If you’re a DJ or creator, it’s natural to want more eyes and ears around your content. The ways in which you can get more listeners and grow have changed dramatically with the rise of social media (and its ever-changing algorithms and demands), ever popular subscription services or platforms to host newsletters such as Substack.
To grow your audience as a DJ, focus on creating engaging mixes, building a personal brand, using licensed platforms and promoting your shows consistently across channels. Community engagement, feedback and consistent output are key to increasing your listener base over time.
This is how to get more listeners for your DJ content.
Table of Contents
- Create DJ mixes that stand out
- Build a personal DJ brand that resonates
- Upload your mixes to a licensed platform
- Use live streaming to reach new fans
- Promote your DJ mixes on social media and beyond
- Get feedback directly from your audience
- Be consistent with Your DJ releases
- Engage with the DJ community
- Enjoy the journey
Create DJ mixes that stand out
Firstly, you’ll want to produce a catalog that speaks to your personality, vision and creative approach. If you’re a DJ who loves to blend Techno with Hip-Hop and Rap you can get really creative with this open format of mixing. If you have a weekly live stream, making each stand out – while sticking to the essence of your creativity – will keep fans coming back for more. Think about how to make your content engaging. Tell stories, by creating themes for different series you want to do. If you know you have fans in certain parts of the world, create content to cater to them. Perhaps a Baile Funk or Samba if you have a large Brazilian fanbase. This will let your fans know that you appreciate them and want to share something they can relate to on a localized level.
Build a personal DJ brand that resonates
Making great mixes is one part of the adventure. The presentation of those mixes and indeed, how you show up online, is equally crucial. Whether it’s a strong visual identity or the language you use to draw people in, building a unique experience for your fans will help you stand out. It will also boost your chances of being referred to by other people through word of mouth. You can also look into audio branding; things like jingles, audio idents and reminders to listeners throughout the show. That instantly makes your content more memorable because of a cool thing they heard in them. Think about a radio host you love. What it is that they do that keeps you listening and coming back each week? Emulate those tactics in your personal style to build an audience as a DJ.
Upload your shows on a licensed platform
Where to upload DJ mixes is your decision, but it’s important to host them safely to a vast community of music lovers. The best pest platforms for DJ mixes put creators and discovery first. Mixcloud was founded because we believe that creators should be paid fairly for the content they create. Because of this belief, we have unique license deals and copyright clearing technology. This means we pay royalties on the music played so that right holders are compensated. As a result, your content is completely safe from being muted or taken down due to copyright issues.
You’re then free to take full advantage of our features and tap into millions of listeners. Mixcloud Stats can help you determine where you’re popular and can influence the content you make. Meanwhile, ranking on our Charts gives you a great chance of being discovered. You can also create a strong visual aesthetic on Mixcloud on your personal profile with a polished picture banner and prominent social media links.
Use live-streaming to reach new fans
As you’re finding your creative feet, why not take your skills a step further with live-streaming. While it may sound like a challenge, it’s a great way to reward your fans for their loyalty. It’s a great way to grow your fanbase as a DJ, gaining new eyes on your talent and presenting a different aspect of yourself. From slick mixing to audio-visual representations of your style.
We’ve built our live streaming platform Mixcloud Live to help you connect with fans across the globe. Fans who would never be able to see you play out locally. To make your streams more interactive, you can use the live-chat to encourage real-time communication with your fans – they can even speak to each other – and promote more of your shows. Not only that, but your live stream will not be taken down due to copyright issues. All you need to do is set up, play your best, make your fans feel special and open up new opportunities.
Promote your DJ mixes on social media and beyond
Spreading the word about your content is essential to your growth. Thankfully, there are many avenues through which you can. Use your social media channels (such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook) to grow an audience. Promote DJ sets online and tag anyone involved or featured in the show so they can re-share the content and it can reach their followers too. You never know who might catch the post and check you out.
If you’ve decided social media isn’t for you, or you get frustrated by ever-changing algorithms, then start a regular newsletter using Mixcloud Posts. Other avenues can work just as well. Send emails to your fans so you can have more intimate engagement with them. If you have a personal website, embed your show so that your fans have easy access. Find what works best for you and translate that into promotional content.
Get feedback directly from your audience
Direct communication with your audience is as integral to gaining new listeners than it is to keeping them around. Having great content is one thing. But finding ways to craft meaningful relationships with them can also work in your favor. You can use social media to engage with your audience and make them feel like they are part of your story. Talk to them when you have something new to release and ask them what they want to hear from you. Get feedback from them when you’ve released a mix, see what they like and what they’re not feeling as much. Cater that feedback to your development and future shows, so your fans know they’re being listened to.
We built Mixcloud Posts to help you communicate with your audience more directly. Not only can you promote your mixes and live streams, but you also have the freedom to define the relationship with your fans in fun and interesting ways. What’s more, every time you publish a Post on Mixcloud, an email is sent out to your followers so they’ll never miss an update.
Be consistent with Your DJ releases
In any field of life, the key to growth is consistency. You can be blessed with talent, but you need to harness it through hard work in order to be the best version of yourself. If you’re a DJ, set yourself a schedule for practicing and releasing content and stick to it. Doing this will give you a routine you can rely on. It can also create expectations from fans and a trust that you will deliver mixes at a particular time. Building a consistent set of content will put you in good stead for gaining a bigger audience. They will have a lot of music and shows to dig into as a result.
Be active in your community
Getting more listeners doesn’t have to done on your own. In fact, you’ll be surprised at how much others may be willing to help you in a variety of ways. Speaking to and creating a network of fellow like-minded people can often lead to collaboration. Whether that’s B2B DJ sets, finding guests to feature on your radio show or a vocalist for your next track. This allows you to tap directly into another creator’s audience. Which could then in turn increase your listener base if they’re co-creating amazing content with you and shouting about it to their community too.
But don’t just focus your efforts online. Use your profile to get bookings at events and build a local community of super-fans that support you at these events. Meet other DJs, make friends and meaningful connections. Hear what they’re up to, new music they like and updates on the scene you’re in. That way, you can learn how best to insert yourself in whatever’s happening in your scene.
The journey is as important as the destination
Getting more listeners isn’t an overnight process by any means. Along the way, you’ll learn about how you function as a creator and how to reach your full potential. So, build a sound and brand that people care about. Share consistently. Collaborate widely. Promote your work thoughtfully. And most of all — keep showing up. If you’re looking to grow as a DJ, every play, repost and connection counts. Stick with it, and your audience will too.