How do I identify legitimate curators, playlists, and influencers, and avoid scams?

Case Study - “Urban Static”
Step 1 - Quick vet: Ran each potential curator’s Spotify URI through Chartmetric; five had 0 saves in the last 30 days despite 50 k “followers” → out.
Step 2 - Engagement check: DM-ed three influencers for screenshot of last reel insights; two refused → out.
Step 3 - Platform filter: Went ahead with one curator found via Groover (feedback/refund) and two via a multi-service dashboard that pre-screens curators (One Submit).
Results (30 days): $92 spend → 7 legitimate adds, 11 k streams, 12 % save-rate, cost/stream $0.008. Zero need for chargebacks.

Why This Question Matters
Bot-inflated playlists drain budgets, hurt skip-rate, and can get you flagged by Spotify. Legit placements, on the other hand, lift saves and algorithmic reach. A simple vetting workflow keeps your spend safe and your track’s data clean.

1 ▸ Spot the Green Flags vs. Red Flags
Checkpoint: Follower growth
Green Flag: Steady, organic line
Red Flag / Scam Cue: Overnight jump of 10 k+ followers

Checkpoint: Save-to-stream ratio
Green Flag: ≥ 7 % on other tracks
Red Flag / Scam Cue: < 2 % despite high follower count

Checkpoint: Skip-rate
Green Flag: ≤ 30 % (Chartmetric “skips” column)
Red Flag / Scam Cue: Data hidden or sky-high skips

Checkpoint: Playlist description
Green Flag: Social handles, update schedule
Red Flag / Scam Cue: “DM for placement” + Gmail only

Checkpoint: Contact channel
Green Flag: Business email / vetted platform profile
Red Flag / Scam Cue: Cash-app link in bio, no socials

Checkpoint: Payment terms
Green Flag: Refund/feedback via SubmitHub, Groover, etc.
Red Flag / Scam Cue: Up-front PayPal “friends & family”

Checkpoint: Social engagement (influencer)
Green Flag: Likes/comments roughly 2–5 % of followers
Red Flag / Scam Cue: 100 k followers but <200 likes per post

2 ▸ Tools & Workflow to Vet Curators
Chartmetric / Soundcharts - pull playlist follower history and engagement ratios.
Spotify for Artists preview - add the playlist to a private test track; watch for save/share spikes.
SocialBlade / HypeAuditor - audit influencer follower quality.
Platform ratings - SubmitHub stars, Groover response rate, One Submit curator score.
Manual listen - scan entire playlist; off-genre or low-bitrate tracks = farm warning.
Tip: keep a Google Sheet: Playlist / Followers / Saves % / Skips % / Contact / Status.

3 ▸ Payment & Contract Basics
Never “friends & family” payments - lose protection.
Ask for invoice; legitimate curators provide it.
Refund clauses: platforms like SubmitHub, Groover, and One Submit auto-refund if no reply or add.
No lifetime guarantees: Spotify can pull tracks anytime; legit curators know this and focus on engagement, not permanence.

4 ▸ Post-Placement Monitoring
Metric (Week 1): Saves/stream
Target: ≥ 10 %
Red Flag Action: < 5 % - remove track

Metric (Week 1): Skip-rate
Target: ≤ 25 %
Red Flag Action: > 40 % - unpitch next time

Metric (Week 3): Algorithmic share bump
Target: +10 %
Red Flag Action: 0 % - placement worthless

Remove any playlist that drags your averages down.

5 ▸ Common Pitfalls
Paying for guaranteed follower jumps - often botted.
Judging only by follower count - engagement beats size.
Ignoring TOS - buying placements that promise chart boosts can trigger takedowns.
Skipping the test track trick - a dummy upload reveals fake plays without risking your main single.

Key Takeaways
Engagement > size - saves, adds, and organic growth are the proof.
Cross-check every curator with analytics tools and social audits.
Use vetted platforms (credit/refund systems) instead of direct PayPal.
Monitor after placement - pull out if skips spike or saves lag.
Document everything - one sheet tracks contacts, metrics, and weed-outs for future releases.