Mastering Twitter for your Acting Career
[Your Name Here] [Originally a guest blog for Green Room Blog!]
With social media as a formidable tool, we actors now have SO many fun ways to promote ourselves and make a big impact on our careers! Let's cover the Top 10 Rules about applying Twitter to your career cause. :)
1. Consistency is KING. My dear friends, if you show up for Twitter...then abandon it for several months...then come back for a few weeks, then disappear again...you're not going to build relationships there. This really IS rule #1, because Twitter is more like an intimate conversation than any of the other social outlets. You don't have to go crazy--the Dallas Travers rule is Do Less, More Often--but come along regularly, at least 2-3x per week. Too crazy-busy? Apps like Hoot Suite and TweetDeck are SO helpful in managing Twitter!
2. It's not the You-Party. Don't worry, other things can be! ;) But Twitter is more about forming bonds and making relationships than it is about selling yourself. That said, make a point to do self promotional tweets regularly, but that shouldn't be your WHOLE feed. Most of your feed should be at-replies, retweets, and engaging and celebrating other users.
3. Don't Spaghetti-Sling as my dear Bonnie Gillespie would say! Twitter is HUGE--go forth with purpose. What do you want to do? Befriend other actors? Befriend celebrities? Indie filmmakers? Producers? Agents? Start with that, then utilize Twitter's killer SEARCH function. And listen to Follow Friday (#FF)--the people you follow will suggest MORE people--and people only recommend others worth following.
4. Personalize Retweets. Retweeting used to allow for a comment, but the new Twitter interface just automatically processes it. To add your own message, click 'reply,' then put your text at the forefront of the Tweet. Throw in an 'RT' and there ya go--a personalized retweet!
5. Choose wisely who to follow, because following TOO many people is just going to overwhelm your feed (and likely keep you inactive or disengaged). Make sure to only follow users who are active Tweeps, not someone who logged on in 2009 and then wandered away. Follow people who are easy to engage with, too!
6. And don't feel badly if YOU don't have many followers. Believe me--they will come! Be patient and start small--besides, why do they need to follow you if most of your content is engaging with them directly? Just keep on creating and nourishing relationships and eventually you'll be a total magnet for followers. :)
7. Rome wasn't built in a day. Can I re-emphasize patience? I simply must. <3 Patience, friends! Twitter takes a while to give you some clout. But just keep on keepin' on.
8. Utilize #FFs in a really generous way. Yes, most people have their #FFs as a big list of people they love--sometimes that's what people can do, and that's okay! But if you can, a BETTER scenario would be one, solid #FF, telling your followers WHY they should follow someone. For instance:
"#FF @bonniegillespie --Rock-star master of ninja badassery, amazing CD and SUPER PASSIONATE actor career coach with @GetA_Listed and @SelfMgmt4Actors! www.bonniegillespie.com"
How psyched would Bonnie be when she saw that? Probably SUPER psyched; and just like if there was one like that about YOU, it would probably make your day! Make people feel good. <3
9. Utilize Klout and give accordingly! Check out your Klout score, then dole some out to the people you admire. Again, you'll make their day, and in addition to that--you gain Klout yourself, both online AND to the people you admire.
10. If you can, take Twitter into REAL LIFE! I know that both coasts have NY/LA Actor Tweet-Ups--and everyone just gets SO EXCITED to meet each other. I almost swallowed my tongue the first time I got to meet @CandiceOden. It's thrilling, and builds your relationships even more! And who knows? You'll probably get more followers, too! ;)
Ahoy, Mateys!
Jen
Reader Comments (1)
I would be supportive on all of your articles and blogs because they are just upto the mark and You completely match our expectation and the variety of our information.