Thoughts on Social Networking
Here’s my answers to some interview questions I was recently asked for a friend’s project on social networking and it’s effect on the creative professional.
For professional purposes I use Twitter and I do some blogging. I use Vimeo to post & share my production work. I’m also an avid RSS reader. I only use Facebook for personal purposes. (I’ve got to have fun somehow!) However, at one point I did use Facebook advertising for a local publication that I helped to start up- in the short time that we used it, it drove more traffic to our website than any other source- it was a highly effective form of advertising our publication’s website.
I think Twitter can be a great way to stay connected to clients & keep your brand in front of them. Of course that’s only if your “clients” are following you. But regardless, whatever new work you are involved with- you can instantly broadcast that to your community of followers. And I’ve found that good tweets spread virally- making it an effective way to extend your network & get your work viewed. Most importantly for me it’s a great tool for building a social network of like-minded people and for staying involved in the life & work of other creatives who inspire me.
Humanitarian photography is my true passion - perhaps more a labor of love than a “business” at this point. And I use my blog primarily to communicate to other photographers and individuals interested in humanitarian work- rather than for communicating with “clients”. I expect this to change as my career & goals evolve, but as of now my blog is just as important as my portfolio, maybe more so. Of course I want my portfolio to be seen, but perhaps more importantly I want to communicate my creative process and what I’m thinking and experiencing- as well as show my new work from each assignment.
My wedding photography blog is simply a way to post recent work- I personally like the blog format better than a portfolio gallery, so I tend to update it more often. But weddings are very part-time for me, I’m far from an expert on that.
I’d have to say blogging, then I’d say Twitter. For my video work- Vimeo is an absolute must.
Definitely. It cannot replace local communities, but it means that I, living in a very small town, can at least have some communication with other like-minded creatives- as opposed to having almost none. Basically everyone I’m connected to on Twitter are people whom I never would have connected with in any other way. It’s a professional tool for me.
It’s just one more thing that ties us to our computers- or our iPhones- but it’s just a trade off from the traditional marketing techniques of the past. It’s still marketing- it’s just happens more (& differently) now.
As for my humanitarian photography, my strategy is first to invest the proper time and money needed to develop a good quality website that will do adequate justice to my body of work. Then I also invest the time needed to maintain a blog at least semi-regularly. I take the time to consider the goals and readership of my blog and try to generate appropriate content. I’ve done some writing & public speaking too. I think it helps to do something in addition to photography to set yourself apart- whether that’s design, filmmaking or writing. It also helps that I am part of a relatively small niche of photographers to start with. It’s a pretty small pond in other words, which should point to the importance of defining your style & your market.
8. What future do you see in social networking?
It is the future of communication. I think all electronic communication is going this direction.
For further reading, here’s a few articles I’ve come across lately on the topic:
