Part of the main ethos behind SoundCloud which allows it to function is the idea of its users sharing and engaging with each other not just on a musical level, but also sharing common interests and ideas. As an artist, this can make for the perfect environment in which to build and grow a community of both fans and fellow creators.
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Guest post by Jeanette Kats of the Symphonic Blog
The heart of SoundCloud is its deeply engaged community of creators who share the sounds they create with each another and the world. SoundCloud is not only about sharing sounds but also about sharing common interests, attitudes, goals and connecting with people who share your passion.
How to Grow Your SoundCloud Community
Here’s a handy list of 10 tips for you to learn about how you can build your own community on SoundCloud.
1. Listen closely to many sounds from many ‘Clouders.
This is the first and most important step in growing your own community: understand what’s already out there and who’s doing what. Use search tools and groups to find sounds you like.
2. If you like it, fave it, drop a note and follow.
Adding a track you like as a favorite goes a long way with people, who may just return the favor. Dropping a timed comment often starts a conversation, and following the person keeps you in the loop for future uploads.
3. Make honest, relevant, useful, encouraging comments, often.
It’s ok to say “nice” but even better to say “nice drums, but sounds like some bass details are getting lost. Check EQ?”. It’s not great to say “nice, listen to mine” if you didn’t actually listen to it – many perceive that as spam.
4. Reply to your comments and messages, connect with your listeners.
A polite response to compliments on your tracks and in your inbox is generally appreciated by your listeners and keeps the conversation going.
5. Join like-minded groups and share your sounds.
Moderated groups are often better. It’s a good way to get heard and also to hear more like yours. Moderated groups weed out the noise from tracks that are completely irrelevant to the group theme.
6. Start a group with your unique theme, hunt down relevant tracks to invite contributions.
This is a great way to meet like-minded SoundClouders and to create a sound space of your own.
7. Thank your group contributors with a timed comment that includes the group hyperlink.
The reference to the group hyperlink raises visibility and is likely to bring in more like-minded artists to your group.
8. Share your favorite artists and tracks with your other social networks freely.
It’s great to get Tweeted or Facebooked by a follower who likes your track, right? Return the favor in advance.
9. Consider collaborating via private track sharing.
SoundCloud makes it really easy to collaborate by letting you share works in progress privately, preserving full recording quality in the actual file uploaded.
10. Offer your own tracks for remixing and consider Creative Commons licensing.
You might be surprised what unexpected variations and usages come back from the overall SoundCloud community of hugely diverse genres.