Only a few more weeks left until 2016 is upon us. This is the time of year individuals embark on their mission to make more money, change a nasty habit, or even start a family. I for one plan on making my presence known as a multi-media artist who specializes in video and motion graphics, but very capable with any 2D project. I plan on voicing my abilities via social media. I have been using the power of social media for the past six months, but I have not had a concrete tactic. I am using this opportunity to share my experience and advice for utilizing social media.
As an introduction, I was a Social Media Intern for Purdue University's School of Mechanical Engineering for almost two years. I read articles about social media strategies, attended marketing and media meetings regarding attracting and retaining audiences, and I researched trends in social media.
The message is the focal point of a social media campaign. My message is "I create art and I want people to experience what I have created; while getting to know me not only as an artist, but as a person who has personality. There are a vast amount of social media options. To decide which social media you want to use, simply ask yourself if it will serve a purpose. And, what can that social media offer? I believe each individual social media option should have a piece of exclusivity to it. Make your audience want to find out more about what makes you who you are.
Twitter has and always will be the social media application that I display the different sides of who I am. I plan to continue to keep it that way. I share my work and I enjoy sharing artistic pieces that I find compelling. I also support any world-wide social issue that strikes my attention, and I enjoy interacting with influential people any chance I get. No other social media allows for such open window communication like Twitter.
This is uncharted territory for myself. I have never touched Instagram, but I've begun to recognize the possibly of posting updates of projects I have been working on, and asking for critiques and suggestions from people around the world. Instagram has a huge audience and I can share doodles that I have created on my phone. I find it more appropriate than Twitter for that kind of content, but I do plan on linking my Instagram posts to Twitter. Instagram can display a different side of me as a person that other social media can not capture.
I have and will continue to use YouTube as my primary video social media site. I like the accessibility and the amount of viewers that are drawn to the website. After much contemplation, I have recognized that I do not get involved enough with my YouTube account. I am going to begin commenting on other videos I find interesting and appropriate, and subscribing and supporting channels that are more directed in the same field as myself. I want to separate my personal YouTube account so I will continue to do that.
I understand that Vimeo does not have the audience that YouTube has, but Vimeo has a more artistic friendly environment. It is a place to learn and experience great content. For me personally, I am going to be using it more as an educational platform. There are so many talented videographers and graphic artists that post amazing content, and I want to learn from them. My plan of action is to finish uploading the rest of my videos on Vimeo, and to get more involved in the community via sharing and commenting on videos.
I know Google+ has been pronounced dead. I do not encourage everyone to use Google+. If you are an artist of some kind, I encourage you to ponder using Google+. There is an artistic community on Google+ that is thriving and very friendly and helpful. I use Google+ as another portal to share my videos, 2D designs, and blog posts. I enjoy commenting on people's posts and offering my advice on how to make their compositions better.
I have been using Blogger for the past six or so months now. I changed up my structure a few months earlier. I realized I should use Blogger as a tool to expand upon my knowledge in video and motion graphics, and to share my knowledge with those who catch wind of my content. That is my course of action still. I need to build a more consistent pattern of when I post a new blog entry.
LinkedIn has always been a difficult social media to put my finger on, even when I worked at Purdue as the Social Media Intern. Slowly but surely I have begun to realize how I can use LinkedIn appropriately. LinkedIn is a professional platform, and therefore, should be treated as one. As someone looking for full-time employment, LinkedIn is a window into who I am professionally. I will continue to post recent completed projects and new blog entries, but determined to start posting industry relevant stories. By doing this, I learn more about my industry and I display that I care about what I do. Like everything I have mentioned before, I need to become more present and take part in conversation. I want to begin having meaningful educational heartfelt dialogues.
Social Media does not have to drain the energy and time away from those who use it. The way I have formulated my plan is to have it compliment what I am doing. If you are creating new content everyday it does not take long to post and share it. The same goes for communicating with other individuals. Taking a minute to express curiosity and to ask for advice can go a long way. Let us collaborate. We can help each other, and that starts by having a conversation.
