10 Ways To Get Serious About Social Media

  1.)Find your “hit” and use it.

I have heard many people say “they don’t want to be typecast” but I say why not!? You are specific. Sure you don’t want to be typecast to thin but also you wouldn't try to sell makeup to an old man (unless he was buying it for his wife). Know you’re typecast and play into it (at least until you have a well known brand). Learn who your target audience is and how to use that to make your brand sparkle.

Just because you are branded a specific way now, doesn't mean your brand cannot change. I have gone from being branded as a makeup artist, to pageant girl, to actor/business woman.

So you are probably thinking well how do I find my “hit”? There are a few different things I have done to pinpoint my hit which has helped me a lot:

A) Talk to strangers – ask them questions on how they view you. Typical questions may include: Are you sexy or conservative? Are you relaxed or high strung? What is your age?  Are you loud or quiet? Be careful not to dress a certain way in order to retrieve specific results. Dress as neutral as possible in order to get accurate answers.

B) Look at TV Shows/Films casting in your area and figure out which ones you would most likely be brought into casting for. This will help pinpoint which market you will likely be sold to and why?

These will help determine your “hit” & your target market and be able to start you on the right path to make your social media effective.

 2.) Target your Audience 

Who is your target audience? Which social media platforms work for you?

Narrowing down your target market and audience will really help you determine what social media platform is right for you. As an Actor, I think it is ideal to have Twitter because you can be in tune with different networks/producers/directors etc, without even leaving your house. It will really give you a lot of insight into the industry if used effectively. It’s really about where your ideal audience is and where you can be most effective for you.

3.) Do your Research.

Research is so effective when using social media. Follow people in this industry that will not only inspire you but also give you knowledge. Know which shows cast in your area and find out who is working on those shows. Having an insight to those accounts may just help you to know what they are looking for when casting a specific show. Learn who the directors/casting directors are in your area. Knowledge is power. It will not only give you insight but make you feel more comfortable to know what to expect when you walk into the room.

4.) Be Personable

 Take the time to personalize things, don’t just respond to respond.

EVERYONE hates those spam messages (you know what I’m talking about). The ones which are so impersonal and probably go out to 100’s of people instead of being tailored to you. I think it’s being lazy!!! If someone is reaching out to you, reach out back as the person you are. People are reaching out to you, not to a robot. People connect with people and they want to see your real life so show them that. It will not only up your followers, because they are intrigued by you, but it will also add value to you as an individual. Also, you leave such a solid impression when you respond to people based on their needs + interests.

5.) Bio

   Create a personal bio that stands out. It is ok to have professional stuff in your bio but adapt it to show your personality. Stand out from the crowd. Make people

intrigued by what you have to offer.

6.) Profile Picture

Make sure it is professional but shows your personality and reflects who you are. If you’re funny, don’t have a serious head shot. But make sure you are using it across all your profiles so they match and you’re easy to find. You need to remember that the people may not know you and they need to easily be able to be aware that you are the same person across your profiles.

Cover photos-

Make them compelling. Make them fitting of the season or of your newest product launch. Whatever you do, don’t waste your cover photo space. Make sure it reflects what it is your branding yourself as.

7.) Careful of SPAMMING

I get asked to post things to my network daily and I choose not to post 90% of things. It isn’t because I don’t want to help people out, but it gets to be too random and all over the place especially if it doesn’t situate to your brand. Be careful what you are posting and if it is relevant to what you are trying to achieve with social media. Don’t send mass messages and don’t try to over sell yourself because people get annoyed. Everyone hates those aggressive sales people that are pushy so don’t be one.

8.) Communities

Actors like to connect with other actors. Look online in Facebook Groups, Google+ Communities and other online clubs or organizations. Community is important. Social media is interactive, it’s engaging.

9.) Serious about hash tags.

It still blows me away when I go to Instagram or Twitter and search under #Vancouveractors how very few Vancouver actors come up, it’s mostly photographers. Yet there are so many Vancouver actors (they clearly must be hiding under a rock) and here is a way that by one phrase on a hashtag it opens up a world to find like-minded people that have the exact same passion as you. Figure out key phrases people might use when looking for content such as: #actors, #actorlife and #VANCOUVERACTORS and then search for those phrases. Now don’t go and just try to sell yourself to these people but engage with them.

10.) Add value but personalize it.

Figure out why you stand out. What makes you “you” and why would people be intrigued by that? Add value to your brand and always be personable.