How to Get Your Music on Streaming Services and Make It Pop
First Things First: Getting Your Music Ready
Before venturing into the realm of streaming music content anywhere else for that matter, it is essential to ensure that your musical creations exude a sense of refinement and professionalism in their quality aspect. It is imperative to have your compositions meticulously mixed and mastered to perfection—after all, no one desires to release a track that resembles a recording made within the confines of a tin can! Furthermore, make certain that you have at your disposal high-fidelity WAV files all set and prepared for dissemination purposes.
Choosing Your Distribution Partner
Putting your music on Spotify and other streaming services is easier than you might imagine! All you have to do is work with a music distribution company. They act as the bridge between you and the platforms where your music will be available for listeners to enjoy. Some known choices for music promotion is One Submit. These services take care of all the work involved in getting your songs to the places.
Setting Up Your Artist Profiles
Once you’ve got a distributor, it’s time to claim your artist profiles. Spotify for artists is super important; it gives you access to stats, playlist pitching, and that fancy blue checkmark. Same goes for Apple Music for Artists. Fill out everything: your bio, photos, social links—the whole nine yards. Think of it as your musical business card.
Timing Is Everything
Here’s a pro tip: don’t just upload your music and release it the next day. Plan ahead! Most music magazines and playlist curators prefer to preview your music before its release date, so make sure to allocate at least a month for preparation before your scheduled release day. This gives you time to build buzz and submit to playlists.
The Playlist Game
Playlists are your best friends in the streaming world. Start small—create your own playlists and add your music alongside similar artists. Reach out to small playlist curators through Instagram or their websites. Be genuine; nobody likes spam! Spotify promotion works best when it’s authentic and targeted to the right audience.
Social Media: Your New Best Friend
You can’t just put your music up and hope people find it. Get active on social media! TikTok is huge for music promotion right now—create some fun content around your music. Share snippets, behind-the-scenes stuff, or even tutorials. Cross-promote on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook too.
Making the Most of Release Radar
It’s pretty neat when someone starts following you on Spotify because your latest releases will pop up on their Release Radar playlist automatically. It’s like promotion for your music there! Don’t forget to ask your fans to give you a follow on streaming platforms, not just on media. It really helps get your music out there in front of more people.
Collaborate and Network
Find other artists in your genre and work together. Maybe do a joint playlist, remix each other’s tracks, or share audiences. The music industry is all about connections—make them count! Engage with other artists’ content and build genuine relationships.
Using Your Data
Both Spotify for artists and Apple Music for Artists provide a wealth of information about the listeners of your music and their geographic locations. Use this info! If you see you’re getting lots of plays from a particular city, maybe plan a show there. Notice a spike in listeners from a certain playlist? Thank the curator and build that relationship.
Advertising: When and How
If you’ve got some budget, consider running some ads. Facebook and Instagram ads can be super targeted. You can even run Spotify ads through their Ad Studio. But don’t blow your whole budget on ads—spread it out and test what works.
Building Your Email List
While streaming platforms are great, you don’t own those relationships. Start building an email list of your true fans. Provide something, like a download or exclusive content from behind the scenes in return, for their email address.
Stay Consistent
Keep releasing music regularly. It doesn’t have to be full albums; singles work great for keeping momentum. The more active you are, the more the algorithms will favor you. Plus, it gives you more chances to land on those important playlists.
The Long Game
Remember, success on streaming platforms rarely happens overnight. Even those “overnight success” stories usually involve years of groundwork. Keep making good music, building genuine connections, and learning from your data.
Don’t Forget Traditional Promo
While streaming is huge, don’t ignore traditional promotion. Local radio stations, music magazines, blogs, and podcasts can still help build your audience. Every bit of exposure helps drive people to your streaming profiles.
Keep Learning and Adapting
The streaming world changes fast. Keep in mind that what is effective now may not be as effective in the future; it’s important to stay informed on any updates to platforms and new features or strategies for promoting content. Join some music industry groups and share experiences with other artists.
Remember, getting your music on streaming platforms is just the first step. The real work comes in promoting it and building your audience. Stay patient, keep creating great music, and don’t be afraid to try new promotion strategies. Your streaming success story is waiting to be written!
