demographics and ticket sales trends.

    • Easy scheduling with venues.

  • Pain Points:

    • High fees on mainstream ticketing platforms.

    • Limited budget for marketing.

    • Difficulty tracking fan engagement across platforms.

  • Goals:

    • Sell out shows at local venues.

    • Build a loyal fanbase.

3.2 Venue Manager

  • Name: Sarah, 35, Venue Owner

  • Needs:

    • Increase bookings and attendance.

    • Streamlined event scheduling and ticket management.

    • Tools to attract new bands and audiences.

    • Data on attendance patterns to optimize operations.

  • Pain Points:

    • Underutilized venue capacity.

    • Lack of direct communication with fans.

    • Manual processes for ticketing and promotion.

  • Goals:

    • Maximize revenue through consistent bookings.

    • Build a reputation as a go-to indie music spot.

3.3 Fan

  • Name: Jamie, 22, Music Enthusiast

  • Needs:

    • Easy access to discover and buy tickets for indie shows.

    • Updates on favorite bands’ performances.

    • Community features to connect with other fans.

    • Affordable ticket prices.

  • Pain Points:

    • Missing out on shows due to lack of awareness.

    • High service fees on ticketing platforms.

    • Generic event recommendations.

  • Goals:

    • Attend more local indie shows.

    • Feel connected to the indie music scene.

4. Functional Requirements

4.1 Ticketing System

  • Feature: Event Creation

    • Bands and venues can create events with details (date, time, location, ticket price, capacity).

    • Support for single-ticket and multi-tier tickets (e.g., general admission, VIP).

  • Feature: Ticket Purchase

    • Fans can browse events, select tickets, and pay via integrated payment gateway (e.g., Stripe, PayPal).

    • Mobile-friendly QR code tickets for entry.

  • Feature: Low-Fee Structure

    • Platform charges a flat fee (e.g., 5% per ticket) to ensure affordability for bands and venues.

  • Feature: Revenue Sharing

    • Automated payout system to split ticket revenue between bands and venues based on predefined agreements.

4.2 Promotion Tools

  • Feature: Social Media Integration

    • Bands and venues can share events directly to platforms like Instagram, X, and Facebook.

    • Auto-generated event banners and promotional content.

  • Feature: Email Campaigns

    • Built-in email tool for bands to send newsletters to fans.

    • Venues can notify clients about upcoming shows.

  • Feature: Discoverability

    • Searchable event listings by genre, location, and date.

    • “Featured Events” section to highlight trending shows.

4.3 Fan Engagement

  • Feature: Fan Profiles

    • Fans can create accounts to save favorite bands, venues, and events.

    • Option to receive personalized event recommendations.

  • Feature: Loyalty Program

    • Fans earn points for attending shows, which can be redeemed for discounts or exclusive perks.

  • Feature: Community Forum

    • Discussion boards for fans to connect with each other and share experiences.

    • Bands can post updates and interact directly with fans.

4.4 Analytics Dashboard

  • Feature: Band Analytics

    • Metrics: Ticket sales, fan demographics, geographic reach, engagement rates.

    • Visual charts to track performance over time.

  • Feature: Venue Analytics

    • Metrics: Attendance rates, revenue per event, booking frequency.

    • Insights to optimize scheduling and pricing.

  • Feature: Exportable Reports

    • Downloadable CSV/PDF reports for bands and venues.

4.5 Venue Management

  • Feature: Scheduling Calendar

    • Venues can manage bookings and avoid conflicts.

    • Bands can view available venue slots and send booking requests.

  • Feature: Capacity Tracking

    • Real-time updates on ticket sales vs. venue capacity.

    • Alerts for sold-out events.

4.6 Platform Accessibility

  • Feature: Web Application

    • Responsive design for desktop and tablet users.

  • Feature: Mobile Application

    • Native iOS and Android apps for fans, bands, and venues.

    • Push notifications for event updates and ticket purchases.

5. Non-Functional Requirements

5.1 Performance

  • Platform must support up to 10,000 concurrent users during peak event sales.

  • Page load times under 2 seconds for web and mobile apps.

5.2 Scalability

  • System should handle growth to 5,000 bands and 2,000 venues within 3 years.

  • Cloud-based infrastructure (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud) for elastic scaling.

5.3 Security

  • PCI compliance for payment processing.

  • Encrypted user data (e.g., GDPR-compliant for EU users).

  • Multi-factor authentication for band and venue accounts.

5.4 Usability

  • Intuitive UI/UX with a learning curve of less than 10 minutes for new users.

  • Accessibility compliance (e.g., WCAG 2.1 standards).

5.5 Reliability

  • 99.9% uptime for ticketing and payment systems.

  • Automated backups for event and user data.

6. Assumptions and Constraints

6.1 Assumptions

  • Indie bands and venues are willing to adopt a new platform over established competitors.

  • Fans prefer a platform focused on local indie music.

  • Initial launch will target a single region (e.g., US or UK) to simplify compliance and marketing.

6.2 Constraints

  • Budget: Development and marketing budget capped at $500,000 for MVP.

  • Timeline: MVP to be launched within 9 months.

  • Team: Limited to a core team of 5 developers, 2 designers, and 3 marketers for initial phase.

7. Success Metrics

7.1 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • Ticket Sales: 20% increase in average ticket sales for bands and venues within 12 months.

  • User Adoption: 1,000 active bands and 500 venues signed up within 12 months.

  • Fan Engagement: 50% of fans return 90% of registered fans attend at least one event within 6 months of signing up.

  • Retention: 80% retention rate for bands and venues after 12 months.

  • Revenue: Platform generates $100,000 in ticket fees within 12 months.

7.2 Qualitative Metrics

  • Positive user feedback (4+ star average rating on app stores).

  • Increased brand recognition for indie bands and venues in target regions.

  • Strong community engagement (e.g., 500+ monthly posts in community forums).

8. Risks and Mitigation

| Risk | Impact | Mitigation | | :--------------------------- | :------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Low adoption by bands/venues | Slow platform growth | Offer free trials for first 3 months; partner with local music organizations. | | High competition from established platforms | Reduced market share | Focus on niche indie market; emphasize lower fees and community features. | | Technical issues during peak sales | Lost revenue, poor user experience | Conduct stress testing; implement scalable infrastructure. | | Regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR, PCI) | Legal penalties | Hire compliance consultant; conduct regular audits. | | Limited marketing budget | Low awareness | Leverage organic channels (e.g., X posts, music blogs); incentivize user referrals. |

9. Timeline and Milestones

| Phase | Milestone | Timeline | | :---- | :-------- | :------- | | Research & Planning | Finalize PRD, conduct user interviews | Month 1 | | Design | Complete wireframes and prototypes | Month 2-3 | | Development | Build MVP (ticketing, promotion, basic analytics) | Month 4-7 | | Testing | Beta test with 50 bands and 20 venues | Month 8 | | Launch | Release MVP in target region | Month 9 | | Post-Launch | Gather feedback, iterate features | Month 10-12 |

10. Future Enhancements

  • Merchandise Integration: Allow bands to sell merch alongside tickets.

  • Live Streaming: Enable bands to stream performances for remote fans.

  • AI Recommendations: Suggest events based on fan preferences.

  • International Expansion: Support ticketing in multiple countries.

  • Sponsorship Marketplace: Connect bands/venues with local sponsors.

11. Appendix

11.1 Glossary

  • Indie Band: Independent music group not signed to a major label.

  • Venue: Physical location hosting live music events.

  • MVP: Minimum Viable Product, the initial version with core features.

  • Fan: Individual purchasing tickets and engaging with bands/venues.

11.2 References

  • User feedback from indie music forums on X.

  • Competitor analysis of platforms like Eventbrite and Bandsintown.

  • Industry reports on live music trends (2024-2025).