Are you an aspiring artist trying to make it big online? For musicians today, it is rather hard to find the right balance between staying true to your craft and navigating the complex algorithms of online music platforms.
It seems like every platform is constantly changing its recommendation engine. However, this does not mean that you have to compromise your artistic integrity just to please an algorithm.
With a little know-how, you can create content that works well with algorithms while staying true to your authentic voice.
Understanding How Algorithms Work
Let’s start by acknowledging the fact that algorithms are not the villain in the story. They are the tools designed to help listeners discover music that they will love!
Be it Spotify’s personalized playlists or Sound Cloud’s recommendations; these platforms use algorithms to match music to users’ tastes based on the patterns in their listening history.
For you as an artist, it means that algorithms are constantly learning what your audience likes. They track plays, skips, shares, and other metrics to predict what songs will appeal to potential new fans.
It is a bit like having a highly efficient assistant whose sole job is to get your music in front of the right audience.
Why Timing and Consistency are Important
When it comes to streaming, first impressions count! For music platforms, the first 24 hours after a release are important. High listener engagement, like saving a song or playing it more than once, tells the algorithms that your music is worth recommending.
The more buzz you can garner before your track drops, the better!
However, it is not only about those first moments! Keeping up with the regular content releases, like singles, can keep you fresh in the eyes of the algorithms and, by extension, the fans!
Popular feeds rely on user behavior to populate content. So, when you continue to release music consistently, it helps build momentum and ensures you stay relevant on these playlist feeds.
The Balance Between Optimization and Authenticity
You may, at times, feel pressured to mold your music according to what is trending, but compromising your sound for algorithmic success can backfire, too! Authenticity matters too!
If you push yourself too far out of your comfort zone to fit a certain mold, your music may end up losing its essence- and you may lose connection to your audience.
That said, you can still use tools at your disposal to boost your reach without changing your core sound. Here are a few simple tips:
Optimize Metadata
Make sure your tracks are properly tagged with accurate genres, moods, and descriptors. This helps the algorithms know where to place your music. This may boost your chances of reaching the right audience.
Engaging Your Fans
Encourage your followers to interact with your music. The more interactions your track gets, the more likely it is to show up on recommendations or personalized playlists.
Leverage Social Media
Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok offer you a great medium to generate buzz around your music. Post regularly, engage with your following, and use trending hashtags to increase your reach.
Using Playlists to Your Advantage
Regardless of the streaming platforms, playlists are very effective in helping you gain more exposure! Getting your music on a curated playlist- official or user-generated- can increase your streams and following exponentially.
You can also take advantage of the platforms that allow you to submit your music directly to playlists curators- like Spotify for Artists.
Moreover, there are algorithmic playlists like Spotify’s Release Radar or Discover Weekly that track user preferences and automatically include your track if they think the listener will enjoy it.
Just focus on getting your music added to these by maintaining consistent engagement with your audience and encouraging them to save your music when it is released.
Having Social Proof
When your music is heard and appreciated, there is a higher chance that it will get pushed to a wider audience. Encourage your followers to like, share, and comment on your tracks, as it helps build social proof.
Social media platforms also highlight music with high engagement, so having an active fan base can be very beneficial.
Moreover, if you are looking to grow your reach even more, there are dependable services like JayNike to help boost your following and engagement. These services work behind the scenes to ensure your content gets attention while you get more time to focus on your music.
Endnote- Staying True to Yourself
At the end of the day, it is important to stay true to who you are as an artist. While it is great to understand the inner workings of algorithms, they should not dictate the direction of your music.
Keep making songs that reflect your style and passion because, ultimately, authentic music is always more appealing than any formula.
The balance between making algorithm-friendly content and staying true to your authentic self is not as tricky as it may seem. With the right strategies and a little patience, you can make content that serves your artistic vision and reaches a wide audience, too.
So, if you are trying to make it big, it is not about choosing one over the other; it is about finding the right balance!
Sources
https://www.jamwise.org/p/music-recommendation-algorithms-how
https://dittomusic.com/en/blog/how-does-spotifys-algorithm-work-streaming-hacks-for-musicians
https://zoomrecordingstudio.com/blog/the-7-best-ways-to-get-streams-via-spotify-s-algorithm/
