It’s easy to become numb to all the blogs written these days about social media. Some tell you which platforms to be on. Others talk about tips and tricks for using one or more. A lot of them are putting an emphasis on video, of course.
You also hear about social media influencers. I know that was a big topic when I went to San Diego for Social Media Marketing World last year. Connecting with people who have a huge following that are “open for business” (hint: they put their email address in their Instagram profile), willing to (many times at a price) give you/your brand a shout out, is definitely a trend.
I remember a colleague of mine once saying that she loved Twitter and the fact that you can just tweet at celebrities rather than trying to go through a publicist with the hope of that person screening you and bringing the request to the client’s attention.
You, however, are wondering, does it really work? Do these connections really happen? Are people actually getting on the radar of people they otherwise wouldn’t if it weren’t for social media?
The answer is a resounding Yes.
Just this morning I saw someone on Instagram posting a screenshot of Missy Elliott having commented on their picture. Heck, for that matter, I also saw that Carl Fischer, a trumpet player/multi-instrumentalist who tours with Billy Joel and has also performed with Diana Ross, followed the Instagram account for our “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast. (Maybe not a huge surprise, considering that Mike Delguidice, who plays guitar and does background vocals on the Billy Joel tour, was the guest on Episode 150 of NHTE.)
Did you see the post on the NHTE Instagram account two nights ago? The photo Saturday night showed me with my ALL ACCESS pass at the USF Sundome in Tampa for the Casting Crowns concert. That happened because their drummer, Brian Scoggin, had been a guest on NHTE Episode 161 – an interview that only came about because of social media (an Instagram post that invited him to come by the TASCAM booth at the NAMM Show in California in January, once it was discovered that he too was at that event). During that interview Scoggin himself noted that he got his deal with A&F Drum Co. by finding them on Instagram and then just sending a “congratulations, I like what you’re doing”-type email.
A blog of first-hand examples such as these isn’t complete without mentioning singer Christina Milian (who has a social media following of ten million, between Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) having “Liked” a handful of posts on the NHTE Instagram account (including, of course, one that was a screenshot of her first such “Like”).
Be professional, though. Be polite. And don’t overdo it. If you bombard one celebrity or influencer or if you go crazy pursuing a list of them, at that point it becomes spam. Your reputation hangs in the balance. You can either become known as a pest, or your target can have a good experience with you and your profile can potentially be raised significantly. Social media can truly be powerful, but don’t abuse that power.
Talk about your experiences with social media connections. Post your comments here or talk about it in our Facebook group.