SoundCloud is a great platform for music makers and podcasters to make a name for themselves, turning their passion into a lucrative career. A lot of people have already used it to succeed, and you can too.

Success on SoundCloud happens all the time – just take a look at some of these artists who made a name for themselves in the industry through the platform. It could happen to you too, because you never know when the right person might find your music.

If you want to make it on SoundCloud, you have to pair talent with a solid strategy. Planning is your friend on a highly competitive and creative platform like this.

To help you rise through the charts, we made a list of some of the best tips you can take advantage of to grow your following. Pull out your pen and paper because we’re about to school you on some awesome tips to help you make it on SoundCloud.

A Killer Profile

Humans are highly visual beings, so packaging is always important. As much as your look matters when you want to make a lasting impression, the same goes with your SoundCloud profile.

It’s important that you create an eye-catching profile that will make people stop in their tracks. If you’re a rising artist, having a killer profile works to your advantage because it draws people in before they’ve even had a chance to listen to your music yet.

An optimized profile is crucial if you want to make a big impression, so be sure to invest some time overhauling your page to make it as appealing as possible to the kind of listeners you’d want to attract.

Begin With Your Display Name

When choosing your SoundCloud display name remember to stay true to your brand. If you can, use the name you want to be known by.

Image credit: SoundCloud Help Center

If that’s not available, go for something simple, easy to remember – and most especially, one that’s easy to type. Change your URL as well to get it as close to your name as possible.

An Attractive Banner Image and Avatar

One of the first things people will see on your profile is your banner image and avatar. Think of your banner image as your album cover, you have to make sure it represents you in the best way possible – without going overboard.

Here are a few examples of great banner images that are simple yet stunning enough to stop any listener in their tracks

Image credit: Soundplate

Image credit: Soundplate

Image credit: Soundplate

Buy Yourself a Running Start

If you want to make it on SoundCloud, consider buying yourself a running start. Purchasing high-quality plays can help you drive the right kind of attention to your track. The more impressive your play count looks, the more listeners you’ll attract.

Choosing the right provider, who can offer you high quality plays from authentic-looking users, is your best bet for becoming one of the most recognizable names on SoundCloud. Call it the bandwagon effect – people on the internet love hearing what everybody else is listening to.

This increases your chances of being heard, and will attract more authentic listeners in the process.

If you want to know which of the providers out there offer the best quality plays, be sure to check out our detailed reviews. We put these providers to the test on a number of aspects to see if they can provide quality plays for a reasonable price.

SoundCloud and SEO

If there’s one thing you need to know about social media marketing, it’s that no matter the platform you’re on, text-based content is very important – and it also helps a great deal in improving your SEO.

Your bio is a great place to put text-based content using focus keywords. This will ultimately contribute to your ranking on the platform. It’s also the perfect spot to give listeners an idea on who you are as an artist in a concise manner.

Image credit: Robert Miles on SoundCloud

Aside from your bio, one other thing you can do to optimize your profile is come up with great names for your playlists. Label each song properly and use the right keywords so that people who are just casually browsing for a specific genre can easily find your tracks.

Tag It With the Right Mood

Tagging your tracks accordingly is crucial in boosting your searchability on SoundCloud. This way, you not only get to curate your music properly but you also increase your chances of being found on the platform.

Below is an example of a playlist that uses both specific and general tags. Tags not only make it a whole lot easier for fans to find your music, it will also connect you to the broader culture associated with that genre, and all the benefits that come with it.

Image credit: KYLE on SoundCloud

Care to Share

Sharing is caring on the internet. By now it should be safe to assume that you also have other social media accounts. One of the most overlooked marketing opportunities that most artists miss out on is the ability to connect and share their music across every platform.

Sharing your latest releases on all of your social media platforms not only strengthens your social proof as a whole but will also help you drive existing connections to your SoundCloud account.

SoundCloud allows users to automatically share newly uploaded tracks to various social media pages very easily, through the Share button. Users also have the option to share their music manually through a provided link.

Image credit: SoundCloud Help Center

This is a great opportunity for music makers to get their tracks out to the widest audience possible.

Be A Listener

More than just a music sharing platform, SoundCloud is a community of creators and fans. If you want to make the most out of this platform, you have to be willing to take part in the community.

SoundCloud has a nifty function where listeners can comment on a specific time within a track. You can use this opportunity to share your thoughts or ask other artists about their process. In doing so, you are forging a relationship with fellow music makers than can turn into rewarding collaborations in the future.

Image credit: KYLE on SoundCloud

This is also a great opportunity for you to hear what other musicians are doing, aiding your artistic process. This can help you get a better idea of what it’s like to be a listener on SoundCloud, making it easier to create music that your fans will love.

Abuse the comment section (in a good way) and engage with others. This way, people won’t think twice about leaving comments on your tracks, too – and you know you can benefit from the engagement.

Own Your SoundCloud Account

If there’s one piece of cliche advice we can give you to help make it to the top of SoundCloud, it’s: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” This means that if things get harder, you work even harder.

Even when your track isn’t getting many plays, you need to continue uploading music. This will help you build a more impressive repertoire down the line, one you can look back on with pride.

Image credit: Chance the Rapper on SoundCloud

Chance the Rapper has gained quite a recognition from a worldwide audience today, but the fame that he has right now can be credited to his hard work and dedication to the craft. If you view his SoundCloud page, you’ll see some of his tracks are already 4 years old, and some are even older.

These tracks are getting millions of plays today, but we are certain things were not the same back then. Thanks to his dedication and his consistency in uploading, even his older work is getting a ton of attention from listeners today.

Uploading consistently is a good way to create a curated page for your musical career. Your fans will know exactly where to go to find everything about you – from the past til present.

Know Your Fans

Knowing your fans well can help you come out with tracks that resonate with them. SoundCloud Pro has added features that give users access to comprehensive analytics that can tell you who’s listening and where they’re from – very valuable for any up-and-coming artist.

If you’re serious about learning more about your audience, the analytics feature is a nifty tool to have under your belt. It will help you learn much more about the people listening to your tracks, and how to reach them.

It should also tell you whether your current tracks are resonating with the people you want to target. This helps music-makers create more relevant tracks, as well as pinpoint the weaker areas of their current strategy, which you can then target for improvement.

Success Is All About Dedication

Internet success, no matter how much you dream, doesn’t come overnight. You have to combine your talent with a killer strategy that can help you reach the top of the charts.

There are a number of tools available online that can help artists like you come up with a solid plan to reach more viewers through optimization, analytics, and stronger social proof. Keep the above guidance in mind, and you’ll be off to a good start.

Add to that some bought SoundCloud Plays and other signals of engagement, and you’ll really be rocking. Combined with dedication and talent, these are indispensable tips that will help you make a career out of your passion.

Stay dedicated and stay creative, while staying smart. That is the key to SoundCloud stardom.

Date: March 24, 2017 / Categories: Getting Discovered, Marketing, / Author: Mariko