As a DJ, radio host or producer on Mixcloud, you’re probably wondering how to get other creators to hear your shows or tunes or what your first step is to find like minded people and build a community. You might be new to the platform and not know where to start when it comes to getting your mixes heard by others. Or even finding other creators who have similar musical interests to you. With many avenues to explore on our platform to form relationships and share your content – from following other creators to commenting when someone is live streaming – the possibilities are endless.
You can build a mutual respect for your fellow DJs and the work they put out. Which in turn can lead to them checking out your mixes. They’ll be able to see your vast taste in music in the content you create. That positions you as thoughtful and knowledgeable. They might be wowed by an obscure sample or song you put in your mix that they’ve never heard before. Or appreciate the flow of your shows and the story they tell. Friendship and collaboration could emerge as a result. Though you want them to listen to more of your shows, the relationship should be key. It’s potentially another friend in the music world that you can riff with. Thus, developing your passion and creativity in the process.
Most importantly, you’ll want to feel confident to take the leap to communicate with a creator when you’re ready. Striking friendships based on music is a process that can take as much time as it needs to. It could be as simple as a hello or showing appreciation for what they do. Maybe shouting out a new track you found on their show or a new artist they put you onto. Steps like this can go a long way. As long as you remain respectful to your fellow heads and understand that being patient – rather than spamming them frequently with your shows – is the way to put your best foot forward. For example, it’s probably less than ideal if a creator follows you back and you then message them everyday asking to check out your show. It could ruin any good will you would’ve generated.
In this article, we share a few ways you can use our platform to identify the creators you want to reach out to and share your shows with.
Follow your favorite creators
Mixcloud is home to millions of creators, curators and tastemakers. So the chances are you’ll be able to find those who most align with your interests and creative passions. Some of your favorite DJs might be on our platform and you might not even know it! The best course here is to search for your faves; if they’re on Mixcloud, follow them. That way, you’ll always be up to date with everything that goes down on their profile.
Once you follow them, see who they follow. You could be put in the direction of creators doing interesting things. Repeat the process with them and you’ll never run out of DJs and artists to find and follow! You might get a few follows back too. Which instantly opens the door for connection and the opportunity for you to share your mixes. Or even strike up a conversation about a track they played and put them onto similar sounding tunes.
Comment on shows & live streams
If you want to show a more public display of support to your favorite DJs, show appreciation by leaving a comment on their shows. That will tell a creator that you’re a real fan of what they put out. You can get creative with your comment. Tell them how much you loved a blend, a track selection. Or, if it’s a radio show, how they spoke about a particular subject. You’ll show you’re paying attention to the creativity on show and open the door for a deeper connection with them.
Go the extra mile and check into their live streams. There, you’ll find other viewers and listeners checking out the music on show. Discuss tunes, share emojis, inspire one another and grow meaningful communities around your favorite creators. The DJ may even acknowledge the community building in the live stream chat and commend it. From there, more communication could be on the way. Once you’ve built trust and the connection feels genuine, you might be in a position to share a show or track you’ve made. But be sure not to ruin the connection. Maybe share something once and await a response before you send over more music.
Send a message to your favourite creators
Now that you’ve followed a few creators – and hopefully gained a few – you can talk to them by commenting on their profile. It might feel a bit daunting reaching out. But it could go a long way in breaking the ice and beginning frequent communication. Go to your favorite DJ’s profile and press ‘Send Message’ at the bottom of their info card. There, you’ll be able to type up a message and send it to them.
Search genres & charts
If you make shows that point to a particular sound, it’s very easy to find others in your space on Mixcloud. Press ‘Genres’ on the left hand side of your Mixcloud home screen to find a number of genre tags and a search bar for you to find something specific. Once you find a genre, you’ll see Featured shows as well as Charts of the most trending shows for that genre. There’s also a view for the latest and most popular shows. These views will give you access to many DJs and artists who are making shows for you to follow and reach out to. You can also go back to these lists if you need more inspiration not only for your content, but to keep tabs with what others are up to and any new creators who may appear. Think of genres as your own personal Mixcloud directory!
Use your Stats to see who’s listening to your shows
Making use of your Mixcloud Stats portal can let you know who’s listening to your shows and increase the chances of you connecting with your fans and fellow DJs. With a detailed look at your listeners, including where they’re based, you can deduce which of them is listening to your shows the most and who has the largest followings on Mixcloud. Since they’re already invested in your content, it may prove easier to strike up conversation with your listeners, see what they’re into, gather feedback about your shows and maybe send them more stuff you make. Thus, creating a constant loop of communication that you can build on.
What’s more, you can cater your shows even closer to what they like. Since they love your shows already, they could love them even more! For your fans with the biggest followings, you could potentially work together on a B2B mix or radio show that reaches both of your audiences. This might be a long-term goal for you. But in the meantime you can connect, share music and build a relationship. Stats will point you in the right direction for these possibilities.
Make use of Host Tagging
With Mixcloud’s Host Tagging feature, you’re able to check out the people behind your favorite radio shows. It allows one show to be published to multiple profiles on Mixcloud. This brings about more exposure to hosts that put their time and effort into their content. When you go to a radio station or creative community’s Mixcloud profile, you’ll see a tab with all of their hosts. Likewise, when you go to an individual creator’s profile, you’ll see the station or community for which they’re a host. Like with the other options above, you can then take the time to tell them how much you love their shows, share your shows and see if a friendship can come out of it.
Enjoy it!
There’s no pressure when it comes to connecting with other DJs or sharing your shows with them. But that can often be as fun as putting your music together and creating a show. On Mixcloud, you have a range of ways in the palm of your hand to meet new people who share your interests and may even put you on to even more. All while increasing your chances of more exposure for all of the hard work you put into your shows. So, enjoy the journey!