How to secure your position in the leading DJ polls

Polls have become an integral part of the electronic music industry over the years. While controversial, they offer a unique opportunity for promotion for artists at any stage in their career and are an important aspect of building a reputation among the fan community. Although many artists have been called out in the past for their controversial vote-gaining methods, it is still possible to enter the poll by implementing an efficient organic strategy.

DJ Mag Top 100

First introduced as a public vote in 1997, DJ Mag’s Top 100 poll has seen its fair share of controversy over the years. The poll is undoubtedly a reflection of the consistently changing face of the electronic music industry, illustrating the transition the genre has made over time. Largely dominated by Dutch artists since 2002, the current number 1 is Martin Garrix, who has held onto the title for two years in a row. Voting for this year has not yet begun, and positions in the poll are well and truly up for grabs.
Charting well in the DJ Mag Top 100 poll is a huge step for any artist. Although breaking into the top 10 is very difficult, spots 11-100 are constantly moving year after year, and nobody is guaranteed a place. Often, artists with large followings chart much lower than expected, leaving room for newcomers to sneak in. With a good position in the DJ Mag poll, artists can expect to be able to charge a higher performance fee, and gain more attention worldwide. Overall, there is really nothing negative that can come from charting well in the poll, whether you believe the rankings are accurate or not.

Billboard’s Dance 100

Billboard’s Dance 100 was introduced just this year, and ranks DJs based on a number of factors. As well as a public vote, results are determined by collecting statistics on tour sales and track data, giving priority to those who have already established a loyal fanbase worldwide. Although this ranking is a lot more difficult for newcomers to break into, implementing a strategy to receive a high volume of public votes will give you the best chance of charting.

Gaining votes

In order to gain a large volume of public votes for either of the polls, most would believe that you must already have a huge loyal worldwide fan base. While this does help, it is not compulsory, and it is possible to chart without having an army of fans. Often, one viral track can be enough to provoke a huge influx of votes, and can enable you to launch straight into the poll. But contrary to popular opinion, your talent and music are not the only aspects that are vital in charting; an effective strategy must also be in place. Even top artists must implement a campaign to help them reach their full potential in the polls.

Campaigns

Putting together a quality campaign can be instrumental in propelling you to the top of the polls. In 2014, Hardwell performed a skydive during the voting period as a result of a bet he made in 2013. He bet that if he topped the DJ Mag poll he would perform a skydive. In 2013 he did win, so in 2014 he went ahead and completed his skydive, which went on to play a major role in his 2014 campaign. In 2014 Nicky Romero also put together a quality campaign.

Through his #CallNicky campaign he encouraged fans to fill in their phone numbers, as a result they were called by an automated service which included a voice message. The message gave fans the impression that they were actually on the phone with Nicky Romero himself.

The following year, he ran the #PLAYNICKY campaign, where fans were able to play an online game. The game featured an 8-bit version of Nicky Romero who had to jump over obstacles. Proving hugely popular, the game helped propel Romero even further into the limelight, a crucial move during the voting period.

Marketing your campaign

The examples above are the kind of campaigns you should be striving to implement in order to have the best chance of charting well in the polls. As well as grabbing the attention of the public, campaigns will put you securely in the limelight. However, it is not only the main campaigns that prove the most vital. Another aspect is the marketing of your campaigns. Even the most thoroughly thought-out campaign will fail if not marketed correctly. Make sure to keep the promotion of your campaign consistent across your channels in order to generate the most possible interest. You should be constantly reinforcing your campaign message in order to give it maximum impact.

Reward your supporters

When the votes do start coming in, it is common practise for fans to screenshot their selection and send it to those on their list, publicly or privately. If somebody publicly tweets you their selection, don’t forget to retweet it. As soon as fans realise that they may be able to receive a response if they vote for you, people will soon be sharing their support for you. This is ideal, as it will have a ripple affect and encourage even more fans to do the same.

With a well thought-out and well-implemented campaign, the possibilities are endless, and you may find yourself quickly launching to the top of the polls. Spots in the polls are not always reserved for those with the most well-established careers, and it is important not to doubt your potential. Make sure to build publicity around your brand as much as possible during the voting period to encourage votes, and make sure to reward your voters by responding or sharing their posts. It is all about the spotlight, make sure you are creating enough attention and soon the votes will come flooding in.