Social media is literally changing the way projects are cast. All other things being equal, if three actors are up for a role on a big project, chances are the actor with a substantial following will nab the role. This means that if you’re a savvy actor, you’ll start building your social media empire BEFORE you’re up for a series regular.
If you’re like some of my clients, the thought of using social media for your acting career can be completely overwhelming. I’m here to tell you – don’t panic! Here are four simple steps you can use to get your social media mojo started, giving you a leg up on the competition!
1. Start Small
There are many social media platforms to choose from, but my advice is to start with one and get really good at it. If you’re already using Facebook anyway, why not start there? Do you love taking photos? Try Instagram! Maybe Twitter is more your speed. No need to overload yourself right away. You can always add another once you’ve got the first one down.
2. Create a Plan
This is where you can get creative! Keeping your actor brand in mind, think about some themes that you would like to post about regularly. For example, do you have a charity that you work with? Do you like to make people laugh? Are you a foodie? You can also repost or retweet other people’s content, and give them a shout-out. Of course, don’t forget to post your acting successes, too!
3. Make a Schedule
Once you have some daily themes in mind, it’s time to schedule your posts for the week. I recommend using a free app like Bufferapp.com or Hootsuite.com. I’ve found that scheduling daily posts ahead of time (for the week or the month) is much more efficient than trying to post every single day.
4. Be Social!
It’s called social media for a reason, so be sure to spend a little time every day responding to your likes, retweets, mentions, and other people’s posts. Reciprocation goes a long way, so keep the dialogue going with your peeps!
5. Watch the Clock
Be careful not to fall down the rabbit hole. Social media sites are made for you to kill time, so be mindful of how you’re spending yours. Fifteen minutes a day is all that’s needed to stay social.