Want to enrich your WordPress posts with engaging audio content? Embedding tracks, playlists, and more from SoundCloud is a great way to do it!
In this expert guide, you‘ll learn exactly how to embed SoundCloud audio in WordPress the easy way using oEmbed.
What is SoundCloud?
SoundCloud is the world‘s largest audio streaming and distribution platform. It lets creators upload, share, and monetize audio content ranging from music to podcasts to interviews and more.
Check out these impressive stats that show just how big SoundCloud‘s reach is:
- 175 million unique monthly visitors
- 76 million registered users
- 200 million tracks uploaded
- 12 hours of audio uploaded every minute
- Used by major artists like Billie Eilish, Lorde, Post Malone
Sources: SoundCloud Fast Facts, Wikipedia
Benefits of Embedding SoundCloud in WordPress
So why bother embedding SoundCloud content in your WordPress posts? Here are a few key benefits:
Increased engagement. Audio content is highly engaging and can keep visitors on your site longer. On average, 80% of site visitors will listen to embedded audio vs. only 20% who will read the full text. (Source: Cision)
Multimedia experience. Embedding audio enhances your posts with an extra dimension of rich media. This multimedia approach can make your content more memorable and impactful.
SEO boost. Google and other search engines favor sites with diverse media types and engaging content. Embedding relevant audio can improve SEO by increasing dwell time, lowering bounce rate, and attracting backlinks. (Source: Search Engine Journal)
Brand authority. Curating or creating valuable audio content demonstrates your brand‘s industry expertise. You can use embeds to showcase thought leadership and build trust with your audience.
Audience growth. Embedding your SoundCloud tracks and playlists exposes your audio content to a wider audience. You can gain new SoundCloud followers right from your WordPress site.
How to Embed SoundCloud in WordPress with oEmbed
Now that you know the benefits, let‘s walk through how to actually embed SoundCloud content in your WordPress posts and pages.
The easiest method is to use WordPress‘ built-in oEmbed feature. oEmbed is an open standard that allows embedding content from one site into another with just a URL.
WordPress supports automatic embedding via oEmbed for a wide range of popular sources, including SoundCloud. That means you can simply paste a SoundCloud URL into your post and WordPress will fetch the embed code and display the audio player for you.
Here are the detailed steps (with screenshots) for embedding SoundCloud in the WordPress block editor:
- Find the SoundCloud track, playlist, album, or profile you want to embed. Click the "Share" button and copy the URL:
- Open your WordPress post or page in the block editor. Paste the SoundCloud URL into an empty Paragraph block:
- WordPress will automatically convert the URL into an embedded SoundCloud player:
- You can customize the embed by changing its alignment (left, right, center, wide, full) or toggling the option to resize for smaller devices:
- To embed multiple tracks, simply paste each URL on its own line. WordPress will display them as a playlist:
- If you‘re using the classic WordPress editor, the process is similar. Just paste the SoundCloud URL on its own line and the player will appear in the Visual editor:
Creative Ideas & Best Practices for SoundCloud Embeds
Now that you know the technical process, how can you make the most strategic and creative use of SoundCloud embeds? Here are some ideas and best practices:
Curate relevant audio content. Embedding SoundCloud tracks or playlists related to your niche is an easy way to curate valuable content for your audience.
Showcase your podcast episodes. If you host a podcast on SoundCloud, embedding new episodes in your WordPress posts helps promote the show to your site visitors. (38% of marketers plan to add podcasting to their strategy in 2022. Source: HubSpot)
Mix text and audio content. Pair written content with relevant audio embeds to create an engaging multimedia experience. For example, you could embed clips from an expert interview alongside a post summarizing the conversation.
Embed your guest appearances. Been interviewed on a popular podcast in your industry? Embedding that SoundCloud episode helps establish your credibility while sharing valuable content.
Add background music. Embedding a subtle instrumental playlist can set the mood for long-form content like tutorials or creative writing. Just don‘t autoplay the audio!
Create an audio course. Teach a skill or go in-depth on a topic by embedding a series of audio lessons. You can deliver the course via email or give access to members only.
Provide audio testimonials. Embed short client or customer testimonials to provide social proof in an engaging audio format.
Some general best practices to follow:
- Only embed content you have the rights to use (your own audio or properly credited sources)
- Always credit the original creator when embedding someone else‘s tracks
- Avoid audio that autoplays, as it can be disruptive
- Keep audio file length in mind; don‘t embed hour-long mixes in short blog posts
- Make sure the audio content is genuinely relevant and valuable to your post topic
- Pair embeds with a text summary or description to provide context
- Use SoundCloud embeds sparingly; too many can slow down your page
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Ran into a snag with your SoundCloud embeds? Here are some solutions to common problems:
Embed doesn‘t appear: Double-check that the URL is correct and the WordPress block editor is in Visual mode. Try pasting the URL into an incognito browser window to see if it loads on SoundCloud‘s site.
Track isn‘t playable: Make sure the track or playlist is public, not private. Embedding private audio content won‘t work even if you can view it logged in.
Wrong track is embedded: Clear your browser cookies, cache, and WordPress cache and re-embed the correct URL.
Upgrading to SoundCloud Pro
If you‘re a serious creator looking to grow your SoundCloud presence, upgrading to a Pro account unlocks powerful features:
- Unlimited track uploads (compared to 3 hours free)
- Advanced embedding controls
- Replace the SoundCloud logo with your own branding
- Spotlight feature to pin five tracks to the top of your profile
- Detailed stats and analytics on your tracks and listeners
SoundCloud Pro starts at $12/month for Pro Unlimited.
Source: SoundCloud Pro
Related WordPress Plugins
Looking to do even more with audio in WordPress? Check out these plugins:
- Seriously Simple Podcasting – Full-featured podcasting plugin to create and manage your own show
- Compact WP Audio Player – Customizable audio player that supports multiple file formats and playlists
- Buzzsprout Podcasting Plugin – Embed podcast episodes from your Buzzsprout hosting account
Conclusion
Embedding SoundCloud audio in WordPress unlocks a world of creative content possibilities. With just a simple URL, you can use oEmbed to add engaging tracks, playlists, albums, and profiles to your posts.
Some key takeaways:
- SoundCloud is the world‘s largest platform for uploading and sharing audio content
- Embedding audio boosts engagement, SEO, brand authority, and audience growth
- Use WordPress oEmbed to easily embed SoundCloud URLs in the block or classic editor
- Get creative with use cases like interviews, background music, courses, and more
- Troubleshoot embedding issues by checking visibility settings and clearing your browser cache
- Upgrade to SoundCloud Pro for advanced features like unlimited uploads and branded embeds
- Use WordPress plugins to enable full podcast functionality or custom audio players
By following this guide, you now have everything you need to start enriching your WordPress content with SoundCloud embeds. Your visitors will thank you for the immersive, engaging experience!
Have any other tips for embedding SoundCloud audio in WordPress? Let me know in the comments!
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