A Quick Guide to Revamping your Dance Social Media Profile
Nowadays, social media is about more than connecting with your friends and sharing content. Social media accounts have quickly become the modern-day definition of a résumé for various industries. Many Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook users also have a brand or service they are working to promote. As a dancer, you can also promote yourself using social media, resulting in career opportunities, enlarging your professional network, and more.
Related: Marketing Yourself as a Professional Dancer
Below, we’ve listed a guide to help you quickly revamp your Instagram page to show your followers and potential followers how serious you are about your ballet career!
Bio
The first thing people will see when they come to your profile is your bio. With 150 characters to introduce yourself and your profile, think of it as your Instagram elevator speech. In order to draw interest in your profile, determine a catchy and precise way to answer the following questions: What do you want people to know about you? What involvements, specialties, or passions would you like to note?
When answering these questions, keep your desired audience in mind. Are you looking to attract fellow dancers, dance companies, younger dancers, etc.?
Lastly, be sure to include a link to your professional dance website, if you have one. If you don’t have a website, you can add other relevant links, such as the link to an article you were featured in, an organization you’re a part of, etc.
Related: 6 Elements of a Professional Dance Website
Highlights
Use the “Highlights” section to spotlight specific moments you want to share, so that your followers can easily access them. Not sure of what to highlight? Think of a few topics you’re passionate about and start there. This may include dance tips, summer intensives, performances, etc. Perhaps there’s a specific trip or event you’d like to highlight, such as a major production you starred in, or a dance training overseas.
Your highlights can also be used as a reference point for your followers with useful information. For example, you may have an “About Me” highlight or a “Hire Me” highlight filled with dance reels and other things to note. No matter what you decide, consider creating some quirky title pages for each highlight with icons or images for each category.
Photos
As a dancer, you already have an advantage when it comes to sharing photos, because ballet poses are intriguing on their own. Your goal here is to make your page unique by putting your own stamp on the photos you share. If you can afford it, consider having professional photos taken.
Think of your Instagram page as a virtual portfolio, so don’t be afraid to share a variety of dance images and videos while also sharing behind-the-scenes clips of training and any other involvements. Check out the next section of this guide for more insight on this!
Related: Tips for Capturing Quality Dance Photos with photographer Shoccara Marcus
Content
Be sure to share your personality in your content! You can do this by sharing footage of your passions and involvements in the dance community. Perhaps you volunteer often, take online classes, or have started your own non-profit organization. Post quotes and affirmations on your profile to inspire other dancers. You could also share pointers, lessons, and tips using short videos on your page.
Be sure to use hashtags in your captions so that your photos and videos will show up for people who aren’t yet following you. Some hashtags you could use for the dance community include: #browngirlsdoballet, #dancersofinstagram, #dancelife, and more.
Safety and Best Practices
Choosing to keep your social media profile private or make it public is your choice, and each option has its pros and cons. A private social media account is the most secure, since only people who you approve will be allowed to see your photos. While they will still be able to see your bio and profile photo, they won’t be able to access other content. This is great if you are a younger dancer, or are concerned about your photos being used unofficially. However, keep in mind that by using a private profile, your content will be seen by fewer people, which could compromise your ability to get hired or be scouted for opportunities.
If you have a public profile, people who do not follow you are able to see and share your content. This is especially helpful when you want to bring more attention to your page, but having a public profile comes with a variety of security concerns. Always remember that the internet is a public database, so you should be cautious about sharing your personal information, such as your location, your place of work, or your dance studio name. If you find it necessary to share your location, a good rule of thumb is to use generic locations, such as a city and state, instead of your exact location at any given time. You could also wait until you’re far from a location to share that you were there.
When posting photos that include other people, it is best to have their permission to share their photo. Be sure to tag them in the photo. If you’re wearing or promoting a certain brand of dancewear, tag the company in your post. This may result in your image being shared on their company’s social media page! Remember that everything you post on the internet is technically permanent, even if you delete it. That means you should always be mindful of how you carry yourself in your photos, as well as the content you share, like, and comment on. As a professional dancer, always keep your brand in mind.
You are in charge of regulating your own page. If there are inappropriate or rude comments being put underneath your photos, it is your responsibility to ensure the issues are handled. You can do this by facilitating discussions in your comments, deleting negative comments, and blocking negative people from your page. With that being said, it is best etiquette to respond to kind comments. You can easily like a comment, or reply with an emoji to show your followers you acknowledge and appreciate their feedback. Interacting with your followers is a good way to build a strong network of support.
Although this guide was tailored toward dancers on Instagram, you can use many of the tips outlined to revamp your other social media pages, too. Stay tuned to our blog this month, where we will be posting more tips to help you enhance your brand as a dancer!