How to Change Your Name on SoundCloud in 2024

Hey there! Have you been thinking about changing your name on SoundCloud? Maybe you want to rebrand as an artist, or maybe your old username just isn‘t doing it for you anymore.

Either way, you‘ve come to the right place. In this guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to change your SoundCloud name smoothly and successfully.

Changing your name on SoundCloud is a bigger endeavor than you may realize at first. But with the right strategy, you can make the transition seamlessly without losing any of your hard-earned momentum on the platform.

Here‘s what we‘ll cover:

  • What actually happens when you change your SoundCloud name
  • Step-by-step instructions to change your name on desktop and mobile
  • Tips for picking the perfect new username
  • What to do after changing your name to update your profile
  • How to maintain and improve search visibility
  • Additional advice to make the name change smooth

Let‘s get started!

What Happens When You Change Your SoundCloud Name

Before we get into the how-to, let‘s talk about what happens behind the scenes when you change your username. Understanding the implications will help you manage the transition smoothly.

Here are 5 key things that happen when you change your name:

  1. Your profile URL will change – For example, from soundcloud.com/youroldname to soundcloud.com/yournewname. Any existing links with your old username will break.

  2. You may lose search visibility temporarily – Search engines like Google need time to recrawl your new URL and add it to their indexes.

  3. Embedded players around the web will stop working – Any embedded players from sites or profiles linking to your old username will error out.

  4. You‘ll keep your current followers – Anyone following your old profile will still follow your new profile after changing names.

  5. Past name references can persist – Traces of your old name may remain in playlists, comments, track credits, etc.

The main takeaway: be ready for the change to take time to fully roll out. I‘d recommend planning for up to 1 month for everything to transition smoothly.

But with some extra effort on your part, you can speed up the process significantly. I‘ll share some tips later in this guide.

Now let‘s go through how to actually change your SoundCloud name, starting with desktop.

How to Change Your Name on SoundCloud on Desktop

Changing your name via SoundCloud on desktop is a quick and easy process. Just follow these steps:

  1. Go to SoundCloud.com and log into your account.

  2. In the top navigation bar, click your current username.

  3. Select "Profile" from the dropdown menu.

  4. Under your profile picture, click "Edit."

  5. Update your first name, last name, and/or username fields as desired.

  6. Click the blue "Save Changes" button at the bottom.

That‘s all there is to it! Your SoundCloud name will then update across your entire profile. Pretty painless, right?

Now let‘s look at how to change it on mobile.

Changing Your SoundCloud Name on Mobile

You can also change your SoundCloud name directly from the iOS or Android app:

  1. Open the SoundCloud app and log into your account.

  2. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner.

  3. Tap the gear icon to access your profile settings.

  4. Tap "Edit profile."

  5. Update your first name, last name, or username.

  6. Tap the blue "Save" button to confirm your new name.

And your name will be changed on mobile! The process is virtually identical to desktop.

Whichever platform you prefer, changing your name only takes a minute or two once you know the steps.

Tips for Picking Your New SoundCloud Username

When deciding on a new SoundCloud name, keep these tips in mind:

  • Be consistent with other platforms – Using the same name across all platforms makes you easier to find.

  • Pick something short and memorable – A catchy name that‘s easy to remember will serve you well.

  • Use your existing artist/band name – Incorporate any established stage names to build on your brand.

  • Add your genre – Including a genre like "johnbluedubstep" can attract the right listeners.

  • Avoid special characters – Usernames with dots, underscores, or spaces may cause issues.

  • Check name availability – Google the name first to make sure no one else is using it.

Your SoundCloud name is key for building recognition as an artist. Pick something that represents your sound and stands out from the crowded music space on SoundCloud.

A few real examples of effective SoundCloud names:

  • yournamemusic
  • johnindierock
  • djlizhouse
  • sarahdnb

See how these names clearly identify the artist and their genre? That‘s what you‘re going for.

Now let‘s talk about updating your profile after changing your name…

Updating Your Profile After Changing Your SoundCloud Name

Once you’ve changed your SoundCloud username, there are a few housekeeping items to take care of:

  • Update your profile bio – Edit your profile description to reflect your new name or brand. Make sure to update any links.

  • Change your profile picture – A new profile pic can signify your rebranded identity.

  • Update social media – Change your SoundCloud links anywhere they appear online – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.

  • Refresh old embeds/links – Replace outdated embed codes or links on any websites you run with your new URL.

  • Set up a redirect – Use a service like Meta Redirect or 301 Redirects to forward traffic from your old URL to your new profile temporarily. This helps preserve traffic from old links and profiles.

  • Edit track credits – Update the credits on your songs if they contain old name references.

Taking these steps helps ensure as smooth a transition as possible and minimizes broken links or references to your old name.

Now let‘s talk about maintaining search visibility after changing your name…

Improving Your Search Visibility After Changing SoundCloud Names

When you change your SoundCloud username, it’s normal to see a temporary dip in search visibility. Here are some tips to regain momentum quickly:

  • Share your new profile link – Manually share your new URL on social media, email, forums – anywhere you can. This helps search engines re-index you faster.

  • Update social profiles – Change your SoundCloud username anywhere it’s listed like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. This establishes connections to your new name.

  • Use your new name exclusively – Refer to yourself by your new name only so all new mentions point search engines to your rebranded profile.

  • Release a new track – Upload a new song with your updated name to give search engines fresh content to index you under.

  • Link to your website – Add a link to your external website in your new SoundCloud profile to build SEO connections between the two.

  • Be patient – It takes search engines weeks to fully recrawl, reindex, and rank your new profile. Don‘t stress if you temporarily lose ground.

With a thoughtful name change process, you can regain search visibility quickly. On average, expect to recover fully within 1-2 months.

Additional Tips for Changing Your SoundCloud Name Smoothly

Here are a few final tips to ensure your SoundCloud name change goes off without a hitch:

  • Do it at a slow time of year – Avoid changing your name right before a big release or during your peak season to minimize disruption.

  • Tell fans in advance – Give your followers a heads up that your name is changing and remind them after changing it.

  • Implement the change everywhere at once – Switch your name on all platforms simultaneously to avoid confusion.

  • Create a vanity URL – After changing your name, customize your SoundCloud URL with your new username to improve branding.

  • Let collaborators know – Inform any artists, labels, or partners you work with to update your info accordingly.

With some planning and care, you can smoothly transition to your new SoundCloud identity without losing any momentum.

The Bottom Line

Changing your SoundCloud username is a powerful way to rebrand, refresh your image, or boost discoverability as an artist.

With the steps in this guide, you can change your name successfully:

  • Update it easily in your profile settings
  • Pick a name that perfectly fits your brand
  • Transition smoothly by updating profiles, embeds, credits etc.
  • Regain search visibility with some patience and effort

Approached thoughtfully, a name change gives you a chance to reinvent yourself and take your music to the next level on SoundCloud.

I hope this guide gives you the confidence to update your SoundCloud name seamlessly. Here’s to helping you grow your audience and find new fans!

Let me know if you have any other questions. I’m happy to help!

Related Articles

Written by Jason Striegel

C/C++, Java, Python, Linux developer for 18 years, A-Tech enthusiast love to share some useful tech hacks.