I have been, as you know, striving to become a small part of the musician community and contribute to it, especially in Kolkata, for a few years now, in whatever way I can. Through my varied interview sessions and a few event coverages, I have started to know several musicians and their plight in the recent ongoing of the industry – especially post-2020. As an individual with a 9-to-5 digital marketing job, I couldn’t help but wonder how the intricacies of the Spotify profiles work to help me and the supremely talented musicians make their mark in this increasingly digital-dependant world. So, today, I wanted to write down what I already knew and what I have recently researched about getting your monthly listener count high on Spotify!
In today’s time, whether you’re an artist or someone with a
record label, or a band, who wants to grow in popularity, digital streaming
platforms (DSPs) like Spotify can be of immense help. It not only looks good on
your resume as a performer but also acts as an excellent conversation starter
with future clients for collaborations and even with fans. As easy as it sounds
at the moment, curating a Spotify profile viable enough to showcase to the
world is a job that requires a dedicated amount of time every day. While there
is no top-trade secret here that would get you to the position you want, I have
come across a few things that can help you increase your monthly listener count.
1. Playlists: First things first, you need to submit your work to playlist curators. Yes, this might seem like a tedious task that has no meaning, but trust me when I say I have seen this work for a lot of people. They will see your work for sure, even when they aren’t able to reply, and your job is to make your work stand out of the crowd. Curator playlists can break a song or an artist if you can get hold of the right one. If you don’t want to go through that much trouble and want to keep things to yourself, then go all-in. If you ask me, there can be nothing better than creating your own playlist. This not only helps trade your tracks with other curators but also increases your presence amongst people you think are your peers.
- Identity: For
the next step, you need to think of yourself as a brand. Yes, you need to have a strong brand image on social media, especially when you want to make it big on Spotify. It can help you showcase your music to a larger audience and let them know that you are worth it. A verification blue tick on your Spotify artist profile acts as an added bonus as you present a
graphic charter or several press pictures as part of it. This gives a
professional yet personal touch to your profile. As for me, speaking from a digital marketing point of view, I would want you to keep updating your bio as well. This will let the Spotify algorithm know that you are serious about your work.
- Spreading the Word: Now that you have a verified artist profile on Spotify, a somewhat okay brand presence across social media, and several playlists to your name, it is time to start sharing. Well, yes, I know what you are thinking – she wrote this very thing in the last paragraph, so why on Earth is she repeating herself? Well, the thing is simple – both the points are different.
Reaching out to a new audience is not something you can do through just your social media. You need to contact music blog owners and give them a
glimpse of what you are upto. Send them a track or two of yours in .mp3
format (if possible) and attach your Spotify playlist link with the mail as well. You can also contact websites such as SubmitHub to come up with a
good promo package that has your press release, bio, press shots, and your music for the same. And while we are on the subject, always keep a
good promo package or press kit handy, you never know when you would need it.
- Your
Peers: Another
crucial thing that most people aren’t aware of (or somehow neglect, over time) is admiring the work of your peers. See, the thing is simple. You want people to listen to your work, right? How will that happen if you don’t listen to others and commend them on their achievements? Sharing is helping, and the first step to build a brand around yourself is by making yourself visible and showing your support for others. You don’t want your
peers to call you an egotistical person who cares for your work and not the industry, do you? Believe it or not, even the smallest of actions matter. Following the artists you like, and letting your peers know that you like them is something that can make you visible as well. Don’t believe me? Try it out to know more.
- Promotion: This is textbook material, but I couldn’t have stopped myself from mentioning it. Record labels, trust me, have playlists on Spotify where you can pitch your music to. If someone is interested in the kind of work you do, you never know, they might sign you for an album deal. While you are at it, go all-in when it comes to emailing your followers, fans, and prospective clients about your musical whereabouts. This can bring a personalized touch to your routine and can make the recipients feel heard. You can also come up with a strategy for the same and send across different variations of a track to see how it fares to a partial audience. Always remember, self-promotion is better than no promotion. Blatantly share your Spotify links everywhere, and include QR codes, embed player links, and follow buttons as part of your CTA (call-to-action). You will be surprised at the results.
At this point, I feel that I can go on and on about this subject, but it is already over 1k words and I should stop. I would rather be up for a meaningful conversation with some of you reading this and answer any questions you might have on the subject so that we both can learn something from this experience.
See, at the end of the day, it is your piece, and you know the best on how you want to promote it. As far as where I stand is concerned, your piece is your baby and is the best – so it deserves all the promotion possible to help you build a brand on any digital streaming platform.
So, here’s hoping this could be of little help to your intentions and I could play even a small part in it! Looking forward to hearing about your music and if you allow me to, write about it as well.
