Performers are constantly working on their performance skills and repertoire that sometimes all the behind the scenes skills, like how to plan a social media strategy, get thrown out the window never to be thought of again. I get it. It’s not so glamorous or as fun as nailing a new trick or note, but it’s just as important to success for your as a performer than having the on-stage talent. This post highlights the top 10 ways a performer can utilise Social Media platforms to their advantage to build an audience, develop a brand and get noticed by potential employers. Enjoy!
1. Don’t choose too many platforms Pick 2-3 and use them well, be social on them, use your brand to promote yourself and engage with your fans and followers. 2. Use a range of content types Consider using a mix of text posts (long stories and short thoughts), photos (with captions), videos (with a description or hook), sharing events and other performer posts. 3. Don’t oversell If your posts are purely to buy tickets to get people to a show or purchase your merchandise, you will lose followers. No-one likes continuous ads. 4. Show your personality Show how you stand out from your competitors/your distinction as an artist within your industry. You are your brand and knowing YOU will help your audience connect with you as a real flesh and blood person – cos you are! 5. Ask questions Regardless of the platform you are using asking questions in your posts is a great way to engage your audience. Remember social media is an interactive platform and getting your audience to engage and connect with you is one of the reasons people LOVE socials. 6. Get creative Apps and programs like Canva are great to create unique posts using your brand. You can add in graphics, text and moving pictures to your posts, which is really fun and can look quite professional. Use your branding colours and mood/feel. 7. Remember your audience when you post In everything you put online, make sure you are thinking about what value you are giving to them: is it to entertain? To educate? To inspire? To make them think? What’s the purpose and what benefit will they derive? 8. Be active! Stay active on your chosen platforms – like/react to posts, make comments, share other people’s content that inspires you, reply to comments on your posts. 9. Be authentic Don’t try to make every single post a perfectly edited photo from a photo shoot. Overproduced content tends to turn people off on social media. Let your audience get to know YOU. 10. Document vs Create Documenting the journey as an artist day in day out, the creation of a routine or show, sometimes personal things like my cat or completing my studies. It makes you an authentic person to connect with. Your audience wants to get to know you, experience your day with you and relate to you. As a result, it’s much more powerful to document your life in real time than it is to take a bunch of time honing and polishing one piece of content to a high sheen.
For more tips about how to use social media for promoting your performance persona, check out the FB group The Profitable Performer here or the instagram account here.
I hope this information has been helpful and useful. What are your social media tips? Leave a comment below!
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