In an ever-changing market, promoting your music online is essential, because the way we play and listen to music has changed. The trusty old radio station is out and online/streamed music is in. Free streaming has become a new pillar of the recorded music sector and now represents more than 82% of the music market revenues.
With Spotify at the top of the list (far ahead of Apple Music, Amazon Music and Youtube Music), it is now becoming necessary for every songwriter to develop their business on the platform and boost their streams. At the end of Q1 2024, it was announced that Spotify had reached over 615+ million users worldwide. A number that exceeded their forecasts. Spotify’s growth seems to have no limits.
![Streaming music market in 2023 - Comparison of the different music streaming platforms - Spotify is way out on top](https://azrfmqghiq.cloudimg.io/blog.groover.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Streaming-music-market-in-2023-.jpg?func=bound&w=300&h=300)
Streaming music market in 2023
So how is your own music supposed to stand out from the millions of songs in the vast music collections these music streaming services host? Every subscription service has a set of key tools to get new paying subscribers to consume music on the platform.
There’s no use in cheating by buying streams! Depending on the service you use, your distributor or Spotify may notice that you’ve purchased streams and penalize you by permanently disabling your artist account. That’s why it’s important to build up your visibility on the platform in a progressive and organic way. Fortunately, there are more and more powerful tools to help you do so – including Groover.
Want to give your new music a fighting change on streaming services? Upload your music files on Groover, get feedback within 7 days from some of the best music professionals of the music-industry, and take your music catalog to the next level.
Are you looking to get into Spotify playlists? ⬇️
Here are 7 tips for you to increase Spotify streams without cheating and finally, stand out from the crowd.
1. The basis for analyzing your streams: Spotify For Artists
By creating a Spotify for Artists account, your account will instantly be verified, which only adds to your credibility. Plus, you’ll have access to all sorts of great features like data analysis and notifications when your music is added to playlists. Keep track of this data as much as possible and try to note trends. This feature is completely free and allows you not only to know who’s listening to your music, but also to get an overview of which songs are most popular with your listeners.
| Also read: Spotify for Artists – The ultimate guide to boost your streams
Spotify is the stronger competitor within the recording industry when talking about any streaming platform. As an independent artist, all you want is to distribute your music and get your music heard. Spotify For Artists is the perfect tool for this. Songwriters can understand how their own fanbase listens to music and change their promotional strategy accordingly. Want to learn how to promote your music and increase your Spotify streams? Groover is here to help you out!
| Check out: How to use Groover to promote your music with success
Spotify for Artists has also developed new paid advertising formats available in the “Campaigns” tab to artists who are really starting to build up their audience on Spotify, in order for them to help them get more streams:
- Marquee takes the form of a pop-up/window that highlights your new release to your listeners and followers. Available from 5,000 listens in the last 28 days in a targeted country, and 1,000 followers on the profile.
- Showcase is a tool that will recommend your music (latest releases or catalog) via a banner on Spotify’s mobile homepage. Available from 1000 listens over the last 28 days in a targeted country.
- Discovery Mode, not accessible to all artists & distributors, and only above 25,000 monthly listeners, enables a track released at least 30 days ago to be pushed more strongly in Spotify’s algorithmic playlists.
However, these formats are only available to artists who have already gathered a very significant audience on Spotify. There’s much more you can do to increase your streaming audience.
2. Create your own playlists to promote your music
Boosting your overall Spotify streams is a great way to get your music into editorial playlists. You can use platforms such as Groover to contact playlist curators directly, but you can also create your own playlist. Creating your own playlists on Spotify allows you to bring your favorite music together in one place. You can also pin it to your homepage. It’s a great way to showcase your personal music taste, bring your community together, and encourage them revisit your artist page regularly. Showcase your music catalogue in a variety of genres.
![Create your own playlists on your Spotify profile Create your own playlists on your Spotify profile](https://azrfmqghiq.cloudimg.io/blog.groover.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/boost_streams_spotify.png)
Create your own playlists on your Spotify profile
You can also create curated playlists based on a mood or specific themes, and include songs from bands and musicians that inspire you (and add a few of your own songs to them too). Don’t overdo it by inserting too many personal songs, because the challenge here is to stay authentic and share your music library and musical universe with your fans and potential future listeners. Another trick is also to collaborate with other musicians on a playlist. When you do this, you expose your playlist (and your songs) to a larger audience, which means more fans and more Spotify streams.
![Personal Spotify playlists by The XX, Frank Ocean, Clairo et King Krule Personal Spotify playlists by The XX, Frank Ocean, Clairo et King Krule](https://blog.groover.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/boost_streams_spotify_2.png)
Personal Spotify playlists by The XX, Frank Ocean, Clairo et King Krule
It is essential to add tracks to these playlists on a regular basis because your subscribers will be notified each time you update them. This approach also leads your listeners to consult your profile, which contributes to raising the number of visitors on your profile and, in fact, the number of streams.
Think about what your listeners would want or what you, as a listener, would want from curated playlists. Put yourself in your fans’ shoes and figure out what context they’re listening to music in. If they are studying, going on a run, working out, pregaming – create this vibe for your audience. But don’t forget, you are unique, so make playlists about how you would like them for yourself, NOT for other people. This will definitely work in your favor.
Also, Pro tip! When people look up your Spotify playlist they listen to the first 3-5 songs before deciding if they want to subscribe. Make sure these are your absolute favorite ones in the playlist.
Read also : How to create your own playlist on Spotify and gain followers ?
We can never say it enough. It’s important to maintain the link with your fans and keep them updated with news and content that reveals your personality.
Become a musical guru for your fans while promoting your own songs!
Promoting these special playlists and new tracks on your various social networks, including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, is a great way to stay dynamic, engage your community and drive traffic to your Spotify profile. It’s also essential because Spotify’s algorithms monitor your activity. So it’s imperative to engage your community to subscribe to your Spotify profile. The best way to attract new listeners is to feed your profile with exclusive content (including remixes, covers, featurings, live versions and more). Any activity is good to relay on your unlimited streaming platforms because active users with high-performance streams are more likely to have their music placed in prominent playlists. Also, the more streams and listeners you have, the more you appear in searches and custom playlists.
| Read also: How to gain new followers on INSTAGRAM?
4. Take advantage of Spotify Ad Studio to get plays
Spotify Ad Studio is an advertising platform that allows users to easily create and manage Spotify audio advertising campaigns. You can create audio ads of 30 seconds or less that (non-paying) Spotify users will hear during commercial breaks between songs. Each ad also contains a clickable image linked to the URL of your choice.
Keep in mind that these audio ads are by nature interrupting the listener’s experience. Imagine you are in your home and you listen to music online through an Echo, Alexa or Sonos … the last thing you would want is a boring ad to disrupt your playlist! Be clever about your audio ad and make it enjoyable for the listener. Make sure to stand out and give a new potential listener a positive first impression. Don’t be the reason why someone pays for a music subscription and chooses to go ad-free! Keep in mind that Spotify Premium users do not have audio ads served to them on the streaming music service.
![Spotify Ad Studio Spotify Ad Studio](https://blog.groover.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/spotify_ad_studio.png)
Spotify Ad Studio
This new feature allows you to accurately track the flow and growth of your streams and gives you the ability to target new listeners by location, demographic, and listening trends.
Spotify Ad Studio is a revolutionary tool for artists aiming to boost Spotify plays. By using targeted ads, musicians can reach a broader audience, significantly enhancing their presence on the platform. This approach is designed to increase Spotify streams by connecting artists with listeners who are likely to enjoy their genre, thereby increasing the probability of more organic Spotify plays.
Need help finding the perfect audience for your music online? It’s harder than many people think! Contrary to popular belief, very few artists can pass from the shadows into the spotlight just by snapping their fingers. Also, getting a good song out there is not enough anymore, and there is no point in making buzz just for buzz’s sake if you want to build a solid and lasting reputation. Finding your own identity as an artist and bringing together an audience around your project is a long-term process.
Furthermore, Spotify Ad Studio provides analytics and feedback, enabling artists to understand their audience better. This insight is crucial for artists to refine their strategy to boost Spotify plays continuously. As they adjust their campaigns based on real data, they’re more likely to attract organic Spotify plays, creating a loyal listener base.
You have to remain authentic, but also use the right methods to capture the audience that corresponds to you and understand what it expects from you. Knowing your fans allows you to interact with them as well as possible, but also to develop a better communication strategy in order to gain visibility and notoriety. Here are some tips to help you target your audience as a musician.
| Check out: How to find an audience for your music: 7 Tips to boost your visibility
5. Want more monthly listeners on Spotify? Use a Spotify code
A Spotify code is a kind of QR code that you can add to any form of promotion imaginable that, when scanned, will direct users to any landing page of your choice. It’s possible to create Spotify codes for artist profiles, playlists, albums and songs. In addition, you can share Spotify codes almost anywhere. Use it on social media, websites and more. Your fans can then scan the code using the Spotify app’s built-in scanner.
![Spotify Code Spotify Code](https://blog.groover.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/spotify_code.png)
Spotify Code
Integrating a Spotify code into your promotional strategy is an innovative way to increase streams. By sharing these codes on social media, websites, email signatures, or even printed materials, artists can directly link fans to their music to drive organic Spotify plays, targeting listeners who are already interested in their genre or style.
Moreover, using Spotify codes can boost Spotify plays by making it easier for listeners to find and play your music with just a quick scan. This convenience removes barriers for potential listeners, encouraging immediate engagement with your tracks. Furthermore, these plays are more likely to be organic Spotify plays, as they come from genuinely interested listeners who have actively chosen to engage with your music.
Another key benefit is the potential for your music to be shared further, which will make your Spotify streams grow exponentially. If a fan enjoys your music, they can easily share your Spotify code with their own network, increasing your reach. This word-of-mouth promotion is invaluable, often translating into organic Spotify plays from new listeners who trust their friends’ recommendations.
There’s also a new feature on Spotify for Artists that allows you to share your music directly from the platform with Promo Cards.
![Promo Cards - Spotify for Artists](https://azrfmqghiq.cloudimg.io/blog.groover.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Capture-d%E2%80%99e%CC%81cran-2020-10-13-a%CC%80-16.40.10.jpg?func=bound&w=1024&h=538)
Promo Cards – Spotify for Artists
6. Integrate Spotify plugins & pre-save links in all your media
The integration of Spotify players and a ‘subscribe’ button allows your fans to access and listen to your music directly. When a user clicks the subscribe button on your Spotify account, they instantly follow all your activities on the platform. In fact, Spotify notifies your subscribers when you post new tracks or play gigs near them. It works with any HTML-enabled website. Non-Spotify subscribers will be able to enjoy a 30-second preview of your track. It’s an easy way to get more exposure and increase Spotify streams.
Another great strategy is to use pre-save links in the weeks leading to a new music release. When listeners pre-save your track on Spotify, they automatically start following your profile. This means that they’re much more likely to be notified anytime you drop a new release, and find your release among their Release Radar algorithmic playlist.
7. Get heard by playlisters to gain streams
In order to do this, it is imperative that you know what kind of music you are playing and what kind of audience you are addressing – it’s important to understand your realm and/or musical universe. As an emerging artist, the best way to get more streams is to appear on playlists managed by musical influencers. These curators usually specialize in a niche and have the potential to share your music with your future biggest fans. The more you appear in user-generated playlists the more likely you are to get into Spotify algorithmic and editorial playlists.
So the question is, how to get into user-generated playlists ? And here are the two best solutions we recommend :
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Using Groover, get your music listened to and placed by playlist curators
Contacting the editorial teams of radio stations, podcasts, bloggers or labels/record labels directly is often tedious and almost never yields concrete results. (Don’t forget about internet radio too, this is a great tool to keep in mind!) With Groover, you can contact the best independent playlists (including Alexrainbird, BIRP.fm, Electro Posé, XEN, Disco Naïveté, College Music & more) and be assured that you’ll be listened to, get feedback on your music and why not get added to Spotify’s top playlists! To make it easy for you, we’ve even set up a special category to help you find them in the filters from the media selection page:
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User-generated playlists, also known as independent playlists, also known as third party playlists
- On your Spotify desktop app (only place it’s available!), check out profiles of artists who have between 1,000 and 50,000 listeners per month – including the ones in your “Similar Artists” tab
- Go to “Overview” ⇒ “Fans also like”
- In “About” → “Discovered On”…
- Once you see the playlists that bring them the most streams, aim for the ones that are not created by Spotify and you might have a chance to get in too!
This is basically how Groover invites the top playlists to join their curator community! You may save a lot of time while being guaranteed that your music is going to get listened to by choosing the most relevant independent playlists for you through Groover.
| To go further : How to get on Spotify Playlists ?
![Examples of Spotify playlists in which New Bleach has appeared Examples of Spotify playlists in which New Bleach has appeared](https://azrfmqghiq.cloudimg.io/blog.groover.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Capture-d%E2%80%99e%CC%81cran-2020-10-07-a%CC%80-17.03.29.jpg)
Examples of Spotify playlists in which New Bleach has appeared
User-generated playlists help you to boost Spotify plays by creating a sense of community and connection with your audience. Listeners often trust the curator’s taste, and by extension, any new artist featured in the playlist. This trust can boost Spotify plays for you and followers for the artist.
Another key aspect is the potential for organic Spotify plays. Being featured in a playlist means that the song is likely to be played repeatedly, not just by one listener, but by many who follow or stumble upon the playlist. The algorithm favors this authentic success, and you’ll be suggested to more listeners, winning you further organic Spotify plays.
Another underrated aspect of playlists is that they can boost Spotify plays over a long period. Once a song is included in a playlist, it can continue to be listened to by new audiences discovering the playlist.
Spotify is not the only music streaming service that will help you promote your music online. Check out streaming services like Apple Music, Soundcloud, Google Play, Deezer, Youtube Music, Tidal, Napster, Pandora, and many more. Any music service, like the ones mentioned, is a great music discovery tool that will allow any new listener to listen and download your music.
To get in touch with the best independent playlist curators for your music, get your music listened to and optimize your chances to get it placed, try Groover today 🤘
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