You want to break into the music world and you think you have all it takes to achieve success. Maybe you’re working on a new song and dream that it will be heard by the largest number of users. You also get along with podcasts and believe you are no less than many of the professionals you follow. In this regard, you have been using Spotify for some time, you are convinced that it is the best streaming service to get noticed and you would like to find out how it works to make the most of it and promote your works.
If that’s the case, let me give you some tips to try to climb the ranks and get noticed by industry experts; maybe, why not, even from record companies. In detail, I’d like to explain how to increase plays on Spotify and ensure that your music and your work in general are not confined to a corner of the Web, but are able to conquer the largest number of users. How do you say? Do you think it’s impossible? It’s not easy, it’s true, but somehow you’ll have to start if you really believe in your talent.
Spotify, by the way, is just one of the many services you can use to advertise your music and podcasts, so if you manage not to stop at the first hurdle, if you’ll be able to constantly work on your image and build your success step step by step, without expecting the impossible right away, you will see that the results will come. Now, therefore, make yourself comfortable and follow these tips. Obviously I can’t guarantee anything, but you will certainly increase your chances of success on Spotify and expand your skills related to this platform a little!
Increase How Spotify listens for free
There are many ways to increase plays on Spotify for free but assume that, as with any other goal, it takes a lot of time and just as much effort to achieve it. On the other hand, to have a minimum of popularity you have to plan every step, be careful not to make some typical mistakes (which I will tell you about later) and take it almost for granted that it is not always possible to reach the goals set with a snap of your fingers.
In short, don’t think that the road is simple or, worse still, that the world is just waiting for you. Always question yourself, learn from your mistakes (which will be many, especially if you’ve never promoted your work on digital streaming services before) and you’ll see that motivation and talent will take you far. But now let’s put the talk aside and try to figure out how to get noticed on Spotify .
How to get into Spotify playlists
Anyone who uses it as an artist and content creator knows very well that playlists are a gold mine: that’s why I’m going to start by explaining how to get into Spotify playlists .
There are basically two types of playlists: the first are the official ones created by Spotify curators , i.e. by users who are more active than others in researching and creating content, and who are recognized by the company as points of reference (we could compare them to Instagram influencers); the latter, on the other hand, are playlists edited by standard users , and no, you mustn’t underestimate them at all, also because, as I think you’ll imagine, at least at the beginning it’s much easier to get your song into a playlist of this type than in the former.
The playlists are of various types and depend mainly on the musical tastes of the curator: the latter, in fact, can propose songs belonging to a single genre of music; he can create a playlist that takes into consideration all the hit songs of a given period; he can also aggregate music based on a theme he particularly likes (love and relationships, social inequalities, sports, yoga, and so on). These are all elements that you shouldn’t underestimate when promoting your music. I’ll tell you why right away.
First of all, if you’re new to Spotify you can’t think of aiming for official playlists but you’ll have to start from those of private users. Secondly, it is obvious that you will have to try to enter the playlists suitable for your music: if, for example, you have found a playlist in which the music proposed is only pop, there is no need to propose your trap piece, right? The curator won’t care in the slightest, and even if you somehow manage to get yourself included, the result won’t change much: the playlist has a well-defined target, so at that point your piece won’t be listened to by anyone.
This is as true for playlists dedicated to music as for those where curators decide to aggregate podcasts : it is important to get to know the market you want to reach with your content.
How to find playlists on Spotify
How do you say? Don’t know how to find playlists on Spotify ? This is a very easy operation. What you have to do, in fact, is to use the Search function from the Home : if you use the computer, click on the Search item located at the top left; if you’re using a smartphone or tablet, tap the same item which, in this case, is at the bottom of the screen near the Home icon . In both cases, the function has a magnifying glass icon associated with it .
See also Tensions between Apple and Spotify escalate after Apple One launch
Now type, in the search box, words that have to do with your song: let’s say the piece has an 80s sound, you could search for words like “80s music” or simply “80s “ and so on ; if your piece has a love story as its theme, you could search for “romantic songs” , “love songs” and the like. It all depends on your target audience, so before doing any research, think carefully about who can appreciate your music or your podcasts, to avoid wasting time and receiving rejections.
Once you have entered the keywords, below the search box you will see a series of playlists consistent with what you are looking for. At the end of the list, among the many you can also see the item View all playlists : select it and a screen will open with all the related Spotify playlists. If you’re looking for podcasts instead, select See all podcasts and shows . Now you just have to select the playlist you deem most suitable and contact the author.
You don’t know what to choose because you find too many? First of all, the fact that there are so many is definitely in your favor, because it will mean that the chances of being inserted will be higher; secondly, you could use as a criterion not only the coherence between the song or podcast and the theme of the playlist, but also the number of followers : the greater the number of users, in fact, the more listens will be. However, always remember your goal: many small target playlists are more useful than a large and perhaps very popular but generic playlist.
If you want to try other services, know that there are also sites that allow you to search for playlists associated with certain searches, such as an official Spotify one, The Playlist Miner , which you can reach here.
Operation is simple: the service will first ask you to log in by pressing the green Login with Spotify button ; only after that, you can type the keywords in the search box, to view all the associated playlists and, if you want, even the most listened to songs.
Would you like to know what are the best Spotify playlists? I suggest some of them in this guide. The content published on Spotify is constantly increasing but the playlists they suggest are still very popular!
How to contact Spotify playlist curators
You’ve found what’s right for you but you don’t know how to contact the curators of the Spotify playlists that interest you. In reality, the ways are few but they work.
When you find the playlist that’s right for you, in the web version of Spotify, take a look at the name that appears under the title of the song or playlist, because that’s what indicates who created it. By clicking, the author’s profile will open and you will also be able to see the photo he posted. Try searching for the name on other social networks, for example on Facebook , and see if the picture matches, or take a look at the public information: if the contact is the same, you’ve hit the target.
Now you just have to write a message in a gentle tone (but without exaggerating) and propose your work by introducing it in a concise way (you certainly can’t write a “novel” to a person you don’t know!). Don’t ask to include the piece in the playlist but simply to listen to it and let you know what you think; if you like it, you will see that it will be added to the playlist and you will have reached your goal.
Do you say it is difficult? It’s not for sure. In fact, you mustn’t underestimate that private users also create playlists out of passion, so they won’t hesitate for a moment to enrich their creations.
How to use Spotify for Artists to contact official curators
To contact Spotify’s official curators, the best way is to download Spotify for Artists , available for both Android (on the Play Store or alternative stores) and iOS/iPadOS . This is an official app that allows you to customize your artist profile, view song statistics, and so on. The procedure is simple and the result could be surprising if you’re trying to advertise your music (although, since the process isn’t automatic, I can’t guarantee anything).
If you use your smartphone, access your Spotify account, tap the Claim your profile button to request your profile which will allow you to be recognized as an artist if you already have pieces published on Spotify. The procedure is the same also on PC.
Once recognized as an artist, upload the song well in advance of the release date and use the submit to playlists function , which allows the Spotify team to listen to the track and evaluate whether it should be included in an official playlist.
Remember that with Spotify for Artists you can add many details to the song you’ve uploaded: the app, in fact, allows you to better specify the target, indicate which musical instruments are used, which genre the piece belongs to and so on. Spotify curators periodically check the songs that are about to come out and after careful evaluation they can decide whether or not to include them in very popular playlists. Don’t miss this opportunity!
See also Spotify app launches on Apple Watch
Consider carefully also relying on a serious digital distributor : you can find many online and, based on a rate that varies from distributor to distributor, they offer various services. It’s not a high price: sure, it’s not free but it’s nothing inaccessible.
How to get followers on Spotify
Now that you know all about playlists and curators, you are no doubt wondering how to increase your Spotify followers , because you want to create a nurtured fan base that can support you over time whether you make music or throw yourself into the world of podcasts.
Whatever your strategy, always start from the assumption that the Web represents a very important opportunity for those who are talented and produce quality, interesting or in any case content that rides the wave: this means that you will only have to advertise good works and pieces that are you sure. Think about your image, and remember that you can only build it over time by pondering any choice.
How do you say? Have no idea how to increase the number of Spotify followers ? First, start with the basics by completing your Spotify profile and making it interesting. Make it clear what your genre of music is, write a biography that tells your life path, your goals and your relationship with music and your work in general: whoever reads your profile must immediately understand who you are and possibly must remember you.
Also work well with images and add a photo that represents you: they may seem like insignificant details to you but success depends on taking care of every detail.
If you already have quite a few supporters, how about organizing a nice download day ? Generally, these days are organized by fans who agree to download in one day, even many times, the piece they want to give visibility to. It wouldn’t be bad if it were you who unleashed your fan base by offering them a download day, combining it, why not, even with live broadcasts on Instagram at the end of the day.
And how could I not advise you, in case you were a podcast enthusiast , to look for contacts with more or less famous characters, not necessarily very famous, to bring their fans to your profile and consequently increase your followers?
You don’t have to shine with reflected light, of course, but it’s clear that if you host people with numerous fans during your podcast, if you’ve worked well, someone will surely start following you!
Remember that activities like these not only increase ratings but also allow you to kick off a word of mouth that could lead to a substantial increase in followers. Give it a go!
How to use social networks to increase Spotify followers
I advise you not to neglect any of the social networks to which you are subscribed. In fact, your image is the result of the choices you will make everywhere, and it is obvious that if you want to be serious you will have to take care of it in all its aspects. I also remind you that Facebook is different from Instagram , just like it is from TikTok or Twitter : each service has its strengths, and you should make the most of them to sponsor your business and profile on Spotify. I’ll give you some examples right away.
To increase followers, you could create artwork on Instagram that intrigues fans in some way; you could also create various stories, without forgetting to insert a link both to your profile and to the piece, to explain how the song was born. The better the ideas, in short, the better the results.
Some rappers have dared on social networks to be talked about by deleting all the photos they had published up until the release of the piece. If you’re not followed much, don’t do it because the photos also represent your image and, if a rapper takes very little time to rebuild a profile with thousands and thousands of likes, it could take you forever!
The strategies I have suggested are a perfect way to get people talking not only about you but also about your music, using different methods: Instagram is notoriously the social network of stories and photos, TikTok is instead based on short videos, and so on . In this regard, my tutorials on how to be successful on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter may come in handy.
In short, learn well how the means you use work and try to create content that is suitable not only for your audience but also for the platforms. You will see the results come. Not immediately, perhaps, but in time you may succeed.
What not to do to increase Spotify plays
Now that you know how to behave, I would like to focus on what not to do to increase Spotify plays . There are a few tips, some of which may seem obvious to you, but which are not at all, since errors of this type are actually quite common.
See also How to listen to free music with Google Home and Nest
Firstly, avoid any form of spam : promote your piece discreetly, using all the means available but without being omnipresent or even annoying, because in this case you would only have the opposite effect and you will be able to say goodbye to your dreams of glory!
Furthermore, don’t even consider the idea of buying bots with paid services : it makes no sense to spend money to increase audiences in a fictitious way because, in the end, you buy numbers but you don’t win anyone over. Of course, you could be well seen by the Spotify algorithm and you could get some visibility if you had to invest a lot, but remember that sooner or later you’ll come to terms with reality, that is, with a song that hasn’t been listened to by real people and that will not have allowed you to increase the number of your supporters. You thought about it, didn’t you?
Lastly, I advise you not to make life difficult for the fans or anyone who happens to come across your profile. For example, if you have done concerts or are planning to do them, don’t forget to share a calendar with all the dates. As you well know, Spotify and the various music streaming services allow everyone to sponsor their work, so the user listens not only to your proposals but also to those of many others, which can be just as valid. That’s why you have to take advantage of the moment when the user is on your profile: why not let them know that you will be giving concerts? If he liked your music, he might think about it, right?
For the same reason, if you foresee the release of more songs, you must not forget to plan in detail and, above all, to communicate a timeline to your fans: why not remind those who support you when it will be released your next piece, since with so much music they listen maybe they could forget about it?
More generally, the golden rule is not to neglect your fan base, and this means always keeping them updated on your work, showing yourself present and attentive on every social network you subscribe to.
Increase paid Spotify listens
So far I have given you some advice that does not involve any outlay of money but know that there is also a way to increase paid Spotify listening : I am referring to Spotify Ad Studio , which you can reach at this address and which, unfortunately, is not available Italian language.
This is because, at the moment, it is not available to everyone, since it can only be accessed if you have a VAT number , and even if you have one, you will have to wait for the Spotify team to evaluate your request for access to the service. It cannot be excluded, however, that in the near future it could be used by all artists and content creators.
Want to know, however, how it works to get an idea? It’s not anything difficult: with the service, in fact, you can create targeted audio ads , i.e. designed for a particular type of audience on which you will give indications during the creation of the advertising campaign. At the moment, the investment is linked to the number of views: the more your ad is listened to, the more you will pay.
The ads can be personalized in detail: first of all, you can choose between audio ads and video ads which, being clickable, allow the user to be directed to your profile or to your song or podcast. It will be up to you to decide which strategies to follow according to your needs.
The service allows you to establish when to start a campaign and when to end it, the budget to spend and the reference location (your music or your podcast could be of interest not only to the Italian market), and other variables such as age and gender belonging to your target, or the devices on which to deliver the ads (you may want to show them only on Android and not on iOS, for example).
You can also try targeting by genre, fan base or interests, depending on whether you want to show an ad based on their preferred music genre, the fan base your target follows or their interests (e.g. Culture, Cuisine , etc. ) .
There is also the possibility of targeting users on the basis of real-time contexts , i.e. giving the possibility of showing ads while the listener is carrying out a specific activity (for example, training). Very useful, right?
As you can see, there are many customization possibilities, and even if the system works only by invitation, sooner or later you will be able to use them. Also consider contacting agencies who, being within the sector, will have already had access to the service and will be able to use it for you as intermediaries. I just have to wish you good luck!