Social Media Strategies for Community Theaters: Instagram Opera-tunities with @MetOpera

Social Media Strategies for Community Theaters: Instagram Opera-tunities with @MetOpera

Looking for more social media tips? Check out our latest post here that shares 7 of them!

Unfortunately, opera has the tendency to be viewed as an uppity affair for the well-to-do and stuffy aging concert-goers. Of course, this isn’t true in the slightest! The social media strategists over at the Metropolitan Opera are really doing a fabulous job with bringing the operatic arts to the masses and appealing to a more youthful demographic.

@metopera
@metopera

As I previously mentioned, Instagram provides performing arts organizations with a fantastic outlet for showing off their creative prowess and reaching out to new potential audience members. The beauty of Instagram is that you don’t have to post every day – in fact, once a week might be just what your account needs! The news feed for this social media platform is pretty laid back so this gives you ample space to focus on creating the highest quality content to your followers.

 

Instagram Account Statistics

  • Username: @metopera
  • Posts: 321
  • Followers: 14.3K
  • Following: 49

Let’s take a closer look at some of the unique approaches that @metopera uses with their Instagram account…

When Stars Take the Lead

One of the most interesting social media campaigns that @metopera runs through their account is allowing their leading ladies and gentlemen to take the lead with posts during the days leading up to opening night. What better way to entice new followers than by leveraging their most valuable assets – the opera stars that work in their building each and every single day!

Recently, coloratura soprano extradonaire Diana Damrau took over the account in the days leading up to the opening of Manon. Using #dianagram and #dianadamrau on each and every post that she wrote, she helped current and potential followers to better understand a singer’s life as well as take part in some backstage fun. With #dianagram we can see close-ups of her beautiful costumes, snaps of rehearsals, and general silliness from a modern-day legend.

Photo by @metopera
Photo by @metopera

By partnering with their stars, @metopera easily attracts new followers that are fans of the singer but might not yet be a fan or follower of their establishment.

Fun Competitions

From time to time, @metopera will run some fun competitions to encourage engagement with their followers. Most recently, they hosted the annual #MetBakeOff competition, where followers were asked to design a gingerbread cookie based on their favorite opera character and then Instagram is using the #MetBakeOff hashtag. The winner of this particular competition received free Met tickets, as well as some other special prices from a partner bakery, Epicerie Boulud.

Photo by @metopera
Photo by @metopera

One of the things that we really like about this competition was their use of a custom hashtag, because it really helps with the tracking and sorting of contest entries. We also like that they explicitly told entrants to use the hashtag; this is an often overlooked but incredibly serious misstep and can derail an otherwise exceptional social media campaign. Last but not least, we like how fun this competition is…and perfectly timed for their Christmas production of Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel!

Opera Behind-the-Scenes

Finally, @metopera does a fantastic job of posting a lot of behind-the-scenes shots that give their followers a glimpse into the making of an opera. These types of posts include (but are not limited to) shots and videos from rehearsals, close-up shots of the sets, architectural photos of their stunning building, and costumes from “the vault.”

Photo by @metopera
Photo by @metopera

These behind-the-scenes shots are an aspect of an opera company that not many people get to see or experience, so for fans and followers of the Metropolitan Opera or simply opera enthusiasts this is a wonderful chance to see the not-so-glamorous but very interesting side of opera.

Photo by @metopera
Photo by @metopera

Stay tuned for more Instagram marketing case studies featuring performing arts organizations that are making a phenomenal impact with their account and could help your community theater boost your social media strategies.

 

Tags

Community Theater Management System | Community Theater Ticket Software | Community Theater Management Software

Leave A Reply