3 Tips for Using Social Media for Professional Networking

Here's another great article from Backstage! As an actor, you have to work hard to market yourself. And where's the best place to do that?  Social media!  Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, and the list goes on...  These are the platforms that provide you with the opportunity to brand yourself and connect with other professionals in the industry.

This article presents three tips for how to present yourself well when making those connections. They are EXCELLENT points, and when the author said the following...

"How many times have you received a Facebook friend request and decided in a millisecond if you are going to actually consider this request or not? Why? Firstly, because you’ve looked at their profile picture. This picture will make you want to look further into the request or delete it. You may not want to admit that, but I’d bet it’s true."

...I wanted to stand up and shout AMEN! Friends, your profile picture is SO IMPORTANT. It is your calling card -- the first impression people will get of you. Make it a good one. I don't want to be judgmental and I almost hate to admit this, but when I see that someone has posted in a Filmmaking group on Facebook, I will choose to go read their post (or not) based on their profile picture. If their picture doesn't present me with an image of professionality, it's hard for me to take them seriously. (Is professionality even a word? My spellcheck doesn't think so, but it sounds like it ought to be.)

The author also touches on the initial contact you make with someone, and the type of content you are sharing. Here's the link to read the article:

http://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/backstage-experts/3-tips-using-social-media-professional-networking/

After you read it, come back and tell me what you think!