Using SoundCloud Tags to Increase Your Track Visibility

For independent artists and producers, getting your music in front of the right audience usually boils back down to SoundCloud. They upload millions of tracks every day, and it’s not enough to just upload a song!

Tagging your work properly is also key to getting your track in front of the right individuals, thus enhancing discoverability and engagement.

Like the hashtags you see on Instagram and keywords that pull up search engine optimization, tags on SoundCloud serve to categorize your track so that your fine-tuned playlists and user feeds mirror you.

When the track is well tagged, the chances for fans finding you by searching on specific genres, moods, styles, and even record labels seeking out new talent is greatly improved.

The same is true for producers who are not much better than many artists when it comes to using tags (or not using tags at all). Understanding and applying a little community etiquette toward SoundCloud’s tagging system can be the difference between someone discovering your music, or not.

Choosing one definitive primary tag and then arming that selection with the best possible secondary tags—-or tags, which are even more important, given their inherent limitations—can significantly enhance a track’s discoverability potential, and ultimately create a bigger opportunity for tougher streaming numbers.

This is How SoundCloud’s Tagging System Works

Audio tagging is a significant feature of SoundCloud and serves a vital role in its recommendation engine, helping to classify music and keeping tracks aligned with the right audiences. Each track on SoundCloud has a “primary” tag—the most important genre label— and additional tags that help describe the song’s mood, style, and instrumentation.

The first tag is the strongest in terms of placement for your track. This tag should be the best overall indication of the genre of the track, be it hip-hop, electronic, rock, jazz, or anything else. 

SoundCloud’s algorithm has a primary tag it uses to land tracks in the appropriate search results and recommended playlists, making this one of the most consequential decisions an artist will make at the point when they’re uploading new music.

Additional tagging, beyond that primary tag, is crucial for fine-tuning a track’s discoverability. These tags can help the artists use sub-genres, describe moods, focus on instrumental elements, or list popular trends related to their music. 

A track gets more radio play if tagged, and if tagged intelligently, the chances of the mix showing up in the search results will match them up with listeners who care about such sound.

How to Pick the Best Primary Tag for Max Exposure

A common mistake that artists make is selecting a primary tag that is too generic or irrelevant to their music. 

Not only that but the primary tag is given the most weight in SoundCloud’s recommendation algorithm, meaning a vague or inaccurate genre could hurt the visibility of a track by putting it in the wrong box, which would make it harder for the right audience to discover it.

If artists are looking to make the most of SoundCloud’s tagging system, they should analyze the three-dimensional aspects of their sound to figure out which genre fits them best.

For example, if an artist specializes in deep house music and describes their new release simply as “electronic,” they’re pitted against a ton of other electronic subgenres, from ambient synth wave to thumping techno. A more accurate label such as “deep house” would ensure that listeners interested only in that style can find the track.

Look into similar genres and tracks that are currently trending within a genre. This could help when choosing a strong primary tag. The way the most successful artists in your niche are tagging their music (the tags help users to discover them) can be a way to figure out what you should be doing vs. what you shouldn’t be doing.

Choosing a tag that is both niche and familiar gives a song the best chance of showing up in the appropriate searches and playlists, and finding its way to the proper ears.

Improving Discovery of Your Track Using Extra Tags

Indeed, the main tag is a great place to start, but extra tags can really help here, you know, by narrowing down and expanding the track’s reach. These additional tags give more context about what the song is like so that SoundCloud’s algorithm can more accurately match it with the listeners who are most likely to enjoy it.

The best strategy for adding extra tags is to pair wider genre-related phrases with very specific descriptors.

Maybe you’d want all sorts of specialized tags on a hip-hop track with jazz and boom-bap influences: “jazz rap,” “lo-fi beats,” “chillhop” and “boom-bap,” in addition to the broader genre tags of “hip hop” and “rap.” Such a combination ensures that the track reaches not only the mainstream hip-hop listeners but also niche communities looking for specific variations of substyles.

Moods-based tags play an integral part in a track’s discovery as well. Many listeners search for songs based on how they want to feel in that moment—a lilting track when they want to wind down, an overblown anthem when they’re feeling hyped, a throwback when they’re feeling nostalgic or an introspective track when they’re feeling pensive.

If an artist adds a word or two to a track that signals a mood—“chill,” “dark,” “upbeat,” or “melancholy”---they’re more likely to have their music pop up in searches and playlists that are framed around emotions and vibes.

Likewise, experimental components and cultural references can improve the visibility of a track. If a song prominently features a specific instrument such as a saxophone or acoustic guitar, then consider including the name of the adequate tag, as people looking for them will find your music! 

Musical movements or inspirations, like “90s hip-hop” or “UK drill,” can also bridge a track to the ears of listeners looking for those particular styles.

SoundCloud’s algorithm learns from user behavior in real time, so the more accurate and descriptive an artist’s tags, the more the platform can recommend the track to potential fans. With a balanced mix of general and niche tags, artists can greatly enhance their track’s odds of achieving organic traction, bringing in new listeners, and forming a committed following over time.

Why Trending and Niche Tags Can Help You Reach More People

Whether they be cross-genre tags or descriptors for a smaller niche, artists can use trending and niche tags to maximize their track’s exposure. SoundCloud often has waves of trending tags related to specific sounds, movements, or viral genres, and leveraging these trends can position a track in front of a wider audience.

The trending tags are determined by what listeners are gravitating toward in the present, whether that’s a seasonal turn toward lo-fi beats in the winter or a barrage of hyperpop tracks that blanket listening queues. 

For musicians, following what is trending and adding trending tags can benefit them by appearing in searches for styles that are in demand.

Niche tags, meanwhile, can filter artists to hyper-engaged communities on the lookout for very specific sounds. Genres like “phonk,” “vaporwave” or “drill” may not be as familiar or widely recognized as broader categories, but they have intensely devoted fans. Niche tags mean that a track isn’t lost in a sea of generic genre labels, and it instead reaches the right ears—those who were looking for that specific sound.

However, you must apply the trending and niche in the best way possible. Improperly tagging a track with a popular, identifiable tag in a bid to gain visibility can affect both audience expectations and engagement negatively due to mismatch. The biggest takeaway is to find that fine line—use relevant trending tags while still being true to the music’s real style and influences.

Global vs. Local Tags: Why Overloading Tags Can Hurt Your Track’s Performance

While it could be tempting to add as many tags as possible to reach more listeners, when it comes to tagging, making a track with too many flora tags can have the opposite effect. 

Think of SoundCloud’s algorithm like Google Search—it rewards relevance. A track that has an excessive or misleading amount of tags negates its categorization, making it more difficult for the right people to find it.

If too many of them are used, then a track is likely to be differently indexed and will decrease its chance to come up in the most relevant search when someone looks for it. 

For example, if a track should be categorized as lo-fi hip-hop but you also tagged it “dubstep” and “house”, but the track isn’t actually lo-fi hip-hop, it may trick SoundCloud’s algorithm into thinking the track isn’t relevant enough to show during recommendations.

Artists should stop pumping out tags and concentrate on making good art. A small selection of five to ten highly relevant tags placed in the correct category is the way to go to guarantee the correct classification of the track, but at the same time to reach a diverse but correct audience. 

This precision tagging allows SoundCloud’s systems to gain a deeper understanding of the music, resulting in better recommendations and increased engagement rates.

How to Make Optimal Tags for SoundCloud’s Search Algorithm

Get ahead of searchable trends. Tagging strategy can go more in-depth if you know how SoundCloud’s search algorithm works. It prioritizes tracks closely matching the user search intent, so the right set of tags can help a track rank much higher in the search results.

One of the best strategies to do this is to use natural language and phrasing that mirrors the way people search for music. Many people look up combinations of genres and moods, like “chill ambient electronic” or “hard-hitting trap beats.”

By framing tags around actual search behavior, artists can be more likely to have their tracks shown in search results in ways that fit their sound.

Also, SoundCloud cares about user involvement. Search algorithms often favor tracks that generate more engagement—likes, reposts, and comments.

While tagging is key in the initial discoverability process, artists should also think about how they can encourage their audience to engage with them, as this tells the algorithm that they should recommend the artist’s track to others.

Tying into Playlists and Curators with Tags

A different, yet least discussed benefit of proper tagging is the ability to connect with curators and influencers of playlists.

Many curators check out new tracks organized by tags aligning with the theme of their playlists, so if a song is completely and accurately tagged, its chances of getting noticed (and added) increase.

SoundCloud has an extensive ecosystem of user-created playlists, some of which have thousands or even millions of followers. 

If a track by an artist is tagged correctly, it stands a better chance of appearing when curators are looking for particular styles or moods. It goes without saying that getting featured on a highly-followed playlist can lead to a huge increase in plays, engagements, and even a few new followers!

Additionally, certain independent labels, radio stations, and blogs also discover new music through SoundCloud’s tagging system. Artists can use industry-standard tagging to improve their chances of getting noticed by professionals looking for fresh talent by ensuring that their tracks feature industry-standard tagging.

But successful artists don’t upload tracks, they apply optimization so they can be found. Utilizing a mix of genre, mood, and trending tags while being mindful of any playlist opportunities is the way for artists to leverage SoundCloud’s tagging system as a powerful growth tool.

The Role of Consistent Tagging in Strengthening an Artist Identity

However, the importance of tagging on SoundCloud goes far beyond just discoverability; it’s an essential part of an artist’s identity and brand. Consistent, well-thought-out tags help artists establish a clearer musical identity that is beneficial for listeners and SoundCloud’s algorithm alike.

Having the same tagging allows everything an artist does to get connected. If an artist consistently uses a combination of genre, mood, and instrumental tags that describe their sound accurately, their tracks are more likely to be recommended next to each other.

This means a person who listens to one song is more likely to be directed to other tracks from the same artist, boosting overall plays and retention.

Also, having a clear tagging strategy makes fans more able to find an artist’s music. Similarly, if a producer specializes in “dark synthwave” or “melodic house,” consistently applying those tags will redefine that producer in that lane. This ingrains the artist in a particular sound over time, allowing them to be a more recognizable part of their genre.

It’s natural for artists to experiment with new styles, but they should be mindful of how they tag these tracks so they don’t confuse their existing fanbase. A clearly-defined tagging strategy not only helps to establish a dedicated audience, it also makes sure that the music gets to the right pairs of ears.

Conclusion – All About SoundCloud Tags

Mastering the SoundCloud tagging system is one of the best and easiest methods available for artists to make their tracks more visible, target the correct audience, and grow their platform. 

Strategic tagging is not just throwing a bunch of random keywords, it’s about understanding how the platform categorizes the music and how you can use that knowledge to get maximum exposure for a track.

From the use of topical and niche tags to consistency in how music is categorized, a sound tagging strategy helps an artist’s music reach the ears of listeners most likely to enjoy it. 

Tags serve as the connective tissue between an artist’s creativity and SoundCloud’s algorithm, affecting everything from search results to playlist placements. With a little strategic thinking about tagging, artists can harness SoundCloud’s discovery tools to their advantage!