Quick Summary: Most artists sabotage their own campaigns by chasing vanity metrics, ignoring save rates, and using fake engagement. Here are the mistakes to avoid.
Most artists unknowingly cut their Spotify growth in half. Avoiding these common Spotify promotion mistakes can save you money, improve your algorithm standing, and set you up for long-term growth.
1. Buying Streams from Bot Farms
Buying fake streams is the fastest way to damage your career.
Cheap offers like “50,000 streams for $20” come with hidden costs:
Destroyed algorithm standing
Risk of permanent removal from Spotify
Zero real fans gained
No chance of editorial playlist placement
Spotify’s fraud detection systems improve every year, and they often apply retroactive penalties to accounts. Even older fake streams can get you flagged.
2. Ignoring Save Rate Metrics
Most artists track total streams, but the algorithm prioritizes save-to-stream ratio.
If fewer than 10% of listeners are saving your track, Spotify interprets it as low relevance. This limits algorithmic recommendations.
Fix: Optimize ads and content for saves, not just plays.
3. Playlist Payola Schemes
Paying curators for guaranteed placements often means:
Playlists with inflated follower counts
Bots or inactive listeners
No algorithmic benefit
Risk of Spotify penalties
Legitimate curators may accept submissions, but they don’t charge for consideration. Focus on organic discovery or reputable submission platforms instead.
4. Launching Without Pre-Save Campaigns
Dropping music without building anticipation is like opening a store without telling anyone.
Pre-saves can:
Triple first-week streams
Increase odds of editorial placements
Trigger algorithmic boosts
Collect fan emails for future releases
Minimum: Launch a pre-save 2–3 weeks before release day.
5. Wrong Platform Prioritization
Too many artists spend ad budgets where their fans aren’t.
TikTok: Best for viral discovery
Instagram: Strong for visuals and brand consistency
Facebook: Still relevant for 25+ demographics
YouTube: Best for long-form storytelling
Match your budget to where your audience actually engages, not where you personally spend time.
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