By Linda Whitehead
Out of all the great information being shared on Clarion Call 2011, I found Jack Hollingsworth’s interview on Twitter to be some of the best. Out of all the social media channels, I think Twitter is the least understood, as far has using it to promote photography businesses.
Jack definitely has the inside scoop on using Twitter to grow a business. In 2 years he’s been on it, he’s amassed a following of 22,000. Here’s a recap of his interview, which will hopefully give you some ideas or improvements for your own Twitter presence.
What is the audience currently tweeting on Twitter?
- According to wefollow.com, 8 million people have tagged themselves as photographers
- About 25,000 of those people are working, commercial photographers
- Many are emerging artists, but more and more established photographers are joining now
How would you describe Twitter to someone who never heard of it?
- It’s a social media platform with over 200 million users and is growing faster than Facebook
- Microblogging, you get only 140 characters for your message
How would you suggest that a photographer use Twitter?
- Assume all your followers are potential clients and use an appropriate tone
- Be humble and answer people as quickly as possible
- Takes time to become comfortable with what to say and how
Once I do that, how do I get clients to follow me on Twitter and do I follow them back?
- To engage your followers, you must provide valuable content that encourages potential clients to pay attention to your tweets
- Twitter is an in-bound marketing channel, which means customers have to find you
- Put out the best content you can and engage in authentic conversations
What do you do in creating a bio as a photographer?
- You only have 140 characters, so don’t be too clever, cute or kitchy
- Your bio should not only say what you do, but who you are on the inside
- For your avatar, use a simple head and shoulders shot that shows a friendly, smiling face
What’s a hashtag?
- It’s a naming or tagging convention that aggregates content around a theme
- Popular hashtags include #togs (for photography issues) or #stock for stock photo issues
Is Twitter a sales platform?
- Traditional media isn’t dead and social media is here to complement it, not replace it
- Use it to broadcast what’s happening (i.e. tweet a behind-the-scenes- shot of a shoot you’re on)
- There are different rungs of participation: your blog is your hub and you can add Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Flickr
- But use only the platforms that work for you and that you’re comfortable with
- Use Twitter to celebrate your photography, not to sell it
What would you define as good social conduct?
- Answer all personal and direct messages you receive
- Retweet the content of others
- Listen more than you talk and spotlight the work of others
- For every self-promoting tweet, send 10 pieces of great content
How do you separate the good Twitter content from the bad?
- Jack doesn’t really follow his timeline because it’s just too chaotic
- He pays particular attention to mentions and DMs, plus he auto-follows everyone who follows him
What’s is your best advice for photographers looking to use Twitter?
- Be inspiring, daring, hopeful and passionate
- Help promote others because the more you do, the more they reciprocate
- Use new technologies and platforms to reinvent your business, it’s very exciting
I chatted with Jack following his session and asked him for his key words of wisdom for photographers looking to get involved with social media:
"Social media for photographers is a revolution, not an evolution. A necessity, not a nicety, for business and commercial survival. And an absolute must for growing your photographic business and brand in today hyper-connected, hyper-viral world."
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About Linda
Linda Whitehead is Agency Access’ VP, Marketing and a passionate marketing professional with over 25 years of marketing and brand-building experience.
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About Jack
Jack Hollingsworth is easily one of photography’s most well known names in the world of Lifestyle, Travel, Portraiture and Stock. His three-decade commercial career boasts numerous awards, publication credits and satisfied customers.