Understanding Soundcloud likes vs plays

[markoos]

Well, recently I updated and finished some music I've been working on for some time and signed up for a basic package with Distrokid, without the Soundcloud or Youtube options checked (ie, my music won't get uploaded to those platforms).

I've created approx. 1 min samples of the tracks and made a Soundcloud profile so visitors can get an idea of what the tracks are like.

On my Soundcloud page header graphic I state that all of the music featured can be heard for free on Spotify or bought on a variety of Distrokid-linked digital sellers.

As expected, without any promotion at all I've had 27 plays on Soundcloud. However, the likes are increasing without plays increasing - and more puzzling is I've only had 21.6 lentils worth of plays on Spotify:

https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemath ... y_buy_you/

(ie, one single play).

Is anyone else finding something similar happening? Is it common for likes to be hurled at unplayed artists? Any thoughts on what I could do to drive traffic to Spotify in only for some exposure rather than income at this stage?

[muzines]

No idea on this in particular, but the thing to note is that while it seems that web stats are easily trackable and absolute, the reality is that it's really hard to ascribe value to an individual event, as you have no idea what drives it.

The net is full of bots, spam and other people who follow people on twitter, facebook, randomly "like" posts, audio clips etc, to drive traffic and link weighting back to them. Take twitter, and look at an account like the US president. *50%* of "people" following that account are not real people, they are fake accounts and bots (there are tools to measure this, like twitteraudit).

So, by all means look at your stats, but you have to weigh them for what they are - an event generated on your content, but that doesn't mean it was a potential fan that loves your stuff. It could be, but it could also be a meaningless event. it's up to you to work to get exposure, and to try to convert those people who really like your stuff into something of more value, so that you can get something back, and also make the content that your fans want to get...

[CS70]

As expected, without any promotion at all I've had 27 plays on Soundcloud. However, the likes are increasing without plays increasing - and more puzzling is I've only had 21.6 lentils worth of plays on Spotify:

Well, on the face of it the obvious reason is that people (or bots) are simply liking your tracks without actually playing them.

I'm not on Soundcloud so don't know the dynamics there, but it's pretty often the case in any social platform: people likes video they haven't watched on Instagram or Facebook or likes post of friends with titles they like without reading the content etc, or even follow randomly simply to be followed back (and then usually they unfollow).

What is a lentil on Soundcloud?

[markoos]

You know, I had thought that there were a number of fake likes because they always seemed to come from particularly well photographed, attractive young women (the latest being a Chelsea Stalnaker who liked one track yesterday - without the play count increasing).

So my suspicions are confirmed. I'm being used by a robots pretending to be bunch of hot teenz.

Anyway, the lentil thing - relates to Spotify, as someone worked out that 1 Spotify stream has the same monetary value as 21 lentils. How can I cash this in, because this starving artist thing is getting boring

[Martin Walker]

You know, I had thought that there were a number of fake likes because they always seemed to come from particularly well photographed, attractive young women (the latest being a Chelsea Stalnaker who liked one track yesterday - without the play count increasing).

So my suspicions are confirmed. I'm being used by a robots pretending to be bunch of hot teenz.

There's a lot of that going on at Soundcloud at the moment - if I get any likes/comments/feedback on my music from someone who has never posted any of their own music, and who obviously spends far more on make-up and photography than I do on synths, I tend to delete them

Martin

[markoos]

I've noticed one or two of these intriguing looking creatures/robots delete themselves if I don't reciprocate. Quite touchy, aren't they!

[Guest271017]

You know, I had thought that there were a number of fake likes because they always seemed to come from particularly well photographed, attractive young women (the latest being a Chelsea Stalnaker who liked one track yesterday - without the play count increasing).

So my suspicions are confirmed. I'm being used by a robots pretending to be bunch of hot teenz.

There's a lot of that going on at Soundcloud at the moment - if I get any likes/comments/feedback on my music from someone who has never posted any of their own music, and who obviously spends far more on make-up and photography than I do on synths, I tend to delete them

Martin

Main reason I don't use the service. Anyone can make a comment and have their mug appear in the timeline of your songs. Most times linking to theirs, from what I've gathered from others.

[johnny h]

Please report any bots or beggars.

[markoos]

I haven't got the comments option on. But I can report two whole new plays, bringing the total to 29 plays vs 24 likes - at least that last play seemed to generate a genuine like, unless the bots are developing a taste for audio.

[Drew Stephenson]

unless the bots are developing a taste for audio.

I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

/simpsons