Social Media for Your Performing Arts Marketing Plan: The Ultimate Backstage Pass – Part 2

In our previous article, Social Media for Your Performing Arts Marketing Plan: The Ultimate Backstage Pass – Part 1 (link), we discussed the benefits of posting “behind-the-scenes” content to your organization’s social media streams. Up next we’re going to take a closer look at a few different performing arts organizations that are putting this virtual backstage pass strategy into practice.
While this approach is really wonderful for all performing arts organizations, it has proven especially successful in breaking down pre-conceived notions of the classical performing arts. This social media theatre marketing strategy really helps to entice new, younger audiences to become interested and involved with the organization, and even buy tickets!
Ballet B.C.
Earlier this year there was a great profile published on Alice Ko, Digital-Media Strategist for Ballet B.C. After seven months in her position, Ko had boosted the company’s online followers from 4,000 to 10,000 – these results gained a 150% boost in potential audience members! Ko also mentioned the ability to intrigue existing and potential followers through the use of “behind-the-scenes” posts. “Giving people more insight into what’s going on behind the scenes actually makes people more excited.”
On their Instagram account we find a lot of rehearsal shots and even some planning notes from a previous performance. Notice their use of relevant hashtags and their thorough responses to commenters.
Likewise, their Twitter account features a variety of posts ranging from Q&A sessions with featured dancers, to multi-media promotional posts about their up-coming season and even a little fun about National Dessert Day!
Metropolitan Opera
Here we have another classical performing arts organization, and it’s no secret that opera in North America has had its share of struggles. We’ve noticed a recent change in their approach to social media and the content that they post.
For starters we’re seeing more backstage and rehearsal photos on their Instagram account.
On their Twitter account they don’t shy away from cross-platform promoting, such as this YouTube video of a recent interview.
Mirvish Productions
Mirvish Productions, based in Toronto, is a little different than the previous two organizations. They aren’t as active on Instagram, but definitely stay very active on YouTube. We can view everything from audience comments about The Boy With Tape On His Face to Ben Heppner appearing in Titanic The Musical.
Their Twitter account is also fairly active and is very useful for keeping up-to-date on flash mini-performances and hearing what other audience members and movers and shakers in the Toronto arts scene have to say about their current productions.
Have we inspired you? Do you have any further thoughts or questions after reading about these three different performing arts organizations implementing the “Social Media as the Ultimate Backstage Pass” strategy in their performing arts marketing plan? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
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Ticketing Systems for Arts Organizations | Performing Arts Ticketing Software | Ticketing Software Performing Arts