7 ways to stay connected with your fans during COVID-19

We don’t have to tell you twice. With venues shutting down, studio sessions coming to a halt, and releases being postponed or derailed – COVID-19 has taken its toll on musicians.

But we wanted to remind you that you’re not alone. SoundCloud is a global community created by musicians for musicians, and as long as we’re all in this, we’ll be posting content on our socials and blog to fill your days, inspire you to create or just keep you sane while we appreciate the silver lining here: more music, made by you.

Because your fans are your lifeline, even if you can’t see them singing along at a show right now, we’re kicking things off with a list on how to keep them engaged from a safe distance AKA across the airwaves.

Reach out to your top fans: Everyone may be stuck at home, but you can still build relationships with your number-ones. Look through your track comments and thank the people throwing praise or fire emojis on your waveform. Or maybe even take time to DM to ask for more feedback (they’ll also have a few minutes on their hands). Pro tip: If you have Pro Unlimited you can use SoundCloud’s Stats tab to find out who is listening most. Shoot them a message or a snippet of an unreleased track and you may just convert a top listener into a lifelong fan.

Release b-sides: If you’re like us, music is a key component of your self-care plan. It’s a perfect time to go back to the archives and upload your rarities, b-sides and demos. The new music will help keep your fans’ spirits high while getting them even more excited for your next release. And with uploading to SoundCloud available on mobile, you can do all of this directly from your phone. Think your demo still needs some work? Move along to the next bullet.

Collaborate with peers: If there are any collaborations you’ve dreamed of or know your fans would love, it’s time to shoot your shot. In all likelihood, most artists are sitting near their computers and have the time to throw ideas back and forth using private links.

Share live versions of your music: With live music at a standstill, ticket-holders and performers are dreaming of the next time they can go to their favorite venue. Luckily in lieu of shows, you can share home-recorded performances of your songs to help bridge the gap. Sure, an iPhone on a stand isn’t really the same vibe as a rowdy audience singing your lyrics, but by seeding this content, you may find your post-quarantine shows that much more packed.

Upload BTS content: When your fans get tired of Rona memes, they’ll probably be on the hunt for some quality content. Share the stories behind your tracks to pull them out of their rooms and into your world for a while.

Tease your next project: Your rollout may be pushed back but you can get fans hyped about your latest tunes. Uploading 20-30 second teasers can help give listeners something to look forward to, while saving your release for a better time. Pro tip: With Pro Unlimited, you can replace tracks without losing your stats.

Set up some alternate revenue streams:

Start a podcast and feature other musicians affected by COVID-19, share your stories, and bumper the content by dropping your GoFundMe and Kickstarter links so fans can support your new content. On SoundCloud, you can start podcasting in seconds.

Share your merch store on socials. If you don’t have one yet, now’s a great time to start thinking about your brand, logo, and creative (comfy) alternatives to the hat and t-shirt combos. Then add the link to your bio directly from your phone.

Connect with new fans and get paid. With a SoundCloud Pro Unlimited subscription, you can join our direct monetization program, SoundCloud Premier to start promoting your music to new fans on SoundCloud, sending it to every major music service, and getting paid for your plays everywhere.

And music-lovers, if you’re reading this, you can support your favorite artists by visiting their merch store, purchasing their music, showing your love via plays and comments, or waiting a beat before you ask for a refund from that canceled concert.

Stay safe everyone, and share what you’re creating and how you’re feeling with us by @-ing us on Twitter.