Twitter 101 for Artists

The SVA Office of Career Development Presents:

Twitter 101 for Artists

June 20, 2013#svasm

@suzannemozes

Also Known As …

Wickedly Creative and

Intelligent Peoplewho

Feel like Luddites

Where did this info come from?

I give thanks and gratitude for using content from:• @sree, http://sree.net• @stevebuttry, http://stevebuttry.wordpress.com• Pew Research Institute• Mediabistro.com• 99u.com• Emptyeasel.com • @mashable

Introductions

• Name• Artistic Discipline• Recent success/challenge with social

media?• What would make today’s seminar a

success for you?

Twitter Is …

“ Twitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news about what you find interesting.”

How are we defining social media?

*sharing content with people in your

network

Top Four Sites for Artists

1.Behance 2. TWITTER 3. Facebook4. Linkedin

What is engagement?

*Listening, joining, leading and enabling conversation

*Elevating meaningful conversation

*Responding to ideas

*Commenting in an authentic way

Buzzwords

• Community• Authenticity • Meaningful

• Conversation • Exchange

• BRANDING

Artistic Citizenship

*Following people you find helpful*Liking/commenting on other content in a

meaningful way*Sharing content you find helpful and

adding your own commentary*Writing notes of admiration*Reaching out and inviting others into your

network

Why spend time on Twitter?

*Connects you to viewers, clients, galleries, artistic communities

*Directs you to news*Communication is changing and you

don’t want to fall behind*Stay abreast of trends*Read interesting information, blog,

reports, etc.*Learn breaking news in your field*See others’ portfolios

Why actively ENGAGE on Twitter?

• Make new contacts• Write tight and compact• Showcase your portfolio• Practice Artistic Citizenship• Use it quickly• Expand your business• Showcase your expertise• Share what you’ve learned• Learn from people you

admire and respect

• Find inspiration• Sense of belonging to a

larger community• Bring eyeballs to your

portfolio/website• Earn new commissions• Job search• Add to skill set on resume• Find new trends• Create, craft, and enhance

your artistic brand

Twitter Language

• Twitter (noun): Software/Platform• Tweet (noun or verb): An update• Tweeps (noun): Your followers• Retweet (noun or verb): To pass on a link or

thought (can be quote, paraphrase, starting point)

• Tweetup (noun): A physical gathering of tweeps

• Fail whale (noun): Over-capacity graphic

Lingo

• RT Retweet• MT Modified Tweet• REPOST RTing yourself• HT Hat tip (saying thanks)• OH Overheard• LMK Let me know• FTW For the win• <3 Love• DM Direct Message

Hashtags

• Acts like a tag on Flickr or Google• Regular hashtag - use existing hashtag if

there is one• Event hashtag - search before launching

a new hashtag (#svasm)• Breaking News• Humorous (use sparingly)

Hashtags for Events

Multiple Hashtags for a Single Event

Hashtags

Getting Started

1. Open Account2. Choose a handle (think of it as a tattoo)3. Write a succinct, honest, clear bio 4. Include Website, Portfolio, or Behance Link5. Download Twitter app to smartphone6. Follow people7. Start tweeting

@hillaryclinton

Writing Your Bio

• Be honest and direct• Fine to include humor• Feel free to use hashtags• Do not write “Aspiring Anything”• Succinct• Change as often as you like while retaining core profile• A branding statement• Don’t use exclamation points• Give a sense of yourself and humor• Never assume someone knows what you do

Great Bios

@teditorTed

Great Bio

@reaganart

Bad Bios

• writer, reader, wolf-girl & literary editor• Friend of Zach Galifinakis• The man who works; The man who thinks; The

man who does nothing.• Napper/Writer/Obscure Reference Maker• Mayor of Newark, New Jersey• I am Alan Yentob, creative director of the BBC• Author

Twitter Basics

• 140-character limit (but don’t use all 140)• Attribute (“retweet”) with RT@name• Direct-message (DM): for private

communication• Link Link Link: tinyurl, bit.ly, etc. • Hashtags (#): helps searches for tweets

What makes a good Tweet?@Sree’s Social Media Success Formula:

Helpful GenerousUseful CredibleTimely BriefInformative EntertainingRelevant FunPractical Occasionally FunnyActionable

*How many attributes can you manifest in your tweet?

Capitalizations

The Ideal Checklist for Great Tweets

*Opinion/Commentary*Contribute to a conversationOR begin a conversation*Insight/Engagement*Choice Capitalization*Date and Time of Event*Hashtag*Image

A Good Tweet Looks Like:

A lousy twitter feed looks like …

What should I tweet about?

• Link to a new blog post• Link to an event that you attended• Retweet a colleague with a link• Reply to someone• Tweet something insightful or funny• News in your field• A photo• What you read• Advertising(but be careful)

Who do you follow?

• Who has art like yours? • Whose art to do you like?• Which galleries host art that you want to repped

by?• Are you represented by a gallery? Follow the

artists they rep.• Reading articles that cover topics that you find

interesting? Follow subjects and author.• Use Google Alerts.• Use Hashtags to focus in on important stuff.

Strategies For Following• Find someone you like on Twitter and follow who they

follow • Let Twitter/who_to_follow guide you• Direct competitors• Newsmakers• Artswriters • Area Organizations • Journalists covering your field • Colleagues in other communities• Galleries/Production Houses/Magazines/Editors• Experts in your field • Current/potential customers• Family and friends

What’s more important?

Who you follow or

who follows you?

How do I build followers?

• Tweet often• Find & follow likeminded people• Be conversational• Live tweet events• Give more than you ask for• Be yourself• Use less than 140 characters• Add commentary to a tweet about reading• Use capitalization sparingly • Don’t overuse hashtags• Whining is disliked; upbeat sentiments are

valued

Cutting Through the Noise

Given the definition of twitter (noun): A series of short, high-pitched calls or sounds.

• Lists• Develop a value-driven network• Look at favorited tweets• Follow suggestions from Twitter• Set a time limit and set an intention for

your time on twitter

Twitter Apps or Add-Ons

• Tweetbeep & Tweetscan: Google alert for Twitter

• Twitpic and Instagram: sharing Photos• Vine: sharing short, looping video• TweetDeck and Hootsuite: Arrange twitter feeds,

schedule tweets, create filters• Twtpoll: poll your network • Qwitter: track who doesn’t follow you• Twitalyzer: Twitter Analytics• Twiangulate: graphing hidden networks

Qwitter

Time Management

• Curate your twitter feed• Integrate it into day• Tweet a few times a day• Check “mentions”• Use lists, alerts & saved searches• TweetDeck, Hootsuite• Change your media diet• Find the right time of day that your

people go to the water cooler

Looking for a JobVia @mashable• Follow the industry you are interested in, and participate in communities you care about.• Don’t just retweet what others are saying; create meaningful content that people care

about. Be a thought leader.• Use Twitter as a jumping-off point to your more detailed online profiles — a personal blog or

LinkedIn profile, for example.• Many companies have job-related Twitter handles. Following those is a great way to keep

tabs on job openings, rather than searching the company's website.• Build your network before you need it; engage with people who do what you want to do.• Don’t be overly professional. Twitter is a great way to showcase your personality and talk to

people about your interests.• Don’t just use your Twitter as a means of self-promotion — be interested in what other

people are doing and engage with them. Share others' stuff before your share your own.• Actually network. Build lists for people across different disciplines. Join chats. Interact and

start conversations. Initiate discussions with people who inspire you. It’s okay to step outside of your comfort zone.

• Share content that is valuable. The more relevant contributions you make, the more others will want to continue to follow you.

To Get Going

• Tweet about 10 times/day• Follow about 10 more people/day• Set up a list• Follow another list• Ask a question• Reply to tweets• Direct-message tweeps

Etiquette No No’s

• Following a ton of people to get them to follow you, and if they don’t unfollowing them

• Sending template tweets• Spelling Twitter handles incorrectly• Not including a link• Releasing private information owned by someone

else• Infringing on copyrights• Reposting without giving attribution

The Only Rules …

Give morethan you take.

&Always Respond

Words to the Wise

• Let Twitter be a creative outlet• Make it work for you• Find pleasure in overflowing information• Find the time of day that works best for

you• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes• Set a time limit• Don’t be afraid to hype yourself and

others• Use an out-of-office message

Final Advice

Don’t answer: “What am I doing?”

Answer:“What am I thinking?”

Contact Me

• http://twitter/svacareerdevelopment• smozes@sva.edu• suzanne.mozes@gmail.com• http://twitter/suzannemozes