For many people, the appeal of Soundcloud is that it feels 'grassroots' it is designed to be a community of like-minded individuals to share new material. Many future stars have been discovered on Soundcloud.

Artists like Chance the Rapper and Lil Uzi Vert all made a name for themselves on Soundcloud. Imagine the thrill of the humble fan when he/she has been on that journey from the beginning. It makes it all the more special.

You can achieve success on the platform if you use it as a form of social media and not just a streaming service. Don't forget about Soundcloud promotion services as well.

Soundcloud is an effective way of networking with music fans and professionals. Established label A&R, DJ's, producers and influencers all use its services. You can message and follow other accounts of interest to build relationships and nurture your tiny corner of the internet. It's easy to listen to other artists music and comment on their tracks and then ask them to return the favour. I recommend reaching out and replying to every message you get to build a tribe of people who have similar interests. You will soon find your Soundcloud plays increasing when your legion of fans take your message and deliver it to the masses.

The key to organic Soundcloud plays is by approaching the platform as a music fan first by curating playlists which are directly uploaded to your account. Make a playlist with your favourite tracks and share it with the world. Choose some popular records and include some smaller artists too. Discuss it with your audience or write a review of their music. Those smaller artists will reach out to you. Actively engage with them and ask them to do the same for you. Your music will instantly land on their profile and the profiles of their followers.

• Market yourself effectively

In this world of connectivity, how you represent yourself is massively important. People need to find you and your music immediately. It needs to show up and look professional, and give people access to vital details about you. Your Soundcloud profile is no different. Choose an individual name, something memorable, use vibrant images and banners and have these match the theme of your website, Facebook and Twitter.

Place your contact details in your Bio so people can easily reach you.

Optimise your URL to ensure fans can find you on Google. You can have this differ from your artist name, but it should be clear, concise and match your branding.

The right way

The wrong way

• Bio

Don't list every single influence or name drop every artist you and your bandmates think sound cool. Future fans need to know how you are unique. They want to hear something that differentiates you from what has been before and what is yet to come. To write an effective Bio, you need to be clear and informative. Remember this is your digital business card, so be professional. List your most significant achievements and your upcoming gigs. Have you had any media attention? - If so, then include it. Always list your other social media accounts for fans to follow.

Social media links

A good Bio

• The music

Try to keep your Soundcloud clean and tidy. Create a spotlight listing and put your very latest and best tracks. Unless you are the Rolling Stones, sometimes these can be independent of each other.

Ensure your playlist sounds like a setlist. Lead with your very best track, one that will grab the listeners attention and will keep them engaged on your page. The more they hear and read, the more likely they are to convert into a fan. One great track is all you need to catch peoples attention.

Use the correct genre and mood tags. Soundcloud uses an algorithm to suggest music to potential fans. That algorithm uses the mood tags that you place on your tracks to identify your target audience and push your music in front of people. It's incredibly important to label your music correctly, and it is also a prerequisite if you want to be on the Soundcloud charts.

Tove Lo spotlight selection

• Optimise your tracks

Your track titles should be unique and easy to read. Use clean descriptions and metadata and your tracks will be searchable on Google and easily searchable in peoples playlists.

Your tracklisting is a perfect place to add more essential information. Tell people about the backstory of the song, what it means and include the lyrics if possible.

Each track has the option to make them downloadable so users can have a digital copy. You can make a recording private at any moment.

Additionally, you can create private links or private embed links to send to your faithful without releasing it to the masses.

A colourful ghost track description

• Artwork

Artwork should be vibrant and exciting. When people arrive at your profile, the first thing they see is your banner. It needs to grab attention and be memorable. Images quickly convey the personality and mood of an artist let it speak volumes about you.

Tove Lo artwork example