The 5 Don’t of Online Actor Marketing

Actors! Would you ever go up to someone and say “Hi! Nice to meet you! Can you do me a favor?” Of course not! Then why are you doing it everyday online?

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In addition to my own social media accounts I help run accounts for actors & industry professionals. This has provided amazing insight for me regarding the good and bad habits of the average actor online.

You should be nurturing relationships with people online NOT throwing links to your latest YouTube videos or your headshot at everyone that passes by. You are hurting your opportunities. Dale Carnegie said it best…

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Stop making it all about you and join the conversation! I’m passionate about this because, day after day, I see actors sabotaging their careers online with mistakes that are easy to correct.

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So what should you do online as an actor?

DO build & nurture relationships! Follow and friend people. Listen to what they have to say and respond if it resonates with you. Join the conversation: retweet, read other’s blogs, comment & ask questions on their blogs, sign up for their mailing lists- show them you are generally interested in what they are saying before you ever think about asking a favor.

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Here are my 5 DONT’S of Online Actor Marketing

1. Do not send auto direct messages with links to your latest projects. There are casting directors out there (if you are lucky enough for them to follow you) that have publicly said they will UNFOLLOW you if you follow this practice. How many people actually click on your links? Probably not many. Auto direct messages can work for established brands & companies but not for actors.

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2. Do not send auto direct messages from free companies that list unfollowers.me or uapply, etc. right after you send the message. How long would it have taken to type “Thanks for following me!” (especially when you only have 100 followers). Once you have a larger following as an actor (anything over 5,000) I understand the possible need for an auto DM since it can become harder to keep up with new followers. However, most actors don’t fit this category.

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3. Do not send an @message to casting directors, fellow actors or any industry professionals with your headshot, newest video, reel or website asking for feedback when you have not established a relationship with them. Now there might be some exceptions to this rule, but 99% of the time this will get you no where and may even make them angry when 1/2 their screen has your face on it.

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4. Do not write anyone in the industry without doing your research. Here is a basic example (with 2 offenses): Someone sent me a selfie the other day on twitter (not even a headshot) by writing me an @message that took up 1/2 my computer screen asking me “To keep them in mind for auditions”. If they had done the basic research of reading my profile they would see I am not an agent or casting director and I can’t get anyone auditions.

They were quickly UNFOLLOWED.

Don’t write someone who says they are a director without looking them up on IMDB first or viewing their website. Are they a film director? Stage director? You could be wasting both your time and their time with your questions.

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5. Do not send a DM or message to people saying “Do you have any tips? I want to be an actor!” They only have 280 characters on twitter to write you. They don’t know you and your question is too broad to answer. What kind of actor? Stage? Screen? Voiceovers? Where do you live? They don’t even have the information to give you a proper answer. They are also probably very busy. Nurture the relationship first, ask questions through a DM later if and when it is appropriate.  You may only get 1 chance to connect with an agent, director or casting director online- at least make your question insightful and thoughtful.

Always ask yourself would I feel comfortable asking this person this question to their face? If the answer is no then stop typing! Never write someone when you are angry or upset and don’t be confrontational on social media in any way. You never know who you are writing.

You’ll find that some industry professionals may be very open with communication and others it may take 40 re-tweets, 125 days, and 2 in-person encounters at auditions before you are even able to ask a question. Treat every person you meet on social media like a human being. We sometimes forget that when we are conducting our online actor marketing.

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Stop saying me, me, me and after a few months see how many more people are actually saying you, you, you! It’s amazing how that works!

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Until soon,

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“Social media marketing for actors made easy!”