Thanks to SoundCloud, new artists can secure a fan following much more quickly – and for a lot less money! The Sound Cloud service allows artists to build their fan base through streaming their tunes! If you are a singer, songwriter, or band looking to build your fan base, SoundCloud is the best choice for maximum exposure for your tracks. There is a reason that new artists on Soundcloud often buy Soundcloud followers to get off on the right path.
1. USE SEO STRATEGIES
Start with the best meta tags you can imagine that will lead directly to your most listened to tracks. Ensure that your photos are of high quality, have amazing track art, include a blazing biography, and add meta tags on all of your tracks.
2. FRONT THE CASH FOR A PRO ACCOUNT
While starting with a free account is great at the beginning, once you have the start of a following (say 50-100 followers), it’s time to upgrade to a Pro Account. The two plans available ($6 per month or $15 per month) allow you to upload more and add longer tracks.
The premium version that costs $15 a month includes data analytics, an invaluable source of information about your following. You also get the Spotlight feature – a chance to showcase your best work. While spending cash to promote your work is hard, the features you get make it all worth it:
An Increase in Uploads
The more music you have on your SoundCloud, the better the odds that a new fan will discover your tunes. With the increase in uploads with the Pro account, you are increasing your chances of being seen by new followers.
Spotlight
SoundCloud’s Spotlight option lets you highlight a trending track at the beginning of your profile. You have the power to decide which one of your songs is in the limelight when you pay for the Spotlight feature.
Data Analytics
Analytics are the best predictors of future sales and connections with fans. The data analytics allow you to create targeted marketing campaigns and even plan where you will play based on which cities have the most followers.
3. SHARE SHARE SHARE!
Stay in tune with social media – and share your posts every day! Work to build your followers on any and all social media – Twitter, YouTube, Vine, Instagram, etc. The more exposure you have, the more likely you are to succeed.
Now, with all these accounts, how does an artist keep track? Create a posting chart. Figure out the optimal times to post on each social media platform and post there every day, at the same time. Being consistent is quality fans will flock to. If they know you will put up a new track every Thursday at 3 pm, they will be there waiting for the new songs.
Once you have that calendar of postings, encourage your listeners and followers to share, share, share!
4. WRITE A BLOG
Blogs have become a great way to stay connected with fans. Any artist hoping to maintain a fan base should maintain a blog. Blogs are primarily about storytelling and fans love to hear what their favorite artists are up to, updates from their personal lives, concert schedules, and when the big break finally happens!
5. USE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS
Social media influencers are the doorway to exposure. Collaborate with other artists who have achieved greater success than you have so far. Join their social media pages and provide links to your own (with permission of course). Maybe you can even convince a well-known artist to work with you on track! Your fans would see that other, more popular artists see the value in your work and are willing to partner with you.
6. BE PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY
It won’t do you a whole lot of good to pay for SoundCloud, spend time on a posting calendar, and reach out to influencers if you aren’t communicating with your fan base. Answer their emails, respond to their tweets and posts, and most importantly, engage with them in person. If you plan a concert for a city with a large number of followers, make sure you offer a meet and greet experience (VIP) and get to know your peeps!
7. PRODUCE VIDEOS
Whether you post on YouTube, Instagram, or Vimeo, posting videos is crucial to your social media success. And don’t just make music videos! Do a live Question and Answer session on Facebook, post a behind the scenes video of your studio work or live concert performances, you can even just post a video that tells a great story of how you met a huge fan or how a city reacted to your concert. You can build these into a channel on YouTube or Vine and reach even more of your fan base!
8. CREATE OR JOIN A GROUP
Social media groups are a great way to personalize your music to a targeted audience and always stay engaged.
Not only is this a great place to build a fanbase, but it is also a way to market your work. Offer contests or special events for group members only. Invite other artists to join the group and work with them on potential collaborations. Link your group to your SoundCloud and other social media pages.
9. CONTINUE TRADITIONAL PROMOTION
Even with a great social media presence, traditional marketing is still a huge part of your job. Just make sure that any printed materials include your profiles for Sound Cloud and the links to your other social media pages.
10. BE THE BEST
All of the work on social media and group pages and linking and traditional marketing will be for nothing if you don’t produce great art! Don’t allow your efforts to promote yourself to overwrite your talent as an artist. Be very deliberate with your time. Schedule time to write, time in the studio, and time for promotion. When you offer up your very best, the marketing you have in place will take care of itself. Max your tracks!