Any artist today is aware of the value of building followers on Spotify, as growing this base increases your chances of landing on a high-profile playlist. Here we look at some creative ways for artists to flip fans into followers.
__________________________
Guest post by Tarryn Meyers from the Symphonic Blog
If you’re an artist on Spotify, chances are you know how important it is to build your followers. Your followers can help you track your progress and increase your chances of getting on exclusive playlists. Not only that, they function as your mailing list. Spotify sends your followers automatic updates whenever you release new music or schedule a show in their area. With all this potential to grow your fanbase and increase show attendance, you’ll want to use any opportunity to gain Spotify followers.
Here are some creative ways to help you turn fans into Spotify followers.
Spotify Codes
Spotify’s take on the QR code gives you tons of freedom to get creative with promoting your music. Generate a code by tapping the ‘…’ button next to what you want to share. Users can save the picture directly to their phone or screenshot the code in the Spotify app and instantly be sent to the song, album or playlist you’ve made it for. Once you’ve made a code you can share it just about anywhere. Make cards with a code and give them out with merchandise at shows. Include codes on concert posters. Make stickers with codes and paint the town. The possibilities here are endless.
Artist Pick
Your artist pick appears at the top of your Spotify profile and can be any song, album or playlist (yours or otherwise) you wish to pin there. This is the first thing listeners will see when they view your profile so put your best face forward! The content you highlight here can be key to catching a follow. Pin the release you feel most confident about, or that you feel best captures your sound. Or try pinning a personal playlist of your influences or favorites. This can give users a reason to follow and engage with you.
Reach Out to Music Bloggers
Music blogs are one of the top ways people search for and discover new artists. There are thousands of potential fans out there looking for artists like YOU, they just don’t know who you are yet. Why not feature your work somewhere people go everyday to find new music? Look for blogs that promote your genre or other artists at your level and pitch them your music. This is a great way to promote a new release—-in fact you may have a better chance of being featured if you have an upcoming release. For more tips on pitching to music bloggers, click here.
Collaborate
When you collaborate with other artists you put your music directly before a new fanbase with open ears. Reach out to other artists and see if they would be open to remixing your music or vice versa. Go a step further and try collaborating with someone outside of your genre. These can both grow and diversify your following.
Competitions & Giveaways
This is a great way to turn fans into followers if they are not already. Set up a contest or giveaway that involves users following you. You can give away exclusive merch, tickets to a show or backstage passes—-anything that creates incentive. Allow enough time between announcing the giveaway and picking a winner to build a solid pool of followers. Be strategic in what content you put out in the meantime, as this is what will hook new followers.
Linking to Spotify
This may seem like a given, but anywhere that you have a digital presence you should link to your Spotify. Examples of this could be in social media bios, email signatures, or on your website. On your website you can include a Spotify player featuring your best tracks and, even better, you can embed a Spotify follow button on the page to make following even easier.