How to Up Your SoundCloud Game

Ariel Hyatt is the founder of Cyber PR Music and author of seven books, including The Ultimate Guide to Music Publicity and From Buzz to Bond: How to Stop Chasing Hype and Build a Lasting Music Career.

Updated 2026-11-03

TL;DR Quick Summary

SoundCloud remains an essential platform for musicians looking to build community, monetize their work, and secure press coverage. To maximize your reach, fully optimize your profile with complete bio details and artwork, include lyrics on tracks, and utilize direct monetization features like fan support links and pay-what-you-want releases. Because music bloggers prefer SoundCloud for pitching and reviews because of its low barrier to entry, artists should focus on sharing private links for media previews, engaging directly with regular listeners, building stream counts, and pitching tracks to targeted playlists.

SoundCloud is a free music streaming platform created by musicians, for musicians. This platform has grown in importance during the global pandemic. Fans and artists are flocking to it. Why? Because it’s a deeply connected community (and we all need extra community right now) and it’s free. The platform is working hard to help you make money and connect more deeply right now.

We love SoundCloud at Cyber PR because it is the medium music bloggers prefer for PR purposes. Here are our best nuggets of advice on how you can use this platform to your advantage during this time. We are honored to announce that Hypebot and Bandsintown for Artists are sponsoring this.

Optimize Your SoundCloud Profile

Many artists haven’t taken the time to do this properly. Make sure that your SoundCloud profile is fully filled out with a header, descriptive bio, links to socials, albums and singles, as well as artwork. You can design a captivating profile header using Canva.

Optimize Your Tracks

SoundCloud recently added direct support links so fans can give you money or donate to your crowdfunding campaign, and they won’t take a fee. You can connect to PayPal, Shopify, Patreon, Bandcamp, Cash. Kickstarter, or GoFundMe.

Release a Free or Pay What You Want

Fans love to show their support. Let them support you by offering a pay-what-you-want option to make your music accessible.

Message Your Regular Listeners and Form Deeper Bonds

Engagement and connection is so important during this time. This can start new relationships with fans and strengthen connections you already have. If you didn’t notice, you can’t message your listeners on Spotify, so this is a great opportunity to connect with fans you know are actually listening. If you decide to splurge on SoundCloud’s Pro Unlimited, you can check your analytics on the Stats tab to see who your most frequent listeners are. You can message them directly and start building relationships. After a few messages, you can ask them to join your email list or follow you on social media.

Music Bloggers Prefer SoundCloud

If you are trying to get PR, SoundCloud is still the industry standard for pitching to and posting on music blogs. Why? SoundCloud doesn’t make you log in to stream tracks like Spotify does, so music bloggers like it because there is no barrier to entry. Your SoundCloud presence can also be a key deciding factor to having your music covered by music bloggers.

Build SoundCloud #s Before You Pitch

Ask your fans to come stream to get some plays on your profile. If you are going to pitch for a premiere, set that track or album to private.

SoundCloud allows you to create and share private SoundCloud links, which you can share in advance for media and industry consideration. Here’s how.

First, promote your SoundCloud page in your newsletter and on other socials. Rounding up fans who are already engaged is always easier than recruiting completely new fans, so start where you already have a following.

Plug your SoundCloud page in a status on your socials. You can also link your SoundCloud page to multiple sections on each social for people who might have missed the status update.

Instagram: Take a screenshot of your page and put a link in your Linktr.ee If a screenshot doesn’t fit your aesthetic, try a funny graphic; if funny isn’t your thing, try any graphic.