How to Post SoundCloud on Instagram

So you’ve just finished a new track on SoundCloud and want to share the good news with your Instagram followers, but you’ve quickly realized you can’t just drop a link and have it play. It’s a common frustration for artists and producers everywhere. Instagram is built exclusively for visual content, which means sharing audio requires a little creativity. This guide breaks down exactly how to turn your SoundCloud audio into compelling visual content for Instagram Stories, Reels, and your main feed.

Why You Can’t Directly Post a SoundCloud Link to Instagram

Before we get into the solutions, it’s helpful to understand the problem. Instagram and SoundCloud are fundamentally different platforms. Instagram is a visual world of photos and videos. Everything you post - from a simple feed photo to a complex Reel - must have a visual component. SoundCloud, on the other hand, is all about audio. Its player is designed to stream music, not to be embedded as a playable element within another app's visual feed.

When you paste a link into an Instagram caption, it shows up as plain, non-clickable text. The only places you can put a clickable link are in your bio and through the "Link" sticker in Instagram Stories. While you can put your SoundCloud link in these places, it doesn't solve the core issue: how to get your actual music playing on your followers' timelines? The answer is to convert your audio into a video format that Instagram understands.

How to Share SoundCloud on Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are the most straightforward place to share your music, offering a quick and ephemeral way to push your latest tracks. Here are the two most effective methods.

Method 1: The Screenshot & Music Sticker Combo (Easiest Method)

This is the fastest, cleanest way to share your track, especially if your music is already in Instagram’s official music library. Millions of songs are, so there’s a good chance yours is too, particularly if you use a digital distributor like DistroKid or TuneCore.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Take a Screenshot: Open the SoundCloud app on your phone and navigate to your track. Take a clean screenshot showing your album art, track title, and waveform.
2. Open Instagram Stories: Swipe right from your Instagram home screen to open the Stories camera, then swipe up or tap the gallery icon in the bottom-left corner to access your camera roll.
3. Select Your Screenshot: Choose the SoundCloud screenshot you just took. You can pinch to zoom and position it how you like.
4. Add the Music Sticker: Tap the sticker icon (the smiley face in a square) at the top of the screen. Select the "Music" sticker.
5. Find Your Song: In the search bar, type in your artist name and song title. If your track is in the library, it will pop up. Select it.
6. Customize the Audio and Look: You can scrub through the song to select the 15-second clip you want to highlight. Instagram also offers several display options, like showing the album art, lyrics, or a simple title card. Choose the one that best fits your Story's aesthetic.
7. Add a Link Sticker: This is the most important part! Tap the sticker icon again and select the "Link" sticker. Paste your SoundCloud track URL here. You can customize the sticker text to something direct like "Listen on SoundCloud" or "Full Track Here." Place this link sticker prominently on your Story.
8. Share: Add any extra text or GIFs, then post it to your Story. Your followers can now hear a snippet of your track and tap the link to hear the full song right on SoundCloud.

PRO TIP: If your song isn't in the Instagram library yet, you can still use this method! Just pick a song from the library that matches the vibe of your track. This gives the Story some sound and energy, and followers can still click your SoundCloud link sticker to hear the real track.

Method 2: The Screen Recording Method (Guaranteed Audio)

If your music isn't on Instagram's library or you want to ensure the audio is 100% from your master file on SoundCloud, screen recording is your best friend. This captures both the visual of your track playing and the direct audio output from your phone.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Prep Your Phone: Before you start, turn on "Do Not Disturb" mode to prevent notifications from popping up and ruining your video.
2. Start Screen Recording: On an iPhone, swipe down from the top-right corner to open the Control Center and tap the screen record button. On an Android, swipe down for the Quick Settings panel and find the Screen Recorder tile.
3. Record Your Track: With the recording active, open the SoundCloud app and play the specific part of the song you want to feature. Let it play for at least 15 seconds. Make sure your phone's volume is on.
4. Stop the Recording: Once you've captured the clip, stop the recording. The video will be saved directly to your phone's photo library.
5. Trim the Video: Open the new video file in your phone's photo editor. Trim the beginning and end to remove the parts where you were starting and stopping the recording. Keep the clip to 60 seconds or less for a story post.
6. Upload to Instagram Stories: Open Instagram Stories and select your screen-recorded video. Since the video already has your music baked in, you don't need the music sticker.
7. Add That All-Important Link: Use the "Link" sticker to add a direct URL to your SoundCloud track so people can go listen to the full version.
8. Post It: Add any final touches and share it.

Creating Videos for Instagram Reels and Feed Posts

For more permanent promotion with a higher potential for reach, you’ll want to create a proper video to share as an Instagram Reel or a feed post. This means converting your audio into a video file through an external app or software. This takes a bit more effort but pays off in organic discovery and engagement.

Option 1: Create an Audiogram (Waveform Video)

An audiogram is a static image (usually your album art) with your audio playing over it, accompanied by an animated soundwave that moves in sync with the music. It’s the classic "podcast clip" look and is perfect for musicians.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Gather Your Assets: You’ll need two things: your track's audio file (an MP3 or WAV) and your high-resolution album art (a JPG or PNG).
2. Choose a Tool: There are many user-friendly web and mobile apps to do this. Some popular choices include:
   • Headliner: A web-based tool popular with podcasters, but works perfectly for musicians. It has a free tier that gives you several videos per month.
   • Canva: While not a dedicated audiogram maker, you can easily create one in Canva. Just add a static image or a video background, upload your audio, and place it on the timeline.
   • Veed.io: A web-based video editor that has a simple "Audio Visualizer" element you can add to any video project.
3. Assemble Your Audiogram: In your tool of choice, upload your artwork and audio file. Select a waveform style and customize its color and position. You can also add subtitles or your artist name as text on the screen.
4. Export to the Right Format: For a Reel, export the video with a 9:16 aspect ratio (1080x1920 pixels). For a square feed post, use a 1:1 ratio (1080x1080).
5. Post on Instagram: Upload your finished audiogram video as a Reel or feed post.
6. Craft a Killer Caption: Your caption is where you’ll do the heavy lifting. Tell the story behind the track, share some lyrics, and - most importantly - end with a strong call-to-action (CTA). Since you can't have a clickable link in the caption itself, your CTA should direct people to the link in your bio. For example: "Full track is now live on SoundCloud! Hit the link in my bio to listen."

Option 2: Use a Video Clip or Motion Graphic

To take things a step further, pair your audio with motion video. This is usually more engaging than a static audiogram and feels more native to a platform like Instagram Reels.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Source a Video: You don’t need a full-blown music video. Simple, eye-catching footage works great.
   • B-roll: Short clips from your studio session, a close-up of your instrument, blurry footage from a live show, or even a simple walk through your city.
   • Stock Footage: Use websites like Pexels or Pixabay for high-quality, free-to-use video clips that match your song's mood.
   • Looping Graphics: Create a simple animated version of your album art or logo using an app like Motionleap or CapCut.
2. Combine Audio and Video: Use a video editing app on your phone (like CapCut, InShot, or Splice) or on your desktop (like iMovie or DaVinci Resolve) to combine your chosen video clip with your SoundCloud audio.
3. Edit for Impact: Lay your audio track over the video clip. Trim your video to your chosen audio snippet (usually between 15-60 seconds for a Reel). You can loop the video if it's shorter than your audio snippet. Add text or effects if you like.
4. Export and Upload: Export the video in the correct 9:16 format and upload it to Instagram as a Reel. A compelling Reel has the potential to reach thousands of people beyond your existing followers.
5. Write Your Caption & Update Your Bio: As with the audiogram, write a powerful caption that drives people to listen to the full song via the link in your bio. Make sure that link is updated!

Final Thoughts

Turning your SoundCloud track into an Instagram-ready post is all about converting your audio into a compelling visual experience. Whether you use a quick screenshot for Stories or create a polished audiogram for a Reel, the key is to give your followers something to see while they listen, and always guide them back to your SoundCloud profile with a clear call-to-action.

Once you’ve created that perfect video snippet or audiogram, consistency is what matters most for building your brand. Instead of manually posting every clip, creating a content calendar helps you plan promotions for your track over days or weeks. We built Postbase for precisely this reason. You can upload your video, schedule it once to go live across Instagram and other platforms, and use our simple visual calendar to see your entire content plan at a glance, helping you stay organized without the headache.