How The Arts Can Use Social Media

Chris you make a very good argument. I don’t think this just applies to the arts by any means, I think that small businesses could show off their services by using social media. For example, if I am a golf instructor maybe I give a teaser video with a few pointers and show a few of my students driving the ball 300+ yards.
I think that many musicians and artist know how to use social media better than any other demographic. We should all be taking lessons from how they utilize social media.

I’ve been thinking about using short clips to promote my coaching business.

I really like how David Moore used this to advertise his dance studio.

Chris, you’re absolutely right that the arts are a natural sector to tap the power of video on the Internet. Whether it’s dance, theatre, visual art, or even writers reading their work, the arts begin with compelling content of interest to wide audiences. These tools make it possible to connect and spread the word. Thanks for the post.

Chris, as an artist and a web marketing geek, I can say with experience social media is a FANTASTIC way for an independent artist to spread their work. I’ve given away my last album free and found it was shared on BitTorrent and through several social sharing sites.

It’s a fantastic way to get exposure.

Many small businesses might already have this kind of footage at their disposal. If you’ve ever had a local cable commercial produced for you business, ask to look over all the raw footage. You’ve already paid to have it professionally(ish) produced, why not re-purpose the B-roll for this kind of video? The cable company will probably be able to do the editing for you. Key point though, is that the video shouldn’t feel like a commercial. Let the action (in this case the dancing) speak for itself.

There are a ton of videos on YouTube with product demonstrations (I found one from a on how to apply green eyeshadow). I’ve also seen a lot of niche video sites specifically for instructional videos (SoloStyling.com for beauty, Monkeysee.com for general instruction). Great promotional platforms for all types of businesses!

Very interesting as always Chris.
Thanks,
JR

That is great to see that you came across this video and thought that it might be an activity that your daughter would enjoy. My son has been into the hip-hop dance for a couple of years now, his current teacher was just recently voted off the MTV show “America’s Next Best Dance Crew” so that was kind of cool. My wife keeps telling me that I need to talk to the owner of the dance studio as their website is really lacking and could be so much more value for current customers and more enticing for future customers.

Hi Chris,

You make an excellent point. Social media is certainly a critical component for promoting the arts. So much so, I would argue, that arts communities have served as models for more ‘traditional’ businesses and industries to follow. While social media is a hot topic for marketing and pr, it has been a common format for music, theatre, dance and other areas.

After all, Myspace really jumped into the big time with its artists and music sharing function. On a more basic level, networking is key to the arts. In Chicago, where I am based, any improviser will tell you that their most valuable meetings occur in the bar after any given performance. Theatres are continually reinventing ways to get people out of downtown and into the storefront spaces by pairing up with local vendors, appealing to singles, holding educational events and the like.

After all, in both social media and the arts, its all about who you know!

This is a particular area of interest for me and I am encouraged by the fact that not only small businesses are engaging their audiences in new ways, but it’s interesting to note that YouTube, personal blogs and Twitter are all being embraced by fans and professionals involved in large and more traditional and “old fashioned” arts organizations.
In New York there is a vital and raucous community dedicated to commenting on everything the Metropolitan Opera does. It’s going to be interesting to see how, beyond sharing video content on the MET site, this august institution is going to spread its wings and engage on a more intimate level with its devotees. Especially now when every ticket purchase is crucial to the institution’s ongoing health.

Video has been removed by YouTube.
I am beginning to truly hate YouTube/Google/Viacom. Probably the latter.

Hi Chris..
Hey Chris now this video is removed by youtube, so can you please tell me exactly what this video is for??

If this moves me to spend money (and it might), why wouldn’t you consider this for your small business, especially if it’s visual.