Optimizing Your Film’s Website Part 3: Social Media

Word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing that exists and never before has it been as scalable as it is today.  Social media is the best tool to spread word of mouth and build your audience, period.

 

Listen. Respond. Engage.

Though I question the viability of many social media companies as businesses, one thing is certain, social media has completely changed marketing.  No longer do businesses have complete control over their brands.  They are now at the mercy of public opinion.  If your product sucks, advertising dollars will not solve the problem.  Social media provides no control over how wide or how fast word spreads.  Bottom line, focus on content.  Your content is what your can control.  Just as the script is the foundation of your film, compelling content is the foundation of your website.

Film websites and social media strategies should be integrated from the start.  Unfortunately, social media is one of the most misused tools by filmmakers.  The mistakes center around the misunderstandings of what social media is about.  Social media is about:

Listening
Listen and understand what people are looking for and use it to create content on your film’s website.  If you do not listen you will just become part of the noise.  Take time to listen.

Personal Relationships
No one cares about your independent film on Twitter.  After it gets released, the relationship will seize to exist.  They care about you.  They care about your story.  Focus on building your brand, not your film’s.

Authenticity
Be real.  Be you.