How to Get Followers on Spotify: 10 Spotify Growth Hacks in 2024

When we talk about growth on Spotify, the focus is often on monthly listeners. While listeners do indicate what you get paid from the platform, it is not a good measure of how many ‘Fans’ you have. Neither will it predict how your next song will do.

So, if the monthly listener count is unreliable, what can you use alongside it? Followers are a great indicator of how many people are genuinely interested in your music or you as an artist. Listeners show you how many people are listening to your music this month, whereas followers show how many will be listening to your song next month.

Now that we’ve established having Spotify followers is important, let’s take a look at how to get followers on Spotify.

Why Do You Need Spotify Followers?

We said they’re an indicator of how many people will be listening to your music, but how does that actually work? The most important aspect of having followers is increasing your reach.

Why Do You Need Spotify Followers

1. Release Radar

Spotify ensures that your followers are aware of your new releases. Spotify playlists are groups of songs made by the company for users. Being on these playlists is a great way to extend your reach and find a new audience.

Release Radar

One of these Spotify playlists is called “Release Radar,” which includes the new songs Spotify thinks a listener might be interested in based on their previous selections and artists.

What does that mean for artists themselves? Well, it means that your followers will be notified as soon as you release new music, resulting in immediate listens to your songs.

2. Spotify Playlists Placement

Release Radar is one of the many playlists Spotify makes. If someone follows you as an artist, you are far more likely to be in their personalized playlists. Daylist, Your Summer Rewind, and Mood Mixes are some of these personalized Spotify playlists.

Spotify Playlists Medium

3. Boosted Engagement

Followers are more likely to interact with your music. That means other than listening to your songs, they are likely to add you to their own playlists, share your songs, and even save them.

The more engagement you have, the more likely Spotify will promote your content. So, in addition to appearing on your followers’ Spotify playlists, you’ll also be promoted to people who have never heard of you.

4. Insights and Data Analysis

We can say that your followers are the main members of your fanbase. With analytics data provided by Spotify, you can take a look at your followers’ age, gender, location, and other demographic qualities and have better information about who likes your music.

Spotify Analytics

How to Get Followers on Spotify?

There are a few ways to get followers on Spotify. To gain Spotify followers, you either appeal to fans who aren’t already following you or try to introduce yourself to a new audience who enjoy your music.

Steps to Get Followers On Spotify

1. Promote Your Spotify on Other Social Media Channels

So, let’s say you have managed to get a following on Instagram or TikTok. You can put up stories or post a link to your Instagram, tweet links to your songs and Spotify page, tell your fans how important this is to you and your career, and use tools such as links in bio to offer easier access to your Spotify as well.

TikTok is the best place to promote your music. What makes TikTok different from other platforms is how little it is reliant on followers. The algorithm on this platform makes it easy for your content to be introduced to new people.

If you learn how to go viral on TikTok, you can have a much easier way of getting your music to new people.

Alternatively, you can promote your Spotify playlists. Most people are always looking for new songs to listen to. Curating a playlist consisting of yours and similar songs means you can promote these playlists individually.

Another way of gaining Spotify playlist followers is by sharing your Spotify playlists. So people can follow you to gain access to your playlists rather than your own songs. This way, you can get followers who wouldn’t have been your fans otherwise.

2. Optimize Your Profile

Verify your profile, pick a professional profile photo, and write a compelling description of your career and music background. An appealing profile means anyone who comes across it will consider following you.

3. Be Active on Spotify

Be active on Spotify, like any other platform. Make playlists for your fans, add your favorite songs of your favorite artists or yourself, and keep updating your profile. Make it seem like fans would be missing out on your content if they don’t follow you on Spotify.

Activity On Spotify

4. Collab with Other Artists

One of the ways to promote yourself socially is by collaborating with similar creators. This is true for Spotify artists as well. Fans who enjoy the works of an artist like you are likely to enjoy your music as well.

So, by collaborating with a similar artist, you can both share your audiences together. Their Spotify followers can also be yours. Just make sure your profile is interesting enough that people who come across it want to follow you.

5. Make Use of Spotify Canvas

Canvas allows you to create a short looping visual on your songs. So whenever someone plays one of your songs, instead of a photo, a short visual will play on repeat. This is an additional way that allows you to engage with your fans.

6. Make a Mailing List

Email marketing isn’t just for businesses. Make a mailing list of people who are interested in music. You can ask for the emails of fans you meet at live gigs, your social media following, or people who follow similar artists.

By sending them emails about your new music or a new playlist, you can introduce them to your songs and get them to follow you on Spotify.

7. Use Reddit

Reddit is filled with people who like to get to the bottom of things. Why can’t that thing be your music career?

Promote your songs, playlists, vibes, and gigs on Reddit and wait for people to discover you. You can use r/music or r/musicsuggestions, or get more specifics with a Reddit page dedicated to your music genre.

8. Get Help From Influencers and Streamers

Influencer marketing can help you in your music career. While this process won’t be as official as it is for most companies, you can still reach out to influencers to promote your music in exchange for money.

Alternatively, if your music is royalty-free, you can just reach out to streamers. As copyright is an issue for them, they are highly likely to play your royalty-free music on their streams at no charge at all.

9. Promote at Live Gigs

If you’re one of the few artists who grew up using traditional methods and live events, you may have some luck in promoting yourself at these events. An older audience is unfamiliar with Spotify and the importance of following artists.

So, make sure to ask your audience to follow you on Spotify after your live performances as well.

10. Promote To Local Vendors

Local cafes, bookshops, restaurants, and diners can all be playing your music. Ask the local businesses around you if they’re interested in your music. If they are, ask them to play your music and promote it if possible.

This is helpful for introducing your music to new audiences. Local vendors are especially helpful if you hold live performances, as the people who hear your music will most likely be locals in your area.

Conclusion

So, Spotify followers and listeners are equally important. To have a successful music career, you will need to make use of both of these demographics. Focus on striking a balance between your listeners and followers; everything should go well. Best of luck!

FAQs

1. What’s a Good Listener to Follower Ratio on Spotify?

While there isn’t an objective answer available, you should be shooting for a 2 to 1 ratio. That means for every 2 listeners, you should have at least 1 follower. Anything lower than that lowers your credibility as an artist.

2. How to Get Noticed on Spotify?

In addition to being consistent, professional, and promoting yourself on various platforms, you can also promote yourself on Spotify. For example, you can send your best song to independent playlist makers.

This allows you to introduce your music to a completely new demographic. While there is no way to pay to be put on Spotify-made playlists, the independent playlists are available for paid promotions.

3. Who Has the Most Followers on Spotify?

Arijit Singh has 120.5 million followers. Arijit is beating Taylor Swift, who has 120.3 million followers. This Indian artist has won the hearts of many in and outside India.