Social attack: SoundCloud

We will be releasing a number of articles over the following weeks, each focusing on a different social media platform and brimming with handy suggestions likely to increase your profits, the reach of your music and the size of your fan base.This time we’re going to look at SoundCloud. Here are three things to bear in mind if you're thinking of making your music available through this platform.

#1 Don't give away all your music for free

Since SoundCloud allows users to listen to uploaded music for free, it makes little sense to offer full tracks on release day, and yet many artists do just that. We recommend that, initially, SoundCloud is best used to preview clips of tracks. Uploading the most interesting 30-50 seconds of your songs increases the likelihood that individuals will be intrigued enough to pursue your music, access your band’s other social media pages and, crucially, purchase your album. Make sure to include a ‘buy’ link to make it as easy as possible for the listener to get hold of your music.

#2 Help us find you on all social media

In order to draw the visitor into your SoundCloud account, it's worth starting off with a brief but interesting description of your band or music, but don't ignore the importance of the SoundCloud sidebar. On the right-hand side of the screen, it remains visible regardless of which tab the visitor is on. As such, it's vital that you make the information displayed here as clear, concise and intriguing as possible. In particular, links to each and every one of your band’s social media accounts should be visible here. The SoundCloud side bar is one of the first places that music media channels (like Public Pressure) go in order to find @handles and follow bands that they are interested in and want to write about. Your handles might be scattered across your other social media pages but SoundCloud allows you to present them in one place effectively.

#3 Work as a collective

SoundCloud also opens up many possibilities in terms of collaborating, including mixed artist playlists. Once you have established a virtual network of similar artists, consider creating a collaborative playlist comprising of songs from each band and encouraging them to share the playlist on all of their social media pages. This is an excellent example of how interacting with other similar artists allows new opportunities to arise and can open up new audiences. And remember, music media channels also tend to have SoundCloud accounts and can be invaluable contacts. Don’t sit around and wait for them to come to you though: just as you should with other artists, be proactive and contact them. Want to know more? Check out our previous article, Strategically release your music like a Sith, if you haven't already, as it has some more smart ideas about the best time to release your music on the site.If you have other tips for making the most of SoundCloud, add them in the comments below. What's worked for your band that others could learn from? Check out all our playlists on SoundCloud:Public PressureSubmit your track here