Spotify gets a bad rap in some circles for the percentages it pays out and the millions of streams you need to see any serious, direct, income.
But today we’re going to put that aside and look at some of the ways you can get some real value from Spotify if your music is available there.
Got Your Spotify Hooked up with Songkick?
Assuming you are already gigging, do you use Songkick’s free tourbox platform to display the shows on your website and around the internet?
If not, you might be missing a trick!
Once it’s set up it’ll make sure all your shows listed here are automatically pulled into your Spotify profile.
Not only will anyone who checks you out on Spotify see them, but followers who are based in the cities where you’ll be performing will be notified and have the option to connect directly to the ticket-buying page.
RESULT? Sell more tickets to your gigs.
Where are your listeners?
Imagine you’re a Chicago-based band and you’ve never performed in Europe.
Persuading a venue in Berlin, Germany, that you will be able to attract a big enough audience to a show is going to be tough.
Similarly, if they put the ball in your court and offer a % of ticket sales instead of a firm fee, that’s a pretty risky option for you.
However, if you are signed up for a free ‘Spotify For Artists‘ account you can see – at the click of a button – exactly where your listeners are based.
Not only can this give you a good focus and confidence in booking gigs in certain places, it can allow you to put plans in place to grow those numbers and to see how it’s progressing.
RESULT? More effective gig-booking by focusing your efforts.
There are a LOT of clubs, theatres & festivals out there booking jazz.
But each of them have their own tastes and requirements when it comes to the style and profile of bands they book. The key to building your touring is to be approaching the right promoters for where you’re at right now.
I’ve already laid out some specific steps in this article, but Spotify opens up a whole new range of possibilities for doing this quickly and effectively, with the section which shows other artists your fans are listening to.
Want to know which clubs and festivals you should be approaching?
Firstly, you should look at the section on your Spotify profile which shows the other artists your fans are listening to. If you haven’t already, do some digging to see where these artists are touring. You will likely find a bunch of new venues who would also be open to booking you.
Secondly, do the same exercise for other artists that you feel play a similar style to you: check out who else their fans listen to and see where they are playing.
If you haven’t already reached out to those venues for a gig, it’d be a good place to start…
RESULT? Discover new venues & festivals that would fit your project.
Are you using Spotify to your Advantage?
So if you’re using Spotify as a way of letting fans discover your music, think about zooming out a little from the income-to-streams debate and check out these 3 quick ways of getting some real, actionable benefits from it.
Put into practice – alongside a solid plan for growing your followers and getting featured on playlists – these 3 things can help you sell more gig tickets, plan your touring better and discover new performing opportunities.