Even after 16 years of being a prominent figure in the music industry, Spotify continues to assert itself as a global sensation and remains one of the largest music streaming providers. Beyond serving as a platform for musicians to share their creations with fans worldwide, Spotify offers a creative incentive for all users to engage with diverse music and construct playlists accessible to everyone.
The impact of Spotify playlists is indisputable. As of 2021, reports indicate that Spotify boasts over 4 billion user-generated playlists in its extensive catalog. In 2020 alone, more than 1 billion new playlists were added to the platform. If you've crafted your own playlist and are seeking ways to connect with fellow music enthusiasts and organically expand your Spotify playlist followers, this article provides valuable insights.
Listen to Your Playlist and Do So Frequently:
Creating a playlist is an artistic endeavor, and like any work of art, it should be something you, as the creator, genuinely enjoy. If you aim to attract others to your playlist, the process begins with you actively listening to it. High engagement is pivotal for a playlist's visibility, and as its creator, you have the power to influence its engagement. Devoting time to listening to your Spotify playlist daily is the initial step to organically growing its follower count. Although it demands patience, consistent listening over several weeks will be rewarded with a gradual increase in followers.
Long-term success requires maintaining a consistent and enthusiastic listening habit. Spotify's algorithm is adept at recognizing when a playlist is neglected or forgotten by its creator, leading to stagnation or decline in follower count. However, even if your playlist has been set aside, re-engaging with it regularly will boost its visibility, attracting a new, steady stream of listeners.
Listening to your playlist becomes more enjoyable if it aligns with your personal taste. While considering your target audience, competition, and upcoming trends is crucial (discussed later), creating a playlist that reflects your musical preferences and includes tracks you genuinely enjoy is paramount for long-term success.
Additionally, adding music solely based on audience preferences can compromise your music brand, resulting in a playlist that lacks personality and resembles countless others. This, in turn, can negatively impact engagement and follower count.
Hot Tip: Ensure that every song added to your playlist is a song you genuinely love. If there's any doubt about a song, it's better to exclude it.
Creating a public playlist on Spotify
Find Your Niche:
While it's fantastic that anyone can create a playlist, it also means facing high competition. Staying true to your musical taste might lead to dedication to a broad and established genre, making it challenging to stand out. Establishing a clear focus for your playlist is crucial.
One effective method is narrowing down the playlist's focus to a specific sub-genre, theme, or mood. The goal is specificity to make your playlist distinctive. Experimenting with music that resonates most with your audience while staying loyal to your passion is essential. Consider the genres, types of songs, and artists you love, playing with unique fragments and emotions to create a playlist that captures attention.
The music landscape is dynamic, with new trends and sub-genres continually emerging. Crafting a unique playlist could involve focusing on patterns reflecting current or potential future trends. While this requires research and creativity, it can offer a rewarding listening experience for both you and your audience. Exploring music across genres helps discover uncommon patterns and generate interesting ideas. Remember, you can edit your Spotify list anytime, allowing room for experimentation.
Add a Compelling Title and Description:
Just as your playlist aims to stand out, its title and description should too. Keywords play a crucial role here, as they are the terms listeners use to find the perfect playlist.
A good title is descriptive and unique, outlining the kind of music listeners will find. Going beyond general genre titles like 'Pop Music' or 'Country Folk' and combining a general term with a specific one can enhance clarity. If your playlist spans multiple genres, aim for a catchy title. Playlist titles such as '90s Summer Rock' or 'Winter Chill 2023' are more likely to catch attention and help your playlist rise above others.
Titles and descriptions are searchable within Spotify, making it important to use relevant keywords. Some Spotify users may search for specific artists without knowing the genre or style, making the description an ideal place to include names of popular artists in your playlist. Mentioning additional genres covered in the playlist enhances discoverability.
Editing the title and description of a Spotify playlist
Various websites like Last.fm and Chosic can help explore and discover suitable music genres for your Spotify playlist. By searching for relevant artists and their associated genres on these platforms, you can gain insights. Google Trends is also useful for measuring and comparing the popularity of specific genre names.
Beth Hart's profile on Last.fm
Choose an Appealing Cover Picture:
Images have the power to attract attention and evoke emotions, with the human brain processing visual data much faster than text. A striking cover can entice potential listeners to explore the playlist further. Different music genres, sub-genres, and moods call for varying visual aesthetics. Platforms like Pinterest or Instagram, known for their visual focus, can provide inspiration for your playlist cover.
Designing a cover is a creative endeavor, and if graphic design is a passion, tools like Canva or VistaCreate can help create professional designs. For those interested in using existing artwork, contacting the artist for permission is recommended, with proper crediting in the playlist description. Free-to-use image websites like Pexels, Unsplash, or Pixabay can also provide suitable images, especially for playlists with specific themes.
Canva's templates for Spotify playlist's cover pictures
Focus on Quality:
Being selective about the songs in your playlist is crucial. While there's no limit to the number of songs, the emphasis should be on the quality of the selections. Maintaining a high bar for quality becomes challenging as the playlist grows, making it vital to spend time listening to it.
Ensure each song fits the overall theme of the playlist and represents your music personality. Adding songs merely to increase volume can harm the overall quality, making the playlist feel neglected. Listeners are quick to move on to other playlists if they perceive a lack of curation.
The popularity of playlists compared to albums is noteworthy. In 2016, playlists accounted for 31% of listening time across demographics, surpassing albums at 22%. Modern listeners, with the abundance of daily releases, prefer playlists for their selective listening experience. Curated playlists that allow exploration and discovery of new songs are likely to keep listeners engaged for extended periods.
Add Classics to Your Playlist:
While discovering new songs is a common desire, adding widely popular and adored classics can positively impact your playlist and attract more followers. Music possesses the ability to evoke intense emotions and stir up memories, creating a strong connection. Including classics relevant to your playlist can excite listeners, as many people retain a passionate attachment to their favorite songs, even after countless listens.
Given Spotify's vast user base of over 420 million annual active users, there's a high probability that including classics will resonate with a considerable audience.
Highlight the Best Songs at the Top of the Playlist:
The top of your playlist serves as an introduction to the curated songs. While Spotify no longer requires playlists to be listened to in the order they're created, the first few songs play a crucial role in capturing listeners' attention. If they enjoy the initial songs, they are likely to stay; otherwise, they might search for an alternative playlist.
Carefully choosing the first 10 songs is essential, as they represent your favorite songs and showcase the best your playlist has to offer.
Conclusion:
Playlists have become integral in the music streaming industry, playing a significant role in shaping the listening experience. In this comprehensive article, we've outlined key tips to organically grow your Spotify playlist followers. An additional tip, often overlooked, is the importance of patience.
Growing your Spotify playlist audience is a gradual process that requires dedication to something you love. Avoid rushing and expecting rapid follower growth. Instead, stay passionate about the music you curate, celebrating even the smallest progress as you build a playlist that others can love too.
