Over one million minutes of audio are uploaded to Mixcloud everyday by passionate creators across the globe. As a creator, how do you get your shows heard?

Truth is, there’s no big secret to success. The key is to build a loyal and engaged audience who want to keep listening to your stuff. Whether you’re a DJ, radio show host or podcaster, building your own engaged and loyal audience depends on how much you put into it. 

Follow these seven tips to get the most out of your shows on Mixcloud.

1. Upload your shows regularly

Top creators publish weekly or monthly. 

It sounds simple, but uploading regularly is the most important element of building your audience on Mixcloud. The most successful creators upload their shows daily, weekly or monthly.

Many creators upload their show on a dedicated day of the week. For example, John Digweed uploads his radio show Transitions weekly on Mondays. Stamp The Wax uploads their Monday Morning Mixtape every Monday. We’re not suggesting you upload every Monday – but the important thing is to keep a consistent concept going.

If you’re uploading regularly and at specific times, then people who like your shows are more likely to keep coming back to listen and become fans.

2. Get your tags on point

You have up to five tags.  Use them wisely to help get in the charts.

Don’t waste your tags! Help listeners find your show by tagging the genres that best fit. This will boost how your shows get discovered and help them enter the Mixcloud charts. Popular tags will give you a better chance of coming up in searches, while more specific tags will give you a better chance at being the most played show in that genre. 

DO

1. Use a mixture of specific and popular tags to boost your show’s visibility. For example, mix large categories with subgenres: #house #EDM #tech house #acid house #psytrance
2. Make sure your tags are accurate. Your three-hour punk shows will never be popular if people stumble upon them while searching for #chillout or #R&B.
3. If your show is a talk show, use the #interview or #podcast tags, as well as topics such as #science or #business to add context. 

DON’T

1. Tag your name, location, show name or favorite sandwich. Tags are used so that shows can show up in searches. If you want to get heard and make it into the charts, using accurate genre tags is the only way to go.

3. Inspire your listeners to hit play

Title and describe your shows in exciting ways.

The more you can encourage people to hit play, the more likely you’ll get heard. Think outside the box to find themes to inspire your shows, like world events or a specific scene or subject you’re passionate about.

You may have put in loads of time into crafting a killer show that features amazing guest artists and new releases– but nobody will know it unless you describe it to them. Use your show title and description to build a narrative for every show and catch your listener’s attention. Don’t just name it ‘Mix # 406’– get creative! 

Your title can be based around genres, quirky concepts, interview formats or discussion topics. For example, Lefto uses his titles to highlight which emerging artists are being featured in his show and writes a personal note in his descriptions to show his personality.

Consider theming your shows or coming up with a series. If you’re a radio station with a heavy roster, all the more reason to come up series or themes to compartmentalise your shows– for example, how Boxout.fm have their Chai & Chill series. You can then put these into playlists, like Red Bull Radio do a Fireside Chat, so that you can promote the series on its own.

3. Keep it looking fresh

Create a signature look for your channel.

It’s not all about the sound – your look matters, too. Use your page banner, profile image and album artwork to make an impression. The more care you put into how your shows authentically represent who you are and what you’re doing, the more this will resonate with your fans. Don’t just reuse the same album artwork over and over!

Think about using a logo, watermark or signature style so that your listeners immediately recognize your shows on their feed. Check out Resident Advisor, Nicole Moudaber or dublab.br to see how it’s done.

Keep your look and feel consistent across your social media channels, website and other places where your fans might listen.

4. Get social

Shout about your shows on social media and engage with your fans.

So you’ve put the time and effort in to getting a great show up– next step is to promote it. Share it everywhere! Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are great ways to promote your stuff, new and old. Make your Mixcloud shows a regular part of what you talk about online. Use hashtags like #Mixcloud and relevant genres to make your posts more discoverable. Put your Mixcloud profile link in your bio. Tag @mixcloud and whoever else is involved in making the show. 

There’s a lot of noise out there, so think about how you can cut through it. The key to building a successful presence on socials is to keep it authentic and consistent.

Get creative with how you engage you fans. For example, do a video post that goes behind the scenes, create a promo poster or write about what inspired you. Use your socials to ask your fans questions, get feedback and take them along for the journey. 

No matter how small or big your audience, it’s important to always listen and engage with their comments. Whether it’s on your show pages or on your social media posts, make the people who have engaged with your show feel heard– especially when it’s positive feedback. Show your audience you appreciate their support and they’ll keep coming back.

5. Get involved in the community

Collaborate and get involved with other creators.

Millions of passionate creators upload to Mixcloud everyday. Are you engaging with them? Are you connecting with creators in your local scene or communities who are into your genre style?

Some of the most popular profiles on Mixcloud have grown from close-knit communities with engaged and interactive fan bases collaborating and sharing each other’s shows. 

Get involved to get your name out there. Invite people to do guest appearances on your shows and find opportunities to do the same. Not only will you be able to re-post and cross-promote content across channels, it will help you build valuable human connections and community.

6. Plug your shows

Collaborate and get involved with other creators

You’ll be surprised how many people listen to Mixcloud shows without actually visiting our website or apps. Some of the most successful DJs and radio stations use Mixcloud widgets to reach new audiences and get plays.

Learn more about how to use the widgets here. 

If you have a website or blog, you can embed your shows directly. You can also approach blogs or media that are similar to your style or might be interested in your shows to help get the word out. 

7. Take it to the next level

Register for Creator Subscriptions.

So you’ve got all these tips down, you’re uploading regularly, and you’ve built a loyal fanbase who love your shows… what’s next?  With Mixcloud Select, you can actually start getting direct support from your fans and earning from your shows.

Creator Subscriptions is a direct fan-to-creator subscription layer to the platform, giving creators like you the opportunity to get closer to your biggest fans and get support from them. 

Keep listening, creating and connecting!