EFFECTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA

STAYING ON TOP OF SOCIAL MEDIA

By researching and posting up a blog about the effectiveness of social media I hope to not only gain knowledge for myself but to give others reading this blog some useful links and hints to help with their future social media activities.

There is no question social media is a must have tool to promote yourself, your work, to keep your fans up to date with important events and to show your personality and interests outside of you’re career or what you are trying to promote.

I have always wondered how does one find the time to keep their social media constantly updated when there are so many other important things to do that require a lot of time and hard work?

KEEPING YOUR MATERIAL INTERESTING

So now we know there are tools for saving time and managing our social media lets discuss content looking at ways to promote our work and still keep our audience interested. “Power of social media lies in the perception of our brand in the market place”. (Medium, 2015)

#Knowing what your objectives are before creating an online account is crucial.

#Knowing how to reach the target market you are aiming for is important.

#Following, sharing, commenting on other posts you find interesting connects you with others as well as encouraging others to comment, follow or share your posts. Make sure your content is not just about you and your product all the time.
(It’s about sharing, caring, giving and receiving)

#The substance of your content matters so consider what you are putting on line and be more concerned about the quality of your content rather than the quantity of online material you have.

FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES THAT ARE RIGHT FOR YOUR CAREER

There are many sites to connect you with friends, family, clients and people in your industry all over the world.  Surprisingly I have been given some great opportunities related to my field of work by using the not so career focused Facebook site.

However you also want to focus on the specific sites that are designed to help your career, to showcase or promote your work, that allow you to network, to connect, to share and to talk business with clients or others beneficial to your cause.               So how do you know which network to use? You can consider how large they are, and whether they match the demographic you’re after. (Medium, 2015)

Although I have created an account for most of the widgets below, rather than pretending I have expert advise on how to best use them all, I have included seven links with tips for us to take notes together.

Being an artist/musician/songwriter/producer I have included the links appropriate for marketing in this medium so I apologise in advance if some of the links do not relate to your career. However not all of these sites are specifically music related so you will definitely find some helpful tips. Good luck and enjoy.

1.SOUNDCLOUD

    

Remember that SoundCloud, too, is a social network and being constantly active will no doubt get you noticed. Listen to other bands’ tracks and Djs mixes, comment on songs you like, hit the favorite button, repost music and make valuable contributions to the musical community you’re in. If done correctly and you will gain followers. (Allen, 2013)

2.YOUTUBE

3.FACEBOOK

4.INSTAGRAM

5.TWITTER  

                                                            

6.WORDPRESS

7.LINKEDIN

OTHER USEFUL LINKS

https://www.spredfast.com/social-marketing-solutions/social-media-managementhttp://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/13-tools-to-simplify-your-social-media-marketing/

http://blog.discmakers.com/2015/08/6-social-media-marketing-tips-for-musicians/

 

REFERENCES

Allen, J. (2013). Getting Your Music on the Inside Track: How to Build a SoundCloud Following. JustGo blog. Retrieved 1 November 2015, from http://blog.justgo.com/getting-your-music-on-the-inside-track-how-to-build-a-soundcloud-following/

Disc Makers Echoes,. (2015). 6 Social Media Marketing Tips For Musicians | Music Marketing Tips. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from http://blog.discmakers.com/2015/08/6-social-media-marketing-tips-for-musicians/

Medium,. (2015). Week 6: Social Media and Your Career — Self-Directed Practitioners. Retrieved 1 November 2015, from https://medium.com/self-directed-practitioners/week-6-social-media-and-your-career-21ec52b2b003#.5a6abns9b

YouTube,. (2015). How To Build A Successful WordPress Blog. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd4ugMflDQk

YouTube,. (2015). How to Create a Killer LinkedIn Profile. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5xtQKLvX4U

YouTube,. (2015). 52 Tips: How to Market On Instagram. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfyjtEe-Rsc

YouTube,. (2015). How To Use Instagram For Business 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkUClde6a0g

YouTube,. (2015). Promoting Your Music Online (pt8): Gaining Fans Through Social Media. Retrieved 1 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAOHpQ1UUKQ

YouTube,. (2015). Six Tips for a Successful Facebook Business Page For Dummies. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q20eSEv5KUA

YouTube,. (2015). Soundcloud: Top 3 Ways to Promote Your Music!. Retrieved 1 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2s8moh6Iy8&feature=iv&src_vid=T_0bf0ymw14&annotation_id=annotation_400661787

YouTube,. (2015). Tips for Twitter Success: For Businesses, Brands and Individuals. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a1rTFs_qP8

  AustraJam Productions 2015

PREPARING FOR A JOB INTERVIEW

There are many things to consider when preparing for a job interview. A great CV or Resume is important however no one employs based on your portfolio alone. (Medium, 2015)

By asking a variety of questions employers can get an understanding of your personality and suitability for the job based on your answers. Before discussing what you should do to be successful in a job interview let’s have a laugh and remind ourselves what we shouldn’t do during an interview.

PREPARING FOR A JOB INTERVIEW

When preparing for a job interview researching a company or a client is important. Besides showing you are interested, it will give you an idea of what the company is about, how it relates to you and what skills you have or need that will be of use to the company. Researching is good for making changes to your resume focusing on the areas that better suit the company or client.

Self evaluate, get to know your self, your skills, your strengths, your weaknesses and even an alternative to overcome some of your weaknesses. What is unique about you? Do you have any specific skills and experience that are worth mentioning? Think about times you were challenged and what you did to succeed. Write down some questions you would like to ask the company. Google interview questions relevant to the job you are applying for.

Example Questions for a Sound Engineer

1. Tell me how you organize, plan, and prioritize your work.

2. Share an experience in which you successfully synchronized and/or equalized pre-recorded dialogue, music, and sound effects with visual action.

3. Share an experience you had in dealing with a difficult person and how you handled the situation.

4. What type of recording equipment are you most familiar with?

5. What is the state of your logs of recordings? Name one thing you would like to improve.

6. Provide an effective method you have used to ensure that equipment is properly maintained.

7. Provide a time when you dealt calmly and effectively with a high-stress situation.

Doing the ground work and feeling prepared before an interview will help you relax and feel confident when answering questions and selling yourself. Being honest about your strengths and weaknesses shows the employer you are honest, letting them know in advance what tasks you will be great at and what areas you will need to work on. This could be a good time to mention how you intend to strengthen your weaknesses.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A JOB INTERVIEW ?

An employer will want to know about you, how you work, your skills and other details. They want to know if you will be committed, your work ethic and whether you will fit into the company.

They may ask you some sneaky questions to find out how you think and function. They may ask you personality questions to reveal your habits and lifestyle.

FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS FOR MY NEXT JOB INTERVIEW

After attending a lecture about Resume and Job Interviews, I would certainly reconstruct my approach and add more to my resume, making sure it ties in with the desired job.

In the past my resume has been geared towards jobs outside of the creative industry so my skills and experience in the music industry were not the focus of my resume. It was important for me to land a job and find that regular income that would help to support my career and pay the bills.

Next time I will feature and expand on my creative experiences by adding my hard skills (education, training, soft skills, experience, collaboration skills team work, work dependability, initiative, self motivation and willingness to learn).

I would mention my soft skills (experiences outside of my industry that are transferable or still relevant to the perfect music production and sound engineering job I am seeking). These could include my communication skills, my writing abilities, presentations, performances and any online written work.

I would also include other skills and experiences (hobbies, travel, leisure activities).

It would be a good idea for me to investigate any extra- curricular activities I have experienced. Perhaps my ability to write songs for clients or teaching and performing percussion is worth mentioning.  This could give me a chance to show examples of my skills.

Social and community based work experience is optional but worth mentioning to demonstrate my skills and social responsibilities. This is relevant because I am interested in becoming a mentor for up and coming artists drawing from my career experience and knowledge of the industry.

Finally I would replace some of the referees on my resume with clients who have a great understanding of my creative work, who know I can achieve quality results and meet deadlines.

In preparing for an interview I would follow most of the advise on this blog, making sure I have researched the company or client I am looking to work for. Defining my strengths and weaknesses is essential and looking for ways to stand out in the interview.

Another important thing to do is to learn how to relax. A calm mind and confident delivery will impress the employer. Here are a couple of useful links for nerves and anxiety before a job interview.

USEFUL LINKS FOR JOB INTERVIEW NERVES & ANXIETY

http://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/content/10-top-tips-for-handling-interview-nerves

http://biginterview.com/blog/2013/10/interview-anxiety.html

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL JOB INTERVIEW 

REFERENCES

Artistshousemusic.org,. (2015). What Does It Take to Be a Recording Engineer? – ArtistshouseMusic. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from http://www.artistshousemusic.org/articles/what+does+it+take+to+be+a+recording+engineer

Job Interview & Career Guide,. (2015). Personality Interview Questions and Answers. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from http://www.job-interview-site.com/personality-interview-questions-and-answers.html

Lifehacker.com.au,. (2013). Five Tricky Job Interview Questions (And The Right Answers). Retrieved 18 October 2015, from http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/10/five-tricky-job-interview-questions-and-the-right-answers/

Medium,. (2015). Week 4: Secret Interview Techniques — Self-Directed Practitioners. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from https://medium.com/self-directed-practitioners/week-8-secret-interview-techniques-8cdd5b225eee

Myworldofwork.co.uk,. (2015). Top tips for how to overcome interview nerves – 10 top tips for handling interview nerves | My World of Work. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from http://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/content/10-top-tips-for-handling-interview-nerves

Readyprepinterview.com,. (2015). Interview Questions for a Sound Engineer for Employers. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from https://www.readyprepinterview.com/employer/sound-engineering/sound-engineer

Skillings, P., & Google+, P. (2013). How to Overcome Job Interview Anxiety. Big Interview. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from http://biginterview.com/blog/2013/10/interview-anxiety.html

YouTube,. (2015). Borat Job Interviews. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clwlhRSeOA4

YouTube,. (2015). How To Have A Successful Job Interview. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppHDuTJe39g

YouTube,. (2015). Job interview – So funny. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg0mJcaDntk

  AustraJam Productions 2015