Film

Are you getting cast as much as you’d like? …well, we both know the answer to that – you wouldn’t be reading this article other wise. Here’s 7 social media marketing tips to help you book more acting work – you’re ready for your closeup, aren’t you?

As CEO of You Inc., it’s your job to make sure your marketing department is up to snuff. (And by marketing department, I mean you.)

1. Get social media accounts with all the popular platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. I know this sounds remedial, but you’d be surprised at the number of actors I meet who don’t have a Facebook or Twitter. I know, it can get stupid and annoying sifting through an unfiltered stream of moronic consciousness, but social media is what you make it, which brings me to the next tip…

2. Treat social media professionally.  Sure, some people make desperate grabs for attention, air their dirty laundry, whine about their problems, post while intoxicated, or describe bodily functions in detail – but unless being a jackass is your “schtick,” keep your posts on point, informational and positive.

3. Don’t talk about religion or politics. Seriously. No matter what you say, half of the people will think you are wrong. Why cut off half of your market?

4. Pick a great, close cropped image of YOU as your profile picture. Don’t change it too frequently, and if you do, make sure you remain recognizable to your followers. Brand recognition is important, and you are a brand. There’s nothing worse than people who use a random image as their profile pic (or worse, a picture of someone else [or even worse still, a fantasy art fairy]). Sure, your close friends know who you are, but the casting director you met once is going to have no clue.

5. Start a blog. Post, tweet, blog something every day. Yes. Everyday. Keep it relevant, on point, and educational if you can. Can’t think of anything to say? Newsjack… Newsjacking is taking a current headline and interjecting yourself into the conversation.

6. Be supportive of other actors, directors, projects. People will return the favor, and nobody likes self obsessed narcissists.

7. Keyword optimize your titles and content. Think like a search engine. Better yet, think like the people using search engines. You can have the best content in the world, but if no one finds it, it’s not going to do you any good.

So, how is all of this going to get you an acting job?

It’s going to help you build a following, network with peers, and establish yourself as an expert. Producers like actors that have a following. Followers buy DVDs. I’d love to cast an actress with a million twitter followers. If you have a million followers, contact me… I’m sure I can find at least a cameo for you.

People often ask, what’s the ROI (return on investment) of social media?  You can’t put a price on it. It’s not going to happen overnight. This is a long-tail strategy… but well worth it.