October 18, 2018
Social media won’t be going anywhere soon, and if you’re not using it as a tool to better market yourself to future employers, it’s time to start! Luckily, there are a few simple yet effective ways you can start making strides towards becoming a social media professional.
There are a seemingly endless number of accounts across all the many social media platforms available for us to use. As of June 2018, the number of Instagram users reached 1 billion! With all the talented people out there, standing out is tough. That’s why it’s important that you find your niche – something about you that makes you UNIQUE. Utilizing hashtags is one way to make you easier to find for people looking for your niche skillset.
Here’s a simple example: say you’re running an Instagram account for your dog. You live in Bushwick, Brooklyn. When you post photos of your dog, you’re inclined to use the hashtag “#DogsofInstagram” since it’s the most popular hashtag (over 115 million uses). But you since you live in New York, you could use “#DogsofNewYork.” That’s a much smaller hashtag, with just over 231 thousand posts.
You’re much less likely to get lost in the sea of cute pups in ‘DogsofNewYork’ compared to ‘DogsofInstagram,’ but you can still go further. ‘DogsofBrooklyn’ has only 120 thousand and ‘DogsofBushwick’ has just 12 thousand.
The more precise you get, the more likely you are to be seen by someone who’s looking for someone with your exact skills. No need to include all the hashtags – go for the one specific to you. NARROW your scope and dominate that small field instead of disappearing in one that’s too big.
This should be common sense, but you would be surprised how often people get in trouble for what they post online. A good rule-of-thumb is to think about the following scenario: you’re speaking to someone who may want to book you and they bring up one of your social media posts. If you would be comfortable defending what you’ve posted, then you’re good to go. Don’t post things you would be embarrassed of later, or don’t think you would agree with in the future.
Additionally, you don’t want to publish SENSITIVE or CLASSIFIED info, like a list of cast phone numbers or a director’s personal email address. When in doubt, its smarter to keep your finger away from the post button and reconsider. If you’re really not sure, don’t be afraid to reach out to your agent or manager and get their input! When you’re on-set, always be sure to get approval. A small slip-up could really do damage to your career, so double and triple check posts. You’ll be grateful you did.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking: self-branding and authenticity don’t really sound like terms that go together. But really, self-branding is about picking SPECIFIC characteristics that make you unique and highlighting THOSE whenever possible. You’ve probably heard the metaphor “See the forest, not the trees.” Well, branding yourself on social media is about showing the trees, not the whole forest. It’s a carefully curated look into what makes you, well, you!