Written by Dallas Travers, CEC
At this stage in the game, I’m sure we all agree on two things when it comes to social media:
1. It’s a game-changing, playing-field-leveling marketing tool every actor can leverage to build an awesome acting empire.
2. The rules aren’t exactly clear and they always seem to change.
So, as you make your way through all that social media has to offer, let me share three crucial rules to help you rock Facebook, Twitter, and your Blog.
Facebook – Strike a Balance
My guess is that you’re probably falling into one of these two common Facebook mistakes: you never talk about your career or you only talk about your career.
If you avoid talking shop like the plague because you don’t want to be “one of those actors”, you’re not only selling yourself short, but you’re robbing your friends of the chance to really know you.
Your friends, family and industry acquaintances WANT to know about every aspect of your life. That’s why they’re your friends. So, stop worrying about being pushy or salesy if you share good acting news online.
The secret is to strike a balance between personal posts and self-promotional posts. Remember, social media is about personal engagement. So, makes sure 80% if your posts are personal and 20% are about self-promotion. That way, you’ll still maintain a solid human connection with your Facebook friends, but you won’t hide your acting endeavors from them either.
If you’re one of those actors who over-promote on Facebook, it’s time to add a personal touch. Yes, people want to learn about your career, but they also want to connect with the real you. Let your friends see all sides and aim for that 80/20 sweet-spot.
Twitter – Build a Strong List
The most common question actors ask me about Twitter is “how can I attract more followers?” While some Tweeters rely on apps to build up their list of followers, I don’t recommend it.
A strong list is much better than a long list. You want the right followers instead of a giant list of random people. So, lay off the apps and build your list the right way.
Okay, how do you actually build up an authentic list of followers who reply to your tweets and even pass them along?
Start by visiting http://search.twitter.com. You can look up any keywords or interests you might have and locate the people tweeting about those interests most frequently.
Follow them and begin to re-tweet or reply to their tweets.
Then, it’s time to move on to your marketing target list. Which casting directors, agents, directors, producers, filmmakers or actors would you like to work with? Look each of them up on Twitter and simply follow them and begin to re-tweet or reply to their tweets.
Once you begin to attract the right followers, it’s time to get to know your community. Discover people with shared interests and talk about what you have in common.
I recently learned about an awesome app to make this process easy for you. It’s called Social Bro. With this highly intuitive app, you can communicate quickly with your followers, easily manage your list, track your interactions, and even search followers according to a wide range of criteria.
Blogging – Be consistent
Your blog is such a powerful marketing tool. Not only can you build an audience of loyal readers before you ever book work, but your blog allows for creative expression and ownership over your messaging or brand.
But let’s be honest. Blogging can feel overwhelming, right? A lot of questions can get in your way.
- What should you write about?
- Who will actually read what you have to say?
- Where will you find the time?
Well, the secret to a success blog is consistency. Consistency with your message, consistency with your posts, and consistency with your engagement.
Let’s start with your message. You do not have to limit your blog to only acting-related content. Just like Facebook, I recommend sharing 80% personal information and 20% promotional. So, think about your interests and hobbies. Think about your ideal reader and what shared interests you might have with this person.
I know actors who blog about the environment, animal causes, fun and free activities to do in their town, movies, books, new music, art, or even people who inspire them.
What you write about doesn’t matter as long as you’re writing truthfully about yourself and 3-4 interests you have – above and beyond acting – that round out your life.
Once you’ve narrowed down your interests, it’s time to set up some structure. Have you ever visited an actor’s website and their last blog post was months (even years) ago?
Me too. Please remember that in order to leverage your blog and build an audience, you must be consistent. I recommend blogging at least twice per month. But don’t panic. Your blog posts don’t need to be long and involved. You could share videos or write a paragraph or two. In fact, I think the best blogs are the most concise ones.
The key is to set your blogging dates in advance and stick to them.
Lastly, you must consistently engage your blog readers. End each post with a question or call to action. This will invite comments and social sharing on your blog. Be sure to reply to the posts left on your blog in order to let your readers know how much you appreciate their feedback as well.
All in all, even though the social media landscape is ever-changing, you can control your own involvement. You can leverage Facebook, Twitter, and your blog to build your audience, deepen industry relationships, and expand your acting empire.
Just remember these three rules:
- Strike a Balance
- Build a Strong List
- Be Consistent
In the comments box below, tell me what specific tip you learned from this post and how you’ll apply to your career.
Respected as one of the entertainment industry’s leading experts, Dallas Travers teaches actors the career and life skills often left out of traditional training programs. Her groundbreaking book, The Tao of Show Business, has won over five awards including first prizes at The Hollywood Book Festival and the London Festival along with the National Indie Excellence Award. She has helped thousands of actors to increase their auditions, produce their own projects, secure representation and book roles in film and television.
If you’re ready to jump-start your acting career, get your FREE Thriving Artist Starter kit now at http://www.dallastravers.com
