There have been quite a few articles popping up lately that attempt to discredit the value of fake SoundCloud plays. Although some of these articles make one or two good points, there is no denying that fake plays can be beneficial when utilized properly. Today, we are going to set the record straight and explain all the pros and cons in detail so you get both sides of the story.

The main thing to realize is that buying plays isn’t a magical ticket that will bring you instant fame on SoundCloud, by any means. People buy plays to generate social proof. Having a high level of perceived social proof increases the likelihood that potential fans and A&R reps will actually take the time to check out your track. It certainly doesn’t guarantee anything, but it definitely increases the chances of getting new listeners.

A real look at the cons

Perhaps the biggest concern regarding fake plays is how they can negatively affect your reputation as an artist. It is extreme to say that anyone caught buying fake plays has ruined their chances of making it in the music industry, because buying plays is a common strategy among SoundCloud marketers. You want to avoid anything that might tarnish your reputation, but that doesn’t mean saying no to fake plays entirely. With a bit of research, you can easily find a vendor that specializes in avoiding these types of situations.

High quality providers have been around for years and know how SoundCloud’s algorithms work. By sticking with a vendor that has great reviews and a clean, lengthy track record – you won’t get penalized by SoundCloud. Another important thing to note is that buying 10,000 plays alone without any favorites, shares, or comments is going to look sketchy. The same goes for loading up 10,000 plays on one track while the rest of your songs sit with a shoddy amount of 10-50 plays.

Make sure you order an appropriate amount of each social signals so purchased plays don’t stick out like a sore thumb. Without this, you’re not providing adequate social proof and the plays aren’t going to do anything for you, except for raise suspicions. This is where the majority of negative feedback aimed at fake plays stems from. A lot of people jump into it with minimal knowledge or planning, or thoughts about how to properly optimize bought plays.

Buying plays can also put your account at risk of being suspended, which is obviously a problem. However, this can be completely avoided by sticking to a high-quality, reputable provider. The only way SoundCloud will take action against your account is if it is blatantly obvious to them that you are faking your stats. Some of the most popular SoundCloud artists use bought plays, followers, and comments to boost their profiles – it’s just a matter of being careful.

True benefits of SoundCloud plays

We’ve mentioned it before, but the biggest benefit received from fake plays is the social proof they bring you. Potential listeners are much more likely to check out music that has thousands of plays and likes – because it must be good, to be that popular.

Another great reason to buy plays and other signals is that it keeps you from being at a disadvantage. We’re not lying when we say that a lot of popular SoundCloud artists are boosting their metrics with paid plays, favorites, and followers. In fact, you’d have a tough time finding a popular artist who got there without some help from paid plays along the way. It’s a popular way to grow online, and is really just another advertising cost.

Fletcher Batts is a successful social media marketer who works with a lot of unsigned artists in the rap world. In an interview with The Daily Dot he said, “[My clients] do it so that they can get some credibility for themselves and their brand.” Batts was talking about buying YouTube views, not SoundCloud plays, but the message is transferrable. In fact, metrics matter even more on SoundCloud than YouTube for many musicians.

Wrapping things up

When reading articles that denounce fake plays, you’ll notice that they usually still end up pointing you toward other paid promotion. The thing they’re missing is the fact that buying plays isn’t meant to be a substitute for advertising; rather, fake plays are meant to boost your advertising and marketing campaigns so they yield the best results. Advertising is required to make a name for yourself as an artist, but it doesn’t always create the best possible results unless you have some social proof boosting your marketing push.

In a nutshell, buying plays is meant to serve as part of a bigger marketing campaign. Don’t rely solely on fake plays to skyrocket your fame as an artist. Make sure you’ve got an adequate amount of comments, favorites, and followers to go along with any plays you buy. After that, start running good advertising campaigns that are targeting the appropriate audience. Once they end up at your page and see that you’re a “successful artist,” you’ll start reeling in real plays and new fans along with them.

Date: April 2, 2016 / Categories: SoundCloud Plays, Tips, / Author: Viv