How to Get More Streams on Spotify in 2020

In the world of accessing music, streaming has officially taken over. Every music lover has the ability to find any song at any moment very quickly. Along with that, every artist can release their music independently on every streaming platform out there. So, how do you stand out? When it comes to Spotify, it can be difficult to build a following and increase your streams.

Here are some tips.

1. Get in users’ collections.

According to Heat on the Street, familiarizing yourself with the artist page is really important when it comes to increasing your streams. As a user, the platform gives you playlists titled, “Your Daily Mix,” “Release Radar,” and “Discover Weekly.” These playlists are curated by what artists and songs you like. The algorithm recognizes the artists you like and artists like them, then they create a playlist they know you as a listener will enjoy.

As an artist, one of the biggest goals should be to find your way into those collections. By paying attention and creating a good artist profile that gives insight to who you are as an artist, the algorithm can easily place you as an artist “Fans also Like.” If they follow you or like your music, that’s how you can reach their user collection. Spotify is actually excellent at this, so once you’re out there, it will help you get a lot more streams.

2. Create your own playlists. 

Getting your songs on playlists with tons of followers isn’t easy, but I’ll give you some advice below on exactly how to start making that happen. Before that though, you can create your own playlists at any time. Add artists that you love to the playlist along with your own music, and they will be more willing to share your music as well. Icon Collective says that the key to this is adding music to your playlists often. Your followers are notified every time you update a playlist, and it drives listeners to them. The algorithm monitors your activity so the more you engage, the more attention you will get. 

3. Work to get playlist placements. 

Playlists are probably the number one way to gain more streams. Spotify is superior to all other streaming platforms when it comes to curating playlists. The artist page itself on Spotify gives you some awesome insight on pitching your songs for playlists. 

If you have a new release coming up, Spotify for Artists gives you the ability to pitch your upcoming song to the editors. Along with that, your song will be placed in your followers’ “Release Radar” playlist. Pitching your song doesn’t guarantee you a spot, but it definitely helps. Even if you don’t get picked right away, the editors may pick your song later by seeing how you build your fanbase and engage with your audience. You can find more about pitching your songs to the editors in Spotify’s artist FAQ section.

According to Ditto Music, you can also go through independent curators to get your song on playlists. There are so many businesses and labels that create Spotify playlists, and it definitely never hurts to ask. It just takes a little more time to search for the playlist that fits your sound. It’s important to send them a concise email with direct links to your music so you’re easy to find. If they think you fit the sound of the playlist, then you’re on your way to more streams.

4. Use social media to encourage streaming.

Social media is such an easy way to engage with your audience. If the fans know you’re interested in them, they will be interested in you. Post your Spotify links to your music often, share live videos, behind-the-scenes footage, and update your audience on what’s happening. Encouraging your fans to act is such an easy way to increase your followers and streams. It really does come down to the relationship with your audience, especially on social media. Even if you have a smaller audience, creating that solid relationship will encourage them to be much more active, sometimes even more than a huge audience. Social media really is your best friend when it comes to promotion.

5. Use Spotify’s promotion tools. 

Icon Collective gives some awesome insight to the promotion tools that Spotify offers. Here’s a few I think are really helpful. The first one is a platform called Spotify Ad Studio. It helps artists make 30 second Spotify ads of 30 seconds or less. You can also add any URL you want to the ad. Here’s a link to the studio.

Another tool offered is creating your own Spotify QR Code. You can create a code for your profile, album, song, or playlist. Once you create that code, share it everywhere. Your fans will have very easy access to see who you are and listen to your music. 

The last tool I find so helpful is the ability to embed a Spotify follow button and player onto your website. When a listener is looking for your website, they can follow you and listen to your music without going anywhere else. It’s all about simple ways people can find you, and tools like this one help you so much. 

As an independent artist, it’s difficult sometimes to make your way around Spotify and gain streams. Having someone listen to the music you passionately created is the ultimate goal. Hopefully these tips can help you achieve that. It’s a lot, but you’ve got this.