Soundcloud is a new producer’s best friend and worst enemy at the same time. Soundcloud was rated the best music streaming platform for indie artists on Digital Trends in 2020. Artists like Billie Eilish have had their careers essentially start because of it.
It’s easy to see why Soundcloud is essential as a producer. It can help you gain your initial fans and maintain your follower growth. Naturally, you will want to grow your Soundcloud following.
Grow Your Soundcloud Following: Mistakes to Avoid
However, many producers are making a few common Soundcloud mistakes over and over, which ends up hurting their growth in the long run. Let’s take a look at the most common mistakes, and what you can do to avoid them so you can grow your Soundcloud following.
URL’s aren’t consistent
When dealing with multiple social accounts like Facebook, Instagram, etc, you want to try and maintain a consistent URL / handle across all your platforms. This way, if someone finds you on a different social media outlet, they can use your handle to find your Soundcloud profile.
For example, my Facebook is www.facebook.com/dowdenmusic and my Soundcloud is www.soundcloud.com/dowdenmusic. This makes it easier for people to cycle through my socials.
Nothing in the ‘About Me’ section
A simple and short introduction to who you are as an artist goes a long way when someone stumbles across your profile. If they don’t know anything about you as an artist, this is a great way to quickly introduce them to the genre or style that you are. This can make or break their decision to follow your profile or listen to your music.
Too long of an ‘About Me’ section
With that said, not many people care to read an entire life story of a DJ or producer on Soundcloud. You don’t need to include a 2,000-word essay on your artistry. Stick to the main points and make it as exciting as possible without sounding too cheesy. Even one or two sentences is enough to give someone an idea of what your sound might be.
No professionalism
If you want to stand out from other producers you need to show people you’re worth following and listening to. Keeping your profile clean, professional, and full of high-quality content can help you stand out amongst many others who did not put forth any effort.
This is something we cover very in-depth in my free Marketing Workshop, so make sure you join us!
No Contact Info
Sometimes people want to work with you and they have no way of contacting you! Including an email address not only looks more professional but can lead to more opportunities! If anyone is interested in contacting you for remixes or bookings they will have a proper way of doing so.
No Links to Other Socials
Always include links to your other social profiles to cross-promote. If someone is interested in your music, they might give you a Facebook like, a follow on Instagram or YouTube, or find you on Spotify. People usually won’t put the extra effort into searching for you Without links to your other profiles. Convenience is key, here.
Artwork is Missing, Blurry, or Not Professional
Eye-catching artwork can be the reason someone clicks on your track to take a listen. Visuals are extremely important in marketing. Don’t neglect using high-quality images for your artwork. If your release has artwork made by a label, use it. If it’s self-released, take some time to make artwork for the track. It can be the difference between a lot of people noticing your tracks!
Uploading work that’s not finished
Unfinished tracks have no business being on Soundcloud (unless they are in a private link to share for feedback or for self-use). Maybe other artists can see the bigger picture and understand the direction an unfinished track is heading in. Your fans or new listeners won’t understand. They can easily get a bad impression based on your half-completed track.
No attention to detail
Little details can go a long way. Misspelling your name or not putting a genre in the title just looks lazy and unprofessional. First impressions are very important.
Not replying to comments
Taking just a few seconds to reply to a comment can show that you’re an active artist. It can even encourage people to come back to your profile. A simple reply from an artist can mean the world to a fan.
Uploading before you’re ready
Sometimes it’s better to not share your music until you know you are 100% ready to. As exciting as it is to share your music with the world, sometimes it’s better to wait until you’re absolutely certain you won’t regret sharing anything less than your best work.
Uploading too many styles/genres
When we are newer producers especially, we tend to switch our styles and genres while discovering who we are as an artist. I was guilty of it, too. Make sure you are certain what style or genre you want to be associated with. This way, you don’t confuse your listeners or end up regretting sharing music that you’ve steered far away from.
Stuck in the ‘if I build it, they will come’ Mentality
When I first started making music, I didn’t really understand how it worked. I thought that once I uploaded music online, people would somehow find it and immediately take an interest in my music. If you haven’t already noticed, this is definitely not how it works. But don’t let that discourage you.
Unfortunately, people aren’t likely to stumble upon your music without putting any real effort into marketing yourself. Trust me, you could have the best music in the world! But if no one hears it then you will never grow your Soundcloud following and gain fans.
Go Grow Your Soundcloud Following!
As much as some of us don’t like to admit it, putting effort into marketing your music is essential as an artist. It will make a huge difference in the number of plays, followers, and fans you get. It’s not as easy as just posting on Facebook and asking people to check out your new track. Let’s face it, we’ve all tried that and it doesn’t really work.
If you’re looking for more actionable ways to grow your following online, then join our marketing course! We go over new tips and tricks to grow your following and land more gigs:
