As a creator, your main priorities will be to express yourself freely and creatively. Finding a platform that allows you to do so while reaching new audiences is key to this. As a music streaming service, Mixcloud is committed to all aspects of the creator journey and has worked to build our creator toolkit, a set of features that open up opportunities for your growth, whether you’re a DJ, producer or radio host.
In this article, we give you a run through each component of our creator toolkit and how it can help you hone your skills and enhance the quality of your output. The toolkit is part of our Mixcloud Pro subscription suite and spans tools that help you grow your community, spark creative ideas for your content and earn money from your passion.
Unlimited uploads
You can build an infinite collection of mixes, radio shows and original tracks under the same roof with unlimited uploads. That way, you can consolidate all of your musical projects. All while experimenting with your content and adding more to your catalog whenever you want. As you grow your fanbase, they will have more of your shows to dig into. Whether they’re specialist shows focusing on a particular vibe or mixes blending multiple genres, you can showcase the full range of your skills. Our unique licensing deals with record labels and publishers means you don’t have to worry about your shows being struck by copyright takedowns. If you’re a musician starting out making your own productions, you have unlimited space to upload the songs you create and own the rights to.
Live streaming
Our legal and licensed live streaming platform Mixcloud Live enables you to live stream video and audio to your fans. We identify the tunes you play with our content ID system. Then, we pay royalties out to the artists and right holders, just as we do for everything you upload. As a result, you can live stream safe in the knowledge that artists are being paid for their work. You can also archive the audio from your stream and publish it on your profile for your followers who missed it live. Mixcloud doesn’t archive live stream video content because there is no simple legal way to do so. But we legally and safely save your live streams as audio.
During your stream, our live chat feature allows you to communicate with your viewers and build meaningful connections with them. Check in with them to see how they’re doing and if they like what they’re hearing. Spark conversation among your community by posing questions about music – maybe their thoughts on a new album or single release. Get ideas for your next live stream to cater to your fans even more. Much like a radio show, a great live stream can feel like a personal conversation between the host and the audience. One where you can make sure they feel listened to. And with your content protected, you can create memorable audio-visual experiences while fostering a loyal community.
HQ Audio
We know how much time and effort you put into your shows and tracks. Which is why we’ve given you the option to make them sound even better with HQ Audio. With a Pro subscription, we automatically upgrade your content to three times the standard bitrate. This gives it a rich, professional sound that immediately sets you apart. In turn, your fans gain an enhanced and more memorable listening experience. It might encourage them to return to your profile and share your work.
Monetization
We have built a number of features empowering you to make money from your content and fund your creativity. Tips are secure one-off payments your fans can give you while you live stream. 80% goes to you and 20% is split between transaction fees and Mixcloud. Not only can you take that money home yourself, but you can also receive tips for other occasions. Maybe a fundraiser for a cause you care about.
You can also set yourself up to start earning regular money you can rely on with Creator Subscriptions. Invite your fans to financially support you and offer exclusive content or extended shows in return. You can set the rate, starting at £/$/€2.99 a month. Thus, allowing you to make regular money from DJing while the artists you play receive a kick-back from that fee. Both monetization options give you extra insight into who your true fans are. As a result, you can reward them in other ways such as offering early bird tickets for your shows, exclusive merch or maybe newsletters aimed at your VIP followers.
Stats
With our Stats portal, you can dig deep into the analytics of your profile and content in order to improve your shows. Reveal where your listeners are located, how they listen to your shows and who your most engaged fans are. Discover where in the world you’re trending across cities and countries. See what platforms your listeners are using to find your shows. Find the total number of minutes your content has been played and much more.
Following your Stats may encourage you to develop new content ideas that cater more directly to your audience. For example, if you know you’re popular in Berlin, you could cater a specialist Techno show to that audience. Or a Samba show for your supporters out in Brazil. Seeing when listeners drop off and increase within a show can influence what you play, how long your show should be or the best time to upload, setting it up for success.
Posts
You can send direct messages to your fans with Posts, enabling you to define your relationship with your community. Connect with your followers by updating them on news regarding your shows, upcoming mixes and live streams to get as much exposure as possible. Everytime you post, an email is sent to your listeners so that they’re never missed and you can override the always changing social media algorithm. You can also get creative. Share exclusive content to your paying subscribers. Ask for feedback on your latest shows or ideas for your next show or where you should DJ next. Creators on Mixcloud have also utilized the feature to share personal stories, let their fans know when they’ll be live streaming or incite discussion by asking music-based questions. Generally, Posts let you get to know your fans in ways that suit you.
Host Tagging
Our community-building feature, Host Tagging, enables anyone uploading mixes by other DJs to officially tag those hosts on their shows. As a result, one show can be published to multiple profiles, giving those shows more reach and exposure on Mixcloud. Your tagged hosts are notified every time their show is favorited, reposted, receives comments and reaches a chart position. In addition, you can save time organizing your profile because all of your hosts’ shows are automatically grouped together under a ‘hosts’ tab on your profile. This allows you to showcase your entire roster on your page. If you’re a radio station, for example, Host Tagging enables your hosts to have prominence on your profile. Meanwhile your station’s official badge is displayed on their profile. This means you both expand your reach and mutually benefit from those connections.
Customization
Our customization tools help you take control of how your Mixcloud profile looks. Enabling you to attract more fans to your content. You can schedule when your uploads will be published and change your profile picture and cover art as you see fit. You can let your fans know what they can listen to on your profile first by highlighting and customizing your tabs or playlists to make your latest and greatest shows more prominent. To maintain a little bit of mystery to your profile, you can also hide the play counts on your shows. What’s more, you can privately upload your content and send out direct links either for feedback or perhaps to supply exclusive content to a magazine. All of these features will help you to make Mixcloud work for you in the best way so you can express yourself with freedom.
The sky’s the limit!
At Mixcloud we are committed to creating an environment that prioritizes the needs of creators at every step of their journey. With our creator toolkit, we hope that you can build your creative brand and connect deeply with your audience as you continue to grow. We also value listening to the needs of our creators so if you have any questions or ideas for new features, please do respond to our next post on mixcloud.com/mixcloud.