When is the Best Time to Blog?

Blogging sometimes feels like you’re just shouting into the void. You write some super awesome content, get some fancy-looking images together, hit publish.

And then nothing happens.

And you wonder, what did I do wrong?

Well, in theory, nothing. But there are two things you need to think about before you hit that tempting, tempting ‘publish’ button and check it off your list.

Is it the best time to blog?

You might be up writing at 2am on a Tuesday morning, but chances are people aren’t reading blogs at 2am. Or if they are, they’re over the other side of the world (and probably not your client base, your audience, or the people you want to reach.)

So you need to think about when to post your blog.

Now, WordPress can do some of this work for you. It has a neat feature in ‘Insights’ that tells you exactly when the best time to blog is. So head on over to ‘Stats’, and then ‘Insights’ at the top and scroll until you see this beauty:

Voila! You have the time and the day you should be posting your blog. So if your current schedule doesn’t match up to this, consider changing it.

The important thing is: check this every week! Because it changes

When is the best time to promote your blog?

Now you’ve sent your blog out at the perfect time of day and maximised all of the chances that people will stumble upon your site, what about the people who already know you exist? Those you have on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, the people you see down the shops?

You need to promote your blog. And that means sharing it on social media.

More than once.

You can set up WordPress to auto-tweet for you, and it can also auto-post to your other channels, but that’s not all.

You want to keep drip-feeding your content.

So once you’ve written something awesome, be prepared to share it once a week for the next 5 or so weeks, providing you’ve got enough tweets/posts in between to cushion that (otherwise it will look like all you’re doing is yelling about your awesome blog post, which most people will then spitefully ignore.)

You can use a tool like audiense to see when your Twitter followers are online and post it at the best time for them too.

Social media is all about good timing. And don’t forget to check out our previous post about social media tools that will make your life easier, because these will help you with the whole timing thing, too.

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Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

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Twitter is Dead, Long Live Facebook

If you’ve been to a social media conference in the last three years, chances are you’ve heard someone stand up on the podium and pronounce that Twitter is dead, dying or already done.

They point to the perceived limitations of the channel to support their arguments.

Only 140 characters!

Millions of tweets per minute – and your important brand message getting lost in all the noise!

The figures, however, paint a different picture.

Since its launch in 2010 Twitter has experienced steady growth from 30 million active users up to 328 million – an increase of nearly 300 million across just 7 years. That’s roughly equivalent to the entire population of the USA signing up to tell us their thoughts in just 140 characters. Pretty impressive, no?

This year, however, is the first year since 2015 that Twitter has seen a plateau in their number of active monthly users – a steady 328 million.

Is this finally proof that Twitter is on the way out?

Probably not.

After all, even their dip in 2015 was countered by a +5million influx of users in the following quarter.

So why are we all still asking this question?

(Who uses Twitter, I mean – not ‘who used to present the crystal maze’)

My theory is this: the people asking whether Twitter is dying is the proportion of the population not using Twitter. They’ve come late to the party, seen the snack table was missing cheesy puffs and walked straight back out of the door. What do you mean I can’t compose a small essay on my thoughts about my neighbour’s dog? Twitter’s not for me!

In actual fact, 100 million people are active on Twitter every single day. They send 500 million tweets and account for 45% of all internet users.

In the UK alone there are 13million Twitter users – that’s 20% of the total population.

Not only this, but chances are the people using Twitter are your target demographic: 37% of total Twitter users are between 18 and 29, and 25% are between 30-49.

Now add into this the fact that Twitter reported share growth of 12% in April, and 2017 saw it’s biggest jump in terms of new users since ’15… I think it’s probably time to stop telling people Twitter is dead.

Twitter is very much alive and kickin’.

Happy Tweeting, guys.

 

Sources:

http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/11/11/social-media-update-2016/

https://www.omnicoreagency.com/twitter-statistics/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2017/03/09/4-reasons-twitter-will-die-and-5-reasons-it-wont/#52a319639d8b

https://www.statista.com/statistics/282087/number-of-monthly-active-twitter-users/

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

 

What Value Do Brands Add To Social Media?

In 2014, we were talking about the necessity of brands being on social media. “We need to be part of the conversation online! We need a social voice!” were sentences that I’m sure were bandying their way around a number of executive boardrooms.

In 2015, brands realised that in order to appeal to their (human) consumers, they needed to come across as human themselves. We moved away from copy-and-paste responses and added a personal touch across communication on social media, signing off with names or initials to show that there are people behind the screens.

Now, however, it’s 2017 and we’re seeing brands mourning when celebrities die. They show solidarity to movements. They stake a political claim.

For some brands, this makes sense. For others the link is more tenuous. For the most, it’s non-existent (see above).

But in all cases, we need to be asking — what value does this add for my followers?

Your followers are your consumers, and they are savvy. They know you’re in the social media realm to market to them. They know that what you are posting is always, even if not overtly, an advertisement. You may not be writing “buy this now!” but what you’re asking your consumer to do is spend some of their attention span thinking about you.

So why waste that opportunity by posting something like this?

(Put into context — Dorothy Perkins tweeted that the day after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union 52% — 48%, so there was a high chance the majority of their consumers were not, in fact, feeling it that Friday…)

Consumers are flooded with online advertisements. It’s estimated your average consumer views between 500 and 5,000 advertisements in a single day (although the exact number remains fiercely debated).

With organic social, you may get one opportunity to make an impression on an existing or prospective customer with what you post online. You have less than 8 seconds to stop their thumb scrolling past you and onto the next brand.

So make the most of that time.

The best brands and individuals on social media are the ones that add value to their followers. They enrich the user’s experience of the platform by adding insight and information that your reader otherwise wouldn’t have had access to.

A great example of this is news outlets on Twitter, a platform where they perform exceptionally well. When a story breaks, live updates are posted on Twitter not just by the reporters, but by people who are there. It boils down to value — news companies bring something valuable to the party.

So, how can you ensure that you’re adding value to your consumer with what you post on social media?

Each time you go to post, ask yourself three questions:

1. What’s the purpose of this post?

2. Who cares about this post?

3. Why will they care?

Let’s take the Dorothy Perkins example used earlier.

What’s the purpose of this post?

I would assume this was a scheduled post, intended to piggy back on the almost-guaranteed trend of #FridayFeeling.

But it was a white noise post — words for words’ sake. Often disguised as a ‘brand awareness’ post, or a ‘presence’ post, the white noise posts are pointless both for the person writing it and the person reading it. There are no links, no calls to action, nothing to make me want to engage with the post. The purpose, it seems, was to fill an empty schedule slot.

Which makes it difficult to answer Question 2…

Who cares about this post?

At the time, this tweet actually got some attention — mainly because of its catastrophic timing. But let’s assume it was posted when it was originally intended, some benign Friday. Who cares about it? Who sees it as they are scrolling and pauses for this type of post?

Or perhaps more pertinently, who wants a clothing brand asking them how they feel? (Answers on a postcard please…)

Which means it’s impossible for us to answer Question 3…

Why will they care

— because they most probably won’t.

Now, I’m not suggesting that all text-only posts are white noise, or a waste of time. You can use text-only post to build on your brand’s persona to great effect. But the posts must have a purpose and therefore value for your consumer — even if that value is just “it will make them laugh”.

As someone who manages social media content, I have certainly been guilty of the ‘low value’ post. Or perhaps even the ‘no value’ post.

It’s easy to get so wrapped up in your own brand that you forget that whilst you may think this cake gif is brilliant for #NationalCinnamonBunDay, your followers don’t care. They’re just wondering what on earth a comedian is doing tweeting about pastries.

So look at your social media pages and have a think. Be your own analyst, get 50 weeks deep in your own content and ask yourself ‘what value is this bringing my followers? Who cares about this content? Why do they care?’

And make social media a more enriching place to be.

A shorter version of this post originally appeared on Medium.com

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

Social Media for Actors

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/84753587@N00/13919893625″>Important call</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;

So you are an actor/actress and you are interested in social media, you might even have a Facebook or twitter profile but what social media channels should you be using?

You should be present on the 4 biggies: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn

1. Twitter – over 200 million members sending over 500 million tweets a day and the one every one is obsessed with. Great for people on the go – you can tweet anywhere if you have a smart phone. Perfect for starting conversations and finding opportunities.

2. Facebook – over a billion members! The Facebook membership is getting older so you will find more and more industry folk on there. Great for connecting, keeping tabs on your connections and finding opportunities. Remember to keep them separate from your friends and family by setting up a page or organising your friends into groups.

3. YouTube – the second biggest search engine after google (now owned by google)! In a visual industry like acting you should be represented on YouTube. If there is one thing you do today upload your showreel.

4. LinkedIn – widely known as the biggest lead generating social media network, which means that people make the most direct sales/money?work from this one. Great for keeping tabs on your connections. Take a look at What is LinkedIn? A Straightforward Guide for more info.

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing are some penguins with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email: info@penguinintheroom.com 

 Facebook.com/penguinintheroom 

twitter.com/prartsmarketing

or waddle over to the website: www.penguinintheroom.com

Top 5 Twitter No No’s for Actors!

So you thought you better join this twitter thing because you heard that people were getting castings from it and because directors and casting directors are on there. It was difficult at first because you weren’t too sure what you’re meant to actually say in your tweets… but now you feel like you are starting to get the hang of things. That sound about right? Well first things first: well done for taking the bull by the horns and being pro-active! Now it’s time to make sure that you aren’t making those common mistakes…..

No No’s

1. No holiday snaps as your profile picture! That should be your headshot. Show that you are a professional and make it easy for casters to match you to your spotlight page.

2. No confusing twitter blurbs (the bit of writing that explains who you are). Do show your personality but don’t forget to tell us your an actor first and foremost!

3. No random twitter names. Who will find you if your username is @dg4321 or @doglover …? Well maybe dog lovers! But if you are going on twitter as an actor or actress use your full name and maybe use the word actor as well for good measure. eg. @samanthabaines  or @jamesgroomactor 

4. No spamming industry people. Sending a tweet to all the casting directors, producers, agents and directors you can find on twitter and saying “Hey I am an actress please look at my spotlight page/website: http://www.actor.com&#8221; won’t glean the best results. Ask yourself the question, would that message make me click on the link? Start up conversations in more interesting ways by replying to something they have tweeted or talking about a common hobby/favourite film – people will always appreciate being talked to like a human being! Only tweet the link to a showreel/website in reply to a casting request.

5. No tweeting your lunch (unless its relevant) I say to all my clients don’t tweet “I just had a cheese sandwich” unless you are tweeting “I just had a cheese sandwich on set for my latest film [insert film name]”. Make your tweets relevant and interesting for your followers and you will find more people want to follow you!

So good luck and get out there and promote yourselves! Tweet me if you liked this post and let me know if you have any requests for future blogs 🙂

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is one penguin with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping my way into the arts industry and helping creatives flourish! Specialising in on-line marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact me any time for penguin chats via email: info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to my website:www.penguinintheroom.com

Top 4 tips on how to make the most of #hashtags on twitter!

A hashtag is this lovely symbol # which you have probably seen banded about across twitter, the internet and even on tv and printed advertising now-a-days. But what is it for?! Well it has a number of fun functions (alliteration makes me happy).

1. Helping more people see your tweets – a great way to find news/info tailored to you on twitter, is to use the search function. If you are a director you might search “actors” to find some new talent. So if you are an actor and you are tweeting about your latest project you might want to hashtag it with “actors” eg #actors so that directors can find you. Similarly if you are an artist and you are tweeting about your latest artwork you might want to hashtag it with words that will help art lovers find you eg. #art #painting #sculpture
2. Promoting an event or campaign – if you are planning an event or marketing campaign its a terrific idea to create a hashtag for it. The hashtag can be used to encourage people to tweet about the event and to monitor feedback: raising awareness and giving you a list of testimonials for the product or event.
3. Linking conversations – every Sunday when the new episode of Downton Abbey is on you will probably notice that lots of people are using the hashtag #downton or #downtonabbey when commenting on the newest instalment If you click on this hashtag it will take you to all the tweets featuring this hashtag. You can read through whole conversations about Downton and join in yourself. This can be a useful tool if you are off to an event and the clever event hosts have read “tip 3” and created a hashtag for the event, such as #penguinworkshop The day before most people will probably tweet that they are excited about or off to this fabulous event eg. “So excited about #penguinworkshop tomorrow afternoon”. If you are going too you can click on this hashtag and see who is going to be at the event the next day and maybe even do some pre-event networking – perhaps arrange to all go to lunch together or meet for coffee before!
4. For Funnies – hashtags are also useful for making jokes and don’t forget you can hashtag a few words together. Popular ones are #shamlessselfpromotion #badhairday my personal favourites are #pickupapenguin and #lastnightapenguinsavedmylife

So there you are! Go forth and hashtag!

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is one penguin with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping my way into the arts industry and helping creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact me any time for penguin chats via email: info@penguinintheroom.com orFacebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to my website:www.penguinintheroom.com