Follow-Back Culture
Category: Soundcloud
What is Follow-Back Culture?
The informal SoundCloud norm of following other artists with the expectation of a follow in return, often used to build an early presence.
Follow-Back Culture explained
Follow-back culture describes the common practice on SoundCloud where artists follow other accounts expecting them to follow back, either out of courtesy or as part of a wider scene norm. It can help a new account look active and gather some initial followers, and it often leads to genuine relationships between artists in the same genre. Its limits appear when it is used purely mechanically, such as following large numbers of unrelated accounts purely to trigger a follow-back, since this produces followers with little genuine interest in the music and rarely translates into repeat listening or engagement on future releases.
Why Follow-Back Culture matters for independent artists
Understanding Follow-Back Culture helps you make better promotion decisions on SoundCloud and other streaming platforms. On Reposter Network, artists apply concepts like this every day when they trade real plays, likes and reposts with other musicians instead of buying fake engagement.
Related terms
- Follower: A follower subscribes to your SoundCloud profile to see your new uploads and reposts in their stream automatically.
- Follow-Unfollow: Following accounts to trigger a follow back, then unfollowing them to keep the ratio flattering.
- Bulk Follow: Following large numbers of accounts quickly in the hope that a share of them follow back.
Read more
Browse the full music marketing glossary or read the guide on SoundCloud repost networks.