[UPDATED] SoundCloud has launched a marketing tool missing from Spotify, Apple Music, and social media – the ability to identify and directly message individual fans.
“Streaming isn’t working for the vast majority of artists,” says former Twitch and Spotify exec Tracy Chan who joined SoundCloud as SVP of Creator last year. “Why? Because streaming services won’t tell you who your fans are. Instead, they run business models built on selling you access to your fans. And the streaming services aren’t alone – ticketing and merch platforms won’t tell you who your fans are, either.”
While Bandsintown offers free unfiltered group messaging to followers and recently added merch sales, no social media or music streaming platform has offered one on one messaging until now.
With “Fans,” artists can identify their most active fans on SoundCloud by tapping into combined data from Fan Powered Royalties, engagement data, and user reach.
Then they can:
- Directly message (DM) fans 1:1 with the option to attach a track.
- Sort fans by the level of engagement. “See your most engaged fans based on indicators like comments, listening behavior, and sharing habits.”
- Sort fans by listener versus artist to discover potential collaborators and build your network.
- Sort fans by location (this is currently available by country only).
Jordan Hawkins, an R&B/Soul artist from LA, has been using the 1:1 messaging tool in Fans to promote shows, build relationships, and drop new music to fans directly. For Jordan, being able to easily connect with individual fans 1:1 changed the game.
“People drop snippets on IG and Twitter all the time, but the ability to have this personalization makes a big difference,” said Jordan.
How To Get Started With SoundCloud Fans
“Fans” launched in beta with 10K+ artists, including Warner Music Group artists, but now is available to the 50,000 artists who pay $9.99 per month for SoundCloud Next Pro services.
Learn more about SoundCloud Fans here.
Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor.
