You’ve got it all—a stunning, Broadway-worthy voice, impeccable songwriting skills, and music that slaps. But all that talent amounts to nothing if your songs don’t get enough streams on platforms like Spotify. In today’s music industry, your stream count determines your success. In this guide, we’re teaching independent artists like you how to get more streams on Spotify.
How To Get More Streams on Spotify Without Lyrics: Boost Streams in 3 Ways
When artists want more listeners on Spotify, one of the go-to strategies is to add lyrics to their songs. Lyrics enhance anyone’s experience listening to the hottest releases online. They allow them to connect deeper with a song and go line by line to grasp the artist’s message better. Plus, they help people sing along to bops!
The belief here is that if your Spotify song has no lyrics, people might start streaming it on other platforms. That includes Spotify’s top competitors like SoundCloud, Amazon Music, and Apple Music.
While it’s good that people appreciate your lyrics, it’s not the only way to get more Spotify streams. It can take a while for lyrics to be uploaded on the platform. But that doesn’t mean you’re helpless when it comes to getting more people to play your music.
Don’t have lyrics on your songs yet? Here are three other ways to boost streams on Spotify.
1. Promote Your Upcoming Release on Social Media
According to Music Business Worldwide, only 19% of artists on Spotify have at least 1,000 monthly listeners. As an independent artist, you must promote your music like crazy to join these music industry giants. And the best music release strategy is always to get the word out about your upcoming song on social media.
Post teasers on Instagram or TikTok a few weeks before your song comes out. Create music videos or behind-the-scenes content explaining how you composed your music. Run ads to encourage people to stream your song on Spotify as soon as it comes out. The goal is to create hype about your songs and get people excited to listen to them.
2. Set Up Ads on Spotify Ad Studio
Make noise about your upcoming release directly to listeners who are already on Spotify. With Spotify Ad Studio, you can create anything from audio to video ads promoting your latest release. Then, you choose your specific target audience for those ads!
One good audio ad to run on Spotify is a classic artist introduction ad. Talk to the fans in a 30-second clip—tell them your name and that you have a new song out. Then, play a catchy bit of the song in the ad and encourage them to stream it.
3. Work With Influencers To Get Your Music Featured on Social Media
Brands pay big bucks to get Instagram influencers to promote their products. As an artist, you can do the exact same thing. Collaborate with influencers you know your target audience follows and get them to promote your music on their platform!
These influencers can creatively drum up interest and hype about your content. Some might use your song as background music on their Reels. Others might create live reaction videos while listening to your new release. The goal, though, is the same—to drive their fans to Spotify to stream your new song.
Is It a Good Idea To Buy Streams From Third-Party Services?
Buying streams from third-party websites might seem ideal for artists who want plenty of streams fast. There are many reasons for people to want to do this. That includes issues like their songs not performing too well or being upstaged by bigger releases. But is it a good music release strategy if you want more streams?
The straightforward answer is no, it’s not. Purchasing fake streams goes against Spotify’s rules. If the platform catches you doing so, you could get banned from the platform altogether. And that’s a nightmare for any artist trying to make it big in the music industry!
Even if you do get away with buying streams, the fact of the matter is that those streams won’t be genuine. People didn’t organically discover your music or play it on a loop because they love it. You get those listens because you paid for them, not because your songs struck a chord with others. So, promoting your music instead of purchasing streams is always a better route.
If you do fall into the temptation of buying Spotify streams, go for a service that offers authentic streams. Look for one that helps promote your music to real people, thus boosting your song’s plays. That way, you get your money’s worth, engage real audiences with your music, and won’t get in trouble with Spotify.
How To Get More Streams on Spotify Free: 5 Organic Ways To Drive Plays
If you’re an independent artist or a fledgling musician, you might not have the funds for huge ad campaigns yet. Thankfully, you don’t need a massive budget to run social media promotions to boost your song’s streams. All you need is a thorough understanding of Spotify’s features and a dash of creativity to make it happen. Here’s how to get more Spotify streams for free.
1. Optimize Your Artist Profile on Spotify
Update your Spotify artist profile to make it as polished and high-quality as possible. Upload an interesting profile photo and write an engaging message in your “About” section. If you have upcoming events, keep your fans posted on your profile, too. Oh, and utilize the “Artist Pick” section to highlight your newest release and make it easy for people to see!
Polishing your profile can make it look more professional and credible. It gives first-time listeners a strong impression of you as an artist. This can lead to more streams if they check out the rest of your discography.
2. Pitch Your Music To Get on an Editorial Playlist
The playlist curators on Spotify create editorial playlists according to music genres, social settings, and different moods and vibes. Thousands of people listen to these playlists because they perform well on search and are promoted on Spotify’s home page. So, your goal is to grab the curators’ attention and get your songs on these playlists.
You can do this by logging into Spotify for Artists and pitching your unreleased song to the platform’s editorial team. If you’re lucky, you might find your song on Spotify’s Release Radar or a playlist on the platform’s home page!
3. Curate Your Own Artist Playlist
You can also create your own artist playlist and have your fans listen to it when they visit your profile. Showcase your songs as the star of the show and curate a collection of tunes that go well with them. Of course, it’s just as important to build the mood for your playlist. Ensure that the playlist’s songs match a certain vibe, season, or genre to boost its listenership!
4. Encourage Fans To Pre-Save Your Upcoming Release
Before your song’s release, invite your fans to pre-save it on Spotify. That way, they get notified as soon as it’s out, and they can listen to it on repeat right away!
Pre-saving music on Spotify gives fans access to tons of cool features about your release. That includes track lists, merch sales, and bonus content you provide. Plus, it helps you estimate your future stream count, allowing you to plan for a stronger music release strategy.
5. Create a Social Media Challenge Centered on Your Song
Mount a cool social media challenge that will put the spotlight on your latest release. It can be anything from a dance craze to a silly meme challenge with your song in the background.
The key here is to choose a catchy part of your song, like the chorus or intro. Then, create a trend out of it that people can easily join in on.
One awesome example of this is the “Apple” dance trend at the height of Charli XCX’s Brat hype. It was so popular that even celebs were dancing it everywhere, contributing to making it a huge hit on Spotify.
Work Smarter To Grow Your Listenership and Online Presence as an Artist!
There are hundreds of millions of songs on Spotify your discography has to compete with to succeed as an artist. And it’s incredibly important not to get lost in the shuffle. If you want more people streaming your music, you must put in the work. Promote your songs on socials, get on playlists, and leverage your fans’ support to spread the word about your releases.
It’s one thing to know how to get more streams on Spotify. But it’s another ball game to master the art of leveraging your social media presence to boost your music career. The bigger your online presence, the easier you’ll find success in the music industry.
GoRead can help boost your reach and engagement on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where you can promote your music. That way, your songs can reach more people and potentially even go viral. Give yourself a leg up online and in the music world by boosting your likes, views, and followers with GoRead!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I getting no streams on Spotify?
The biggest reason some artists don’t get enough streams on Spotify is that they aren’t promoting their music enough. It’s important to get the word out about your releases, whether through social media posts or Spotify ads. Otherwise, no one will hear about your music!
How do I increase my streams on Spotify?
Some popular ways to boost your Spotify streams include running ads or posting about your songs on social media platforms. You can also pitch your music to curators in the hopes of having them feature it on Spotify’s hottest playlists.
Is there a tool to increase Spotify streams?
Yes, aside from Spotify Ad Studio, there are plenty of third-party tools you can use to boost your songs’ streams. These include platforms that connect you to playlist curators, such as SubmitHub. You can even buy authentic streams from reputable, reliable websites.