Spotify for Artists: How to Claim Your Profile and Build Your Following

Do you want to become a verified artist on the world’s most popular streaming platform? Good call! Spotify for Artists comes with a lot of perks. It’s a great promotion tool, which allows you to pitch your songs to curated playlists and helps you get noticed by the Spotify algorithm. So, how to become a verified Spotify Artist and how to build your following there? Let’s dive in!

Why become a verified Spotify Artist

Spotify for Artists gives you more insight into your listeners and the option to enhance your profile. Creating a Spotify artist account allows you to customize your artist page and add your assets there. It also provides data about Spotify fans and listeners, such as how they find you, where they are from, what devices they use, how many streams you got, etc.

But probably the greatest advantage is this: presenting your new songs to the team of curators before they are released on Spotify. If you're lucky, the editorial team will add your track for one of their highly popular playlists. But even if they don’t pick your song, don’t worry. There are plenty of user-created playlists, which will give you a great boost of streams too! But how to make it possible and how to build a following on Spotify?

Get verified

Claiming your Spotify for Artists profile is a really easy process. Here's how to do it.

Publish your music first

If, after many sleepless nights in the studio, you have the track or album that you are 100% satisfied with, you can put it on Spotify. For that, you have to use an online aggregator/distributor like DistroKid or CDBaby, but there are several. It doesn't matter how many followers you have. You can always publish your songs or albums. This step is necessary to have your Spotify for Artists profile.

Claim your Spotify for Artists profile

Once your music is published on Spotify, you can verify and access Spotify for Artists account. If you're verified, you'll get the familiar blue checkmark next to your stage name. You also get access to all kinds of analytical tools to measure and analyze your reach. This way you get a good insight into your fan base.

How do you do that?

1. Visit Spotify for Artists website, log in at the top right with your standard Spotify user account. That can be a free account or your premium.
2. Then click on your name at the top right and select “Claim your profile”.
3. Then come to a page with a search field. Enter the artist name you used with your online distributor. Spotify automatically gives a list, where you can find your artist’s profile.
4. Select the artist name you wish to claim, and you will be taken to the next screen.
5. Here you will be asked to log in with the login details of your online distributor.
6. After that, the verification request is done!
7. Be patient while Spotify verifies you - Spotify now checks with your distributor whether you are really the artist who did the upload. If so, then you’re a verified artist! This may take a day or two. Check your tracks on Spotify sometimes to see if your blue checkmark is already there. If so, you can log in to Spotify for Artists to go to your account page.

Spotify for Artists features

Being a Spotify verified artist comes with some great benefits:

• You can edit your artist photo and biography
• There is a famous blue checkmark next to your artist name
• You may access the Spotify for Artists analysis tools
• You can create your artist playlists

Let's see how to maximize benefits from your Spotify for Artist profile.

How to build you following on Spotify

Here’s a couple of steps you can do to build your following on Spotify. You don’t have to use all of these tips, but if you do, the results will compound.

1) Pimp your profile

First impressions are very important so make sure your artist page looks complete and professional.

• Choose your "Artist's Pick" - it can be either a song, an album or a playlist that will sit at the top of your profile
• Edit your artist bio: let fans know more about you in 1500 words or less

• Add images to your gallery: this could be phots from your live performances or official artist images
• Share your tour dates
• Add offers: direct fans to your store where they can buy, for example, you vinyls

• Add Canvas videos to your tracks: these are short, 8 second loop videos that display instead of your album artwork
• Add your social media links: make sure people follow you on your accounts
• Take advatange of Promo Cards: these are custom assets you can share on social media (for example, follower milestones or new release badges)

2) Send fans from your social media and website

Ask you fans on social media to follow, like and add your music to playlists on Spotify. Explain to your fans that this is how they can show love and support to your work. You can even use direct messaging on Instagram to send personalized messages and capture your fans’ attention. Don’t forget to put your Smart Link in your social media bios and website - these are the most important places that refer people to your music! When you bring listeners to Spotify off platform, this works in your favour and Spotify might place you in one of the algorithmic playlists.

3) Newsletter

Are you sending e-mail campaigns? Don’t forget to add a call-to-action asking fans to follow you on Spotify or other streaming platforms.

And if you’re not collecting fans’ e-mail yet, maybe it’s time to start?

4) Pitch your music to Spotify editors and playlist curators

Once you become a verified Spotify artist, make sure you take advantage of playlisting. Pitch your song to Spotify curators at least a week before the release PLUS contact independent music curators who have playlists that suit your sounds. Not sure how to do it? Check our article "How to Get on Spotify playlists" to maximize your chances on landing on editorial, user-created and algorithmic playlists.

5) Let your fans know whenever your music is placed on someone’s playlist

If you’re recognized in a playlist that has a nice following, make sure you notify your fans about this.

6) Encourage fans to add your songs to their playlists

They already enjoy your music so remind them that adding it to playlists can really help you make it as an artist. It doesn’t cost them a thing!

7) Create your own playlists and don’t forget to add a song or two of your own music

Big labels do it, famous artists do it, so you should do it too! Playlists are the way we consume music on streaming services so you should use them to grow your following.

8) Collaborate with other artists and create playlists together

Mix your audiences. Create a collaborative playlist or even better - make a song together! It can be a cover, a remix, or a new track. It's all about increasing your reach.

9) Advertise on Facebook or Instagram

Got some budget? Advertise your songs on social media platforms.

10) Make TikToks with bits of your own music

Hear me out: TikTok is the best social media platform for emerging artists. Olivia Rodrigo and Tai Verdes are some good examples.

Verdes said “If you’re an artist and you’re not on TikTok, you don’t want it bad enough” So go ahead and start posting on TikTok!

11) Add team members

In your Spotify for Artists you can also add team members so that someone else (a manager, another band member) can help enhance your account. This way, you can together ensure a professional-looking page.

12) Try third-party services

There are also agencies that can help you present your music to curators, and guarantee a playlist submission, like Playlist Push or SoundCampaign. Make sure you choose a service that puts you in front of real curators. Fake numbers won't help you.