How to get more streams on Spotify?

Once you’ve claimed your Artist page on Spotify for Artists, it is time to enhance your visibility and make sure your music is listened to. Spotify is widely used and it’s the perfect playground to gain more followers of your music.

As our goal is to help you succeed in your musical career, we would like to share some tips to increase your views on Spotify organically, without having to buy streams. 

To get more Spotify streams, you first need to be on Spotify

Before you can start increasing your streams on Spotify, the fundamental step is to ensure your music is available on the platform. Have you selected your digital music distributor? Did you upload your music along with all necessary music metadata, such as song titles, album art, and release dates?

After you claimed your Spotify for Artist profile, you can start optimizing to boost your Spotify streams organically. Just a heads-up: music marketing takes a lot of work and dedication, but hey, you’ve already managed to release great music, right? So you’re more than capable of tackling this next step!

 

1. Proceed with a Spotify profile makeover

It’s not enough to get your music on Spotify. There are so many artists out there that you can easily be overshadowed among all this talent. Your profile is often the first impression potential listeners have of you, and a polished, professional appearance can significantly impact their decision to engage with your music. You can pimp up your Spotify account in several ways. 

Your picture

Your profile picture is the visual representation of your brand on Spotify. It’s the first thing listeners see when they come across your music, and a high-quality, professional image can make a strong impression. According to Spotify, artists with professionally taken profile photos receive 20-30% more engagement compared to those with casual or low-quality images. This increase in engagement often translates to more streams, as listeners are more likely to explore your music if they perceive you as a serious artist. Spotify recommends a minimum size of 750×750 pixels.

By the way, ensure that your profile picture is consistent with your other social media and online presence. This consistency helps in building a recognizable brand, making it easier for fans to find and follow you across various platforms. 

How to change your profile picture on Spotify

• Log in to your Spotify for Artists account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to claim your artist profile and set up an account.
• Once logged in, click on “Profile” in the navigation menu on the left side of the screen.
• Hover over your current profile picture. A pencil icon or “Edit” button will appear. Click on it.
• Click on “Upload Image” and select the new profile picture from your computer. Make sure the image is high-quality and professional.
• Adjust the size and positioning of the image as needed to ensure it looks good in the circular frame.
• Once you’re satisfied with the image, click “Save” or “Apply” to update your profile picture.

Your bio

An engaging bio tells your story, highlights your achievements, and gives listeners a reason to care about your music. Your bio should be concise yet informative, providing insights into your musical journey, influences, and what sets you apart from other artists.

Your header

The header image is another opportunity to capture the listener’s attention. A visually appealing header that reflects your brand’s aesthetic can enhance the overall look of your profile, making it more inviting. You can use your header image to promote your latest release or tour dates. This not only keeps your profile up-to-date but also directs your audience’s attention to your most important content. Regularly updating your header image with new promotional material can keep your profile fresh and engaging.

Other tips for your artist profile

The “Artist Pick” feature is a great way to highlight a specific song, album, or playlist. This pinned content appears at the top of your profile, so your new visitors see your most important work first. Artists who regularly update their “Artist Pick” see a 35% increase in streams of the highlighted content.

2. Create playlists for listeners on Spotify

Playlists offer a curated listening experience that can keep listeners engaged for longer periods. When you create a playlist that includes your tracks along with other popular songs in your genre, you provide a seamless flow of music that keeps listeners tuned in. This increases the chances of your songs being heard multiple times, boosting your stream count. 

Your release falls into the rock genre? Make a playlist with music in the same style, and rename it to reach listeners who are likely to tune in for a long time. We tend to listen to playlists linked to our current mood or activity. A “killer workout” playlist might work, for example!

3. Collaborate with other artists

Collaborating with other artists is one of the most effective strategies for increasing your streams and visibility on Spotify. This approach not only broadens your audience but also adds variety and depth to your music. When you collaborate with another artist, you gain access to their fanbase in addition to your own. This means your music is introduced to a new group of listeners who may not have discovered you otherwise. For example, if you have 10,000 monthly listeners and the artist you collaborate with has 15,000, your potential reach increases significantly.

It also often involves cross-promotion, where both artists share the new track with their followers. This dual promotion can lead to a higher number of streams. According to a study by Spotify, songs featuring collaborations can see a 50-60% increase in streams compared to solo tracks. This is because both artists are actively promoting the track, leading to greater exposure. 

Several high-profile artists have seen significant success through collaborations. For instance, the collaboration between Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran on “I Don’t Care” resulted in the song topping charts worldwide and accumulating over 1 billion streams on Spotify. Similarly, “Señorita” by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello garnered over 1.5 billion streams due to the combined fanbase and promotional efforts. But it also works for rising artists. Connor Price, for example, has effectively used collaborations to boost his Spotify streams. 

Connor Price, a great example of a collaborating artist

Connor Price is a prime example of how collaborating with other artists can significantly boost streaming numbers on Spotify. His strategic approach to international partnerships has not only diversified his music but also expanded his audience reach, showcasing the power of collaboration in the music industry.

One notable collaboration is with Idrise on the track “Straight A’s.” Idrise, known for his R&B and pop influences, brings a smooth vocal style that blends seamlessly with Connor Price’s lyrical prowess. This partnership introduced both artists to each other’s fan bases, resulting in a significant increase in streams and visibility for the track.

Another successful collaboration is with Killa on the song “Start Again.” This track features a dynamic mix of Price’s rap verses and Killa’s unique hip-hop style, creating an energetic and engaging song. The collaboration was well-received, featured on several playlists, and boosted the streaming numbers for both artists.

Additionally, the track “Dip” saw Connor Price collaborating with the Japanese artist Kazuo, further exemplifying his versatility and willingness to explore different musical landscapes. 

Through these collaborations, Connor Price has successfully tapped into different musical communities, gaining new listeners and increasing his streams. Each partnership brings cross-promotion opportunities and helps him reach the collaborator’s audience and gain exposure to new fans. Furthermore, collaborative tracks often get picked up by Spotify’s algorithm and featured on curated playlists, enhancing their visibility and attracting more listeners.

4. Get your music playlisted by independent curators

Securing a spot on playlists curated by independent curators on Spotify can significantly boost your streams and broaden your audience. These playlists often have dedicated followers who trust the curator’s taste, making them a valuable platform for gaining new listeners. 

You should start by identifying independent Spotify playlist curators who specialize in your genre or style of music. Look for playlists that feature similar artists and tracks. Tools like Spotify’s search function, Chartmetric, and PlaylistSupply can help you discover relevant curators. Pay attention to the playlist descriptions and follower counts to gauge their influence and reach.

Curators are more likely to feature tracks that sound polished and professional, that’s why you really want to make sure your Spotify profile is optimized and appealing, but also that your release is of extremely good quality. 

When contacting curators, personalization becomes key:

• Craft thoughtful, personalized messages to curators.
• Start with a brief introduction and mention the specific playlist and curator by name.
• Highlight connections with the curator’s playlist.
• Include a short, compelling pitch about your track and mention notable achievements or collaborations.
• Provide a direct link to your track and express appreciation for their time and consideration.

This should allow you better chances to be featured on curated playlists.  

5. Use Spotify promotional tools

Spotify has many useful tools to help you get more streams, as long as you use them wisely. 

Spotify Discovery Mode

Spotify Discovery Mode is a feature that allows artists to prioritize specific tracks for inclusion in listeners’ personalized playlists, such as Discover Weekly and Release Radar. This tool helps artists boost visibility by signaling to Spotify’s algorithm which songs they want to highlight.

Pre-save campaigns

Pre-save campaigns allow you to disclose your release before it comes out. When fans pre-save your music, it automatically gets added to their library on release day, ensuring immediate engagement and a boost in initial streams. It is definitely an easy way to get more streams, but it requires preparation on your side.

Spotify Canvas

Add short, looping videos to your tracks using the Canvas feature. These engaging visuals can make your songs more memorable and increase the likelihood of sharing.

Spotify Codes

Generate Spotify Codes for your songs, albums, or playlists. These scannable codes can be shared on social media, printed on promotional materials, or embedded in your website. You want to make it easy for people to listen to your music. If you create Spotify codes for artist and display them, no doubt people who like their work done with a minimum of fuss will be pleased!

Social media integration

Social media integration is the process of connecting your social media accounts with your other digital platforms, such as your website. This integration allows for seamless interaction and sharing between your various online presences.  Use Spotify’s shareable links and embed options to promote your tracks on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and more. Just like codes, this makes it easy for your followers to access your music with a single click.

We didn’t mention non-organic promotion tools available on Spotify, such as Spotify Ad Studio, Marquee, sponsored playlists, promoted tracks… But they do exist and if you have the budget, you could consider digging into those to increase Spotify streams.

6. Create multiple music videos

As a way to market your music, videos play a big part. They bring a visual dimension, an excellent tool in music promotion. Music videos allow you to tell a story visually, adding depth and context to your songs. This storytelling element can make your music more relatable and memorable, enhancing the listener’s experience. A compelling narrative or visually stunning video can captivate viewers, encouraging them to share it with others, thus increasing your reach.

Some tips for you:

• Invest in good equipment or hire a professional team to ensure your videos look polished and high-quality. This professionalism reflects well on your brand and can attract more Spotify users.
• Think outside the box and create unique, engaging concepts for your videos. Innovative visuals can capture attention and make your videos more shareable.

7. Release consistently to get more streams

There are so many artists on Spotify today. It’s super easy to be forgotten, and that’s why you must stand out. Consistency will help you get heard. It keeps your profile active and maintains your listeners’ interest. 

Think of Spotify like a busy highway filled with billboards. If your billboard only appears occasionally or stays the same for too long, drivers will pass by without noticing. But if you consistently update your billboard with fresh, eye-catching content, people will start to look for it, anticipate the changes, and remember you.

Also, it helps Spotify algorithm if you provide it with many data regarding your music. So the more you release music, the better!

8. Manipulate Spotify algorithm

The goal is to get Spotify’s recommendation system to favor your tracks, placing them on more playlists and in front of more listeners. 

The Spotify algorithm is designed to deliver personalized music recommendations to users based on their listening habits. It takes into account factors like user engagement, song metadata, and listening patterns to suggest new tracks and create playlists such as Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and Daily Mix. If you understand and leverage these factors, you can increase the likelihood of your music being recommended to a broader audience.

If you’ve ever come across the term SEO, you should know that it also applies to Spotify. SEO refers to Search Engine Optimization, which is an organic way of increasing visibility and engagement. 

Music Tomorrow can help you in this regard. With a data-driven approach, their SEO solutions aim at amplifying your online visibility as an artist, by better positioning your music on Spotify or other streaming platforms. To do this, they help you get a better understanding of how algorithms work, so you can target the right audience and find artists with whom you can collaborate. 

9. Promote your music on other platforms

Promote your music even before you’ve released it. Building anticipation is an art in itself. It’s about creating a sense of excitement and curiosity that keeps your audience eagerly awaiting your next release. 

For this, teasers and previews are your best friends. Share short snippets of your new music on social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok. These 15-30 second clips can give your fans a taste of what’s to come without giving away too much. Additionally, behind-the-scenes content is a fantastic way to build a personal connection with your audience. Share footage of your recording sessions, music video shoots, or even casual jam sessions. This not only builds excitement but also makes your fans feel like they’re part of the creative process.

You can also use buttons to drive users on Spotify with Social media integration, as seen before. 

Get your music heard with MusicTeam®

Spotify is the leading audio streaming platform. Don’t neglect your presence on the platform, because it gives you good chances to attract more listeners.

MusicTeam® is your all-in-one platform dedicated to smooth your music career. We help you for music creation, documentation, registration and distribution. If you need a distributor that favors your rights and helps you organize your music catalog, join us now and let us show you you won’t need anyone else.