[Alan Starkie]

Good point Boydie.

I'm targeting genre specific followers but also including any of their followers who may not be releasing music in that particular genre.

I'm already up to 70 song plays today alone.

Well worth the effort of searching these artists out.

[KEROUAC1957]

That's a difficult one Boydie. Because even if you do pick up some less meaningful followers, you will still get some exposure to their list of followers who may like your music. Also someone who is involved in a different genre might still like your stuff. I've come across music I like which I would have never thought about listening to.

I look at it differently to facebook. I wouldn't go out to gain meaningless friends on facebook (although I probably have a few  but on Soundcloud anyone is a potential fan of your music.

[Dave Bradley]

It's not just a numbers game. Of course. But someone with 10,000 SoundCloud followers is likely to be more widely listened to than the likes of me with fewer than 100. That said, some of my songs have had more listens than I have followers...

I think it's a balance, follow lots of people, but also listen to your stream as it updates each day and stop following those people who are making music you're not at all into. But, even if you're not into a particular song a person does, it might be worth touching base with them just the same, find out about their writing and recording style. Engaaaaage!

[Boydie]

That's a difficult one Boydie. Because even if you do pick up some less meaningful followers, you will still get some exposure to their list of followers who may like your music.

I agree it is tricky and I was very careful to say "maximise your chances of getting meaningful followers" - so what I am saying is if you choose a "like" genre/artist their list of followers are more likely to be "into" your music

However, I also completely agree with you here:

Also someone who is involved in a different genre might still like your stuff. I've come across music I like which I would have never thought about listening to.

If you were working to a "budget" (either financial or "time") then it makes perfect sense to target "like" artists to maximise your "bang for buck"

However, as this is "free" marketing then you are only limited by the time you have so there are no real restrictions or rules

[Kafla]

Guys - save yourself a lot of work and just follow who perserverance follows 

[Kafla]

On a serious note - I am a premium user - I think it's £25 a year

I can replace a mix with a new one and keep the stats - can have a spotlight tab with 5 songs you want people to listen to first

Plus I get detailed stats so I follow people that listen to my music , generally chat a bit more to people due to this and feel more part of the soundcloud community

[KEROUAC1957]

I think I will end up doing that too Kafla as it's annoying me at the moment that the last song uploaded is the default first song people listen to.

On a side note I've been really surprised at what great unsigned talent is lurking on Soundcloud. I've been more impressed with the stuff on Soundcloud than the tracks I hear on the radio or through other website recommendations. It's also a big thrill when you come across a great artist that hasn't been discovered.

[Alan Starkie]

Well 5 days have passed and my Soundcloud status is as follows:


Pre April 23rd:

Plays : 581

Favourites : 12

Comments : 4



April 28th @ 9pm:

Plays : 925

Favourites : 64

Comments : 50


Need I say more?!

Operation Soundcloud continues...

Ps - I've also signed up on the Pro subscription service (£2.50 approx monthly).

[KEROUAC1957]

That's great news Alan. I think the bottom line is that this method gets more people listening to your tracks which can't be a bad thing.

[Boydie]

I actually sat down last night with a view to doing this

However, I couldn't bring myself to just randomly follow people without listening to them first - I wouldn't want to inadvertently support / "follow" an artist that was doing some offence stuff - how would this look and reflect on you?

I have no idea how well Soundcloud is "policed"

Which then led to me listening to a few of the "random" people I would have followed

One guy had loads of followers and comments on his "great track" - which was just the sound of bubbling water for 3 mins!

It was clear that he had not changed the track as some of the comments referred to the "bubbling" but others had clearly added "great track" comments without listening to it - which made them look a bit silly

This got me thinking about the real "worth" of having lots of followers just because you followed them and I ended up concluding that it was not worth "chasing" for followers in this way

I think I came to this conclusion as I am not looking to make it as an "artist" but as a songwriter

If I were promoting myself as an artist I may feel differently and I hope you all get the success you deserve

I will still actively listen to other people on Soundcloud and make connections but I am thinking the "random following" route is not for me

I may change my mind in the future and I look forward to hearing how you get on with your approach - the stats are certainly very impressive so far

[Dave Bradley]

I started to get more interactive on SoundCloud, following your comments and discussion AlanS...went from 90 followers or so to almost 200 in about a week. My "listens" are fast approaching 20,000, but that includes a spike I had with a cover of Wires by Athlete, which somehow went viral with almost 6000 listens from I dunno where...Locked out of Heaven Bruno Mars cover too...almost 2000, but original stuff just gets a few dozen each...still all good fun! Beats work.

As said before the numbers game is a red herring really, better to have a handful of people who really listen and comment and with whom you do the same than hundreds of unengaged followers/followees...but...nice to be able to bandy big numbers about regardless...

[Alan Starkie]

Which ever way you look at it : I now have a lot more followers and people favouriting/commenting on my songs than before and it's growing daily more and more. This is positive for my songs. Who's to say someone I converse with on this forum hasn't got a criminal record for some violent crime?

The pros far outway the cons I think.

[Boydie]

I am thinking more that someone you are randomly following may be promoting extreme views in their music - without listening to their tracks you have no idea what they are writing songs about

By randomly following them you could be seen as supporting/endorsing their views

I agree that this is probably unlikely and the pros probably outweigh the cons but it just didn't "feel" right to me - and I had every intention of spending last night adding people!

As I said this approach does not necessarily suit my goals so it is no biggie for me

It is obviously great to have your songs listened to and appreciated and I wish everyone success with this aproach and I certainly don't "frown" on it at all - and I may reconsider in the future

I do find myself agreeing ScienceBase though and I will be making a concerted effort to connect with more people on Soundcloud - including everyone on here so expect a "follow" from me soon, to genuinely connect and not harvest your lists 

I wouldn't have done this without this thread so I appreciate the ideas and discussion

[KEROUAC1957]

If people add followers and then delude themselves that every one of them loves or is interested in their music then I agree that is a red herring. But I think it does increase the activity on your page and amongst all of that activity there will probably be people who appreciate your music and remember it. I know from past experiences it is quite hard to create a buzz and get noticed in music so I figure anything that helps is worth using.

[James Nighthawk]

With social networks it is a balance between playing "the numbers game" and seeming like a real person who cares about the connections.

It isn't easy to balance.

Traffic, listens and stickiness are vital however. You do have to reply and invest time in those people that go out of their way to comment/like/message. This is the "seeming caring" part.

I read somewhere that you need to treat your first 1000 fans like royalty, and they'll do the work for you. Sounds like some common sense...

I have recently been asked to play a charity gig on a (moored) boat by a fan on twitter. He has bought and enjoyed my album on iTunes. And he is chuffed I said yes (date TBC, in Kent). So he'll no doubt rally the troops for me!

We don't care about all 1000 people we follow on each of these networks. The illusion that we do is a necessary evil

The numbers game...