How to Get Listeners on SoundCloud: 8 Strategies
Published: November 04, 2024
Understanding how to get listeners on SoundCloud comes down to a mix of creativity, smart strategies, and knowing how to connect with your audience.
Getting noticed on SoundCloud can be tough, but it’s all about using the right tools and connecting with your audience.
No matter if you’re just starting or trying to level up your existing listener base, there are plenty of steps you can take to stand out.
From building a captivating profile to promoting your music beyond the platform, this guide will cover essential tips to help your music reach more ears and make a lasting impact.
How to Get Listeners on SoundCloud: Everything You Need to Know
Want to grow your audience on SoundCloud? Having a plan makes all the difference.
Continue scrolling and you’ll learn how to get more listeners and grow your SoundCloud presence on the platform.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to take your tracks to the next level these steps will get you there.
1. Buy SoundCloud Plays
The first step to getting more listeners on SoundCloud is to give your tracks a boost by buying SoundCloud plays from social media service providers.
This initial push will make your music look more popular and new listeners will check it out.
When people see a track that has been played, they’re more likely to listen to it, thinking it must be worth their time.
Just make sure you choose a trusted service that offers real plays so your SoundCloud Pro account stays safe and gain meaningful followers.
Why SoundCloud Plays Matter?
The number of plays on your track is one of the first things people see. It’s a measure of how popular your music is, but getting those plays takes work and strategy.
- Make Good Music: It sounds obvious but it all starts with your tracks. People won’t stick around if your music doesn’t grab them. Before you promote, make sure your song is something you’d share if you heard it from someone else.
- Be Consistent: Listeners like artists who are consistent. If you post and then vanish for months, you’ll lose any momentum you built. Try posting and uploading music on SoundCloud regularly, even if it’s a remix or a shorter track.
- Share Everywhere: Don’t keep your music only on SoundCloud. Share it across all your social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for free download. Even sharing a short teaser can get people to check out the full song on the SoundCloud account.
2. Optimize Your SoundCloud Profile
Your profile is like your online business card. When someone clicks on your profile it should look complete and appealing.
- Have a Professional Profile Picture Your profile picture is the first thing people see. Make sure it’s clear and represents you or your music. It could be a logo, a picture of you performing, or even some cool artwork that matches your style.
- Write a Catchy Bio Write who you are, but keep it short. You can mention your music style, where you’re from, or a fun fact about your artist journey. Think of it as your chance to say, "Hey, this is me, and this is why you should listen."
- Use Links Wisely Use links to your other social media pages and your website (if you have one). This makes it easy for listeners to find you outside of SoundCloud and follow you.
3. Team Up with Other Artists
Grow your listener count by collaborating with other independent artists. This gets you in front of their fans and creates something new.
- Reach Out to Artists in Your Niche Don’t go after the big names. Start with artists with a similar following. Message them or comment on their tracks to get their attention.
- Create Remix Projects Remixing each other’s tracks is a great way to bring your audiences together. Plus it’s a way to practice your skills.
- Guest Features and Shoutouts Featuring another artist on your track or asking to be a guest on theirs will get more people to find you. This cross-promotion is powerful because it’s personal.
4. Promote Beyond SoundCloud
Getting listeners isn’t just about what you do on SoundCloud. You need to go outside the platform and use other tools to promote your music.
Use Apple Music and Other Platforms:
Streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube are key to reaching more people. By being on multiple platforms you can reach different types of listeners.
- Distribute Your Music: Use DistroKid or TuneCore to distribute your tracks to Apple Spotify, and more for free download. This way people who don’t use SoundCloud can find your music.
- Encourage Your Fans to Share: Word of mouth is still big. If someone likes your song, ask them to share it with their friends. This can be as simple as adding a line at the end of your track description that says, “If you like this song, share it!”
- Social Media Ads: Running ads on Instagram or Facebook can help you target people who like music like yours. You can start small with just a few bucks to test what works.
5. Engaging with Other Artists
Remember you’re part of a SoundCloud community.
Engaging with other artists is key to building relationships and growing your audience.
- Comment on Tracks: Comment on songs you love. People notice when you’re active and supportive. Artists and listeners will check out your profile.
- Repost Songs You Like: Reposting music from other SoundCloud artists you like helps build connections. When you support others they’ll support you back.
- Collaborate on a Playlist: Creating a playlist with other artists brings all your audiences together. Each artist shares the playlist with their SoundCloud followers and everyone involved gets more plays.
6. Make Your SoundCloud Stand Out
Standing out on SoundCloud is all about being different and authentic. Statistics say that Soundcloud has over 250 million tracks on its platform. Adding your own style and voice helps you get noticed in the noise.
- Use Eye-Catching Cover Art: Good music with bad cover art won’t get as much attention. Make sure your art matches the mood of your track. If you’re not good at design consider hiring a freelancer or using Canva.
- Pin Your Best Track: SoundCloud allows you to pin one track to the top of your profile. Choose your most popular or newest track so it’s the first thing people see when they visit your page.
- Optimise Track Descriptions: A good description gives context to your track. Tell a quick story about what inspired the song or what it means to you. This helps listeners connect with you on a deeper level.
7. Timing is Everything
The time you choose to upload your tracks can make a huge difference in how many plays they get.
Posting when your target audience is most active increases SoundCloud plays and the chances that your own music will be seen and played right away. Here's how to make timing work in your favor:
- Know Your Audience’s Habits: Pay attention to when your listeners are most active. Are they streaming music during their morning commute, in the afternoon, or late at night? Use SoundCloud’s analytics or social media insights to find peak listening times.
- Experiment with Different Times: Don’t be afraid to test different posting times to see what works best. Try uploading your tracks in the morning one week and in the evening the next. Track your plays and engagement to identify trends.
- Schedule Posts Strategically: If you’re busy during peak listening hours, use SoundCloud’s scheduling feature to post your tracks at the best times. This ensures you don’t miss out on potential plays just because you weren’t online to hit upload.
- Consider Time Zones: If your audience is spread across different regions, think about time zones when choosing when to post. Posting at a time that works for the majority of your audience can make a big difference in your play count.
By being strategic when you post your music promotion, you can make sure it reaches more listeners and maximizes your potential for plays.
8. Leverage Other Platforms
While SoundCloud is awesome, expanding to other platforms like YouTube, TikTok and even Instagram Stories can bring in more listeners.
- TikTok Trends: TikTok is massive for promoting and getting your music heard. Even just a 15-second clip of your song in a trending challenge can bring thousands of new listeners to your SoundCloud.
- YouTube Music Videos: Even a simple video with the cover art and your song playing is uploaded to YouTube. Another way to promote your music and people to find your great music and follow the links to your SoundCloud.
- Instagram Stories: Use Instagram Stories to tease new SoundCloud tracks, share behind-the-scenes clips, or show your fans what you’re working on. People love feeling like they’re part of your journey.
Additional Tips for Boosting SoundCloud Plays
Getting more SoundCloud plays and getting more SoundCloud followers takes more than just posting a track and hoping for the best. You need to put in the work to keep people coming back.
- Interact with Your Listeners: When someone comments on your track, comment back. If a fan takes the time to write something nice, acknowledge them. It can turn a casual listener into a loyal fan.
- Use SoundCloud Pro: If you can, invest in SoundCloud Pro. It gives you more data about your listeners which can help you make better decisions. You’ll see where most of your SoundCloud plays are coming from and which songs are performing best.
- Join Groups and Communities: SoundCloud has groups where people share and talk about music. Join those groups and share your tracks there.
- Track Your Progress: Check your stats regularly. See which tracks perform best and what type of promotion works. This helps you focus on what’s bringing in listeners.
- Be Patient: Building a listener base takes time. Don’t expect overnight results.
Conclusion
Building a loyal following on SoundCloud by being creative, consistent, and willing to engage with your audience and other artists is the way how to get listeners on SoundCloud.
Having a clear plan makes all the difference. With the right approach, you can turn casual listeners into dedicated fans. Try out different things and see what works for you.
Remember it’s not just about the SoundCloud plays but the connections you make with real people who like your great music. Keep at it and your hard work will pay off.
