First impressions matter. For artists, that first impression usually happens online, whether it’s directly through your Spotify artist profile, or a digital ad that’s promoting your latest release, or when playlisters are exposed to your track on PlaylisterClub. Even with good music, a messy or incomplete profile can instantly turn potential fans away. On the flip side, a polished, professional, and authentic profile makes you look more credible and gets people more excited to follow you as an artist.

We’re covering the do’s and don’ts of creating a profile that will actually work for you. Keep reading for all the best practices that can be applied across all DSP’s. If you’re serious about growing as an artist, these details aren’t optional, they’re part of building your brand.

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Can’t I just let my music speak for itself?

Unfortunately, in this day and age, an artist’s brand is everything. Fans don’t just connect to songs, they connect to people. If listeners don’t know who you are, what you stand for, where you’re from, or even what you look like, chances are they won’t care enough to follow you or keep streaming your music.

Good visuals and a strong background story build trust, spark curiosity, and make you look credible. Put this to practice by checking your favorite artist’s profile on Spotify for inspiration. Odds are their bios, pictures, and branding all tell a story that keep you as a fan engaged. If you want people to invest their time and attention into you, you need to give them a reason beyond just the music.

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Will this actually affect how many streams I get?

Absolutely. The quality of your profile impacts how people perceive your music, maybe even before they press play. A blurry song cover or empty bio can make your music look amateur and discourage listeners from sticking around long enough for it to even register as a stream (streams don’t count until 30 seconds in). When everything looks cohesive, your visuals, your story, your social presence, it signals that you’re serious about your craft. And that seriousness often translates into more streams, clicks, and follows. 

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What if I release my music on all platforms / DSPs?

Then these principles become even more important. Your artist profile is your storefront, no matter where it lives—Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, YouTube Music, Amazon, and beyond. Each one is a chance to make a first impression, and you don’t want any of them to look neglected or inconsistent.

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The Do’s & Dont’s You Need to be Following: 

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Spotify’s Artist Tools: 

Do’s: 

• Use Artist Pick strategically to highlight what matters most right now (new release, tour, playlist, merch, etc.), and refresh it regularly so it never looks outdated.
• Create Countdown Pages for upcoming albums or EPs, Spotify will automatically feature them at the top of your profile, helping build hype before release.
• Showcase your own curated artist playlists (not just ones you’re featured in) to share your influences and tastes with fans.
• Upload Clips (under-30-second vertical videos) to bring fans closer to your music and drive engagement before, during, and after releases.

Dont’s: 

• Don’t let your Artist Pick expire without updating it (by default it disappears after 6 months). An expired or missing pick can make your page look neglected.
• Don’t ignore the Fans Also Like section, while you can’t control it directly, you can influence it by collaborating and cross-promoting with similar artists.
• Don’t upload Clips with poor lighting, muffled audio, or irrelevant content. Remember, they should enhance your music, not distract from it.

👉 To dive deeper into Spotify’s specific tools and features that can take your artist profile to the next level, check out these official resources: Making the Most of Your Artist Profile on Spotify & Spotify for Artists Tools 101

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Visuals & Artwork

Do’s:

• Use high-resolution, professional-quality images for your profile picture and song/album covers.
• Keep artwork consistent with your genre and brand (colors, fonts, vibe).
• Include a variety of photos in your profile’s gallery: live performance shots, studio portraits, behind-the-scenes. Give fans a variety of photos to click through on your profile, showing different sides of you and elevating your image.

Don’ts:

• Don’t use blurry, pixelated, or cluttered artwork for either your profile picture or song/album cover. 
• Don’t put too much text on your song cover, it gets messy and unreadable in small formats.
• Don’t use unrelated stock photos or images that could potentially make your music look fake or AI-generated. 
• Don’t use low-quality selfies for any cover art or profile picture. They make your work look unprofessional and discourages listeners from engaging.

👉 Remember: your cover art shows up everywhere: ads, playlists, social posts, you name it. If you’re promoting a new release across all channels, having strong cover art is arguably the most important step you can take.

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Artist Bio & Information

Do’s:

• Write a detailed bio that tells your story: inspirations, achievements, background, and upcoming projects.
• Update your bio regularly with new releases, tour dates, or features.
• Highlight milestones like press coverage, notable shows, contest wins, or collaborations.
• Aim for at least one full paragraph so potential fans get enough insight into your story as an artist.

Don’ts:

• Don’t leave your bio completely blank (instant red flag).
• Don’t copy-paste generic lines like “Music is my passion” or “I just love creating.” Make it more unique to your experience, including personal stories like when you started making music. 
• Don’t let your bio go outdated. Outdated details (like mentions of an “upcoming release” that already happened years ago) make you look inactive and can give fans the impression you’re not serious about your releases. 

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Links & Connectivity

Do’s:

• Link all your existing social media profiles: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, etc.
• Add any merch or ticket links if available, and keep these updated with new drops. 
• Include a link to your artist website. It’s the easiest way to cover all bases and give people a hub to find out more about you.

Don’ts:

• Don’t make it hard for fans to find you outside of Spotify (add any links possible). 
• Don’t link to inactive socials. It’s better to showcase a few active accounts than a list of dead profiles, which can make people think you’ve stopped releasing music.

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Key Takeaways

• Your profile is your digital storefront, treat it with the same care as your music.
• High-quality cover art performs better everywhere, whether it’s ads, playlists, or any other promotion for your latest release.
• An artist bio isn’t filler text, it’s your chance to connect, share your achievements, and prove credibility.
• Adding social links helps turn casual listeners into long-term fans. When people can easily find and follow you, they’re more likely to stay connected beyond just one song.
• Consistency across all DSP’s will strengthen your brand identity.

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FAQ’s

Q: Do I need professional photos, or can I use my phone?

A: Phone cameras can work if the lighting and composition are solid, but any type of professional shot will elevate your image and reputation significantly. 

Q: How often should I update my bio and images?

A: At least every 6–12 months, or whenever you release new music, go on tour, or hit a major milestone in your artist career.

Q: What if I don’t have any social media?

A: You’re missing a big opportunity. At the very least, set up one as they are key platforms for music discovery and increasing the lifetime value of a fan. 

Q: Is it bad if my Spotify and Apple Music bios are different?

A: Not at all, just make sure both are polished and up-to-date. You can always tailor them slightly to fit each platform’s vibe.

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The key takeaway here is that your artist profile is more than just a box to check. It’s a central hub for all your information, a first impression for new listeners, and a place to tell your story as an artist—from your earliest releases to the details you choose to highlight today.

The right visuals, words, and links make you look professional, credible, and worth listening to. If you take your artist career seriously, don’t let sloppy details cost you streams, and most importantly, potential fans. Invest the effort now, and you’ll build a foundation that helps your music seem more legit and actually start to get heard. 

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Photo by Valeria Reverdo on Unsplash