Smart social media strategies for comedians
How to grow your audience and sell more tickets via social, according to online guru Josh Spector.
Your “engagement” sucks despite posting regularly? Struggling with a lack of followers? Check out Josh Spector’s Social Media Strategies For Comedians That Actually Work. Tips include choosing fewer social platforms to focus on, engaging meaningfully with fewer people, targeting a specific audience, and building genuine relationships rather than broadcasting content. Some highlights below…
Use social media to connect, not to broadcast.
Come up with a list of individual people – or at least types of people – who you’d most like to connect with and use social media to follow, interact with, and develop relationships with them.
Your list might include industry people like bookers, agents, casting directors, studio executives, and more established talent or it could include potential fans who are interested in specific topics you cover in your comedy.
For example, if your comedy is geared toward moms then the more moms you have a relationship with on social media, the better.
Decide if your social media channels are a reality show or a magazine.
In general it’s more effective to approach your social media channels as magazine editor would.
Magazines — even Oprah’s magazine — aren’t all about their publisher’s life. Instead, they feature curated content that represents the viewpoint of the publisher and is designed to provide value to a specific target audience.
Not every one of your social posts needs to be about you (and they probably shouldn’t be). Take a magazine approach and curate as much content as you create.
Become part of a non-comedy online community.
One of the best ways to attract new fans is to become an active participant in at least one (or more) online communities that have nothing to do with comedy.
Pick one of your interests that aligns well with your target audience and seek out Facebook groups or Reddit subreddits that cover that niche.
For example, if you’re a foodie who lives in Los Angeles you might participate in this LA Restaurant Recommendations group on Facebook or Reddit’s cooking community.
Join relevant communities and become an active participant in their conversations. Don’t just join and promote your own stuff, but look for ways to add value to the community and be active in the discussions in genuine ways.
Doing this is a great way to build relationships with people who are likely to enjoy your comedy and over time they’ll become true fans and supporters of your work.
How to use Facebook ads to sell tickets to your live shows.
You’ve got videos of yourself telling great jokes about being in the military, getting divorced, and watching NFL games.
So set up three ads targeting three different audiences, each of whom live within 50 miles of the venue in Tulsa where you will perform.
The first ad would target people who are in the military or are veterans with your military joke, the second would target people who are divorced with your divorce bit, and the third would target NFL fans with your NFL material.
Each ad would include a plug for your show and link to buy tickets in the text of the post.
If your content is good, it will work and you’ll sell tickets.
