Haulix Advice: Making The Most Of Your Soundcloud Presence

Hello, everyone. This will be our last post of the week before the company recap, so if we miss you on other networks be sure to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. We know many of our friends in music are unable to be home tomorrow and if that applies to you just know our thoughts are with you. Keep chasing the dream and we’ll keep doing whatever we can to support you.

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If you’re looking to protect your music ahead of its official release while promoting your work to journalists and other industry figures we’re confident there is no better service available than Haulix. We offer secure music hosting, watermarking, and a state-of-the-art distribution system that allows you to present your latest material exactly how you want it to be presented. If you want to learn more about our services, click here. If you’re in the market to share material already available for sale or otherwise with the general public, please read on.

There are a million ways to share your music online, but few work as simply and efficiently as the software developed by our friends at Soundcloud. It’s the one player that runs on pretty much every social network and/or blogging platform, and over the last few years it has developed a community of passionate music fans all its own who are ready and willing to take a chance on rising talent. Many of you are likely already members of Soundcloud, but in today’s article we’re going to look at ways you can expose your music to even more people by leveraging the awesome power of this unique music sharing platform.

1. Never underestimate the power of sharing your content. Getting people to listen to new music released online by small/unknown acts in 2013 requires a lot more than a simple upload to Soundcloud. You need to promote your work, to fans and members of the industry alike, and Soundcloud has made that amazingly simple thanks to state-of-the-art sharing options. After you successfully upload a track on SoundCloud you should post it on all of your other channels to maximize its reach. After that, repost your material on a regular basis at varying times to better expand your reach. Time zones (as well as other contributing factors) cause a variation in peak engagement points around the world. Don’t be afraid of reposting your content, but do take time to be creative in your approach. You may even have to send a few emails, but don’t worry – we can help with that.

2. Utilize all data fields when uploading new material.

Soundcloud offers a variety of options for tagging, metadata, and the like to artists uploading new content. These data fields allow you to be found through Soundcloud’s search system, and by leveraging them properly you can reach potential new fans who may have otherwise never stumbled across your efforts. Be specific and you will reach people interested in the style of music you perform. Winning them over is all on you.

3. Put effort into your artwork.

It can be very tempting to slap your current band photo or Facebook/Twitter icon on your latest Soundcloud upload and share your work with the world, but artwork with even the tiniest of original effort will have a much better chance of catching people’s eye. This is the image that will make an impression on listeners new and old before they even hear your music. Don’t take that for granted.

4. Use Soundcloud to share demos/progress as you develop your new material.

The key to successfully marketing yourself in the modern music industry is creating a bond with listeners that goes beyond entertainer and audience member. Fans want to feel like they know you personally, and through leveraging Soundcloud’s comment system you can allow fans to engage with your creative process. Upload demos or rough recordings so listeners can hear what you’re working on, even if it’s only for a limited time. Sharing this ‘unpolished’ side of you may come with a sense of vulnerability, but it’s through allowing fans to see that side of you that a lasting bond will be forged.

5. Engage the Soundcloud community. 

Sharing new material with fans and social networks is important, but don’t get too wrapped up in discussions outside Soundcloud that you overlook the built-in community of music lovers that comes with your membership. There are groups perfect for sharing your music with if you take the time to look, and their state-of-the-art commenting system makes highlighting specific moments in your music for discussion easier than ever before. Embrace the community.

James Shotwell