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Why Diversifying Your Social Media Presence Matters

Hey there, fellow voice actors and friends! Let’s chat about something that hit home this week – the great social media blackout. Our go-to platforms, Facebook/Meta/Instagram and LinkedIn, took a breather simultaneously. Talk about a digital rollercoaster, right?

Now, imagine if your entire online presence was stuck in that standstill. No promotions, no client connections – just radio silence. Yikes! That’s why being everywhere matters, and not just on one social media stage.

  1. Spotlight on Risk Management

Think of your social media platforms like a diversified investment portfolio. You wouldn’t throw everything into a single stock, would you? Similarly, putting all your professional eggs in one social media basket is, well, a risky move. Tech glitches, cyber hiccups, or unexpected gremlins (don’t feed them after midnight) – diversifying is your insurance policy against the unknown.

  1. Building a Symphony, Not a Solo Act

As a voice actor, you know the power of variety. The same goes for social media channels. Each one is a different note in your digital symphony. Instagram for showcasing fun videos and pictures (remember when it was just pictures of our food with the Valencia filter back in 2013? Good times), LinkedIn for the professional undertones – it all adds up. Diversifying amplifies your voice, ensuring your unique melody reaches every ear.

  1. Cultivating Connections

Our industry thrives on connections, right? Social media is our backstage pass to networking. When one platform takes a break, others step into the limelight. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about nurturing connections. Being everywhere means you’re always within earshot of your audience, building relationships that withstand any digital intermission.

  1. Tuning Into Audience Harmony

Every platform has its own rhythm, just like every client has unique needs. Instagram might love your audio snippets, while LinkedIn craves your insightful industry thoughts. Diversification allows you to tune your content to hit the right notes on each platform, catering to the varied tastes of your audience.

  1. Riding the Waves of Opportunity

The blackout wasn’t just a roadblock; it was a detour. While the big players paused, other stages were buzzing with activity. Being present everywhere lets you surf the waves of digital opportunity. New trends emerge, fresh connections form – and you’re right there, ready to seize the spotlight.

In the world of voice acting, versatility is key. Apply that same principle to your online presence. Diversify your platforms, cultivate your unique sound on each, and watch your digital performance reach new heights. After all, in our industry, silence isn’t golden – it’s just missed opportunities. So, let’s keep the conversation going, stay connected, and make sure our voices are heard across the vast expanse of the digital soundscape!

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I’m a voice actor, but…

I’m a voice actor BUT…

I’m also a: 

(super) human 

daughter

sister

dog mom

friend 

entrepreneur

And more.

I’m a person.

I’m more than just my job title. I’m a teacher, a member of my community and synagogue, a small business owner, coffee drinker, director, neighbor, voter, Leslie Knope-meets-Monica Geller type personality, someone who loves going on long night drives and trips to the beach, Star Wars and comic book fan, traveler (pre-pandemic), California girl at heart, an avid bruncher, a person who looks up at the stars in the night sky and contemplates life, pumpkin spice lifer, and that’s not all.

So yeah, I may be a voice actor, but I’m so much more than just that.

I’m more than the jobs I book, the list of my clients, the equipment in my studio, and the number of my followers on social media.

I am uniquely me.

And THAT is my superpower.

Hailing from Los Angeles, Bonnie has been acting on the stage, television, film, and a voice actor for over 20 years. Credits include Isabel in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Margaret in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and Glory and Rhonda in ALMOST, MAINE. She also recently performed in COMING BACK FOR ME, the winner of Project Chrysalis 2.0 with Cary Playwrights. Voiceover clients include Amazon, Buick, NC State, Toyota, and K-Swiss. She has a Bachelors in Theatre Arts from CSU San Bernardino. When she’s not recording in the studio, she can be found hanging out with her dog Marcel, drinking too much coffee, and serving on the board at North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre. You should totally check out her website at vosuperhero.com   

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Superheroes: More Than a Trend

If you’ve known anything about me through my Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, and wherever else on social media, you will know that I am head-to-toe drenched with superhero imagery and geekery. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you’ll be thinking, “This is all well and good, but is she going to get sick of being associated with superheroes and move onto something else?”

Plot twist: the answer is no. I am not going to move onto something else.

 

The thing is that superheroes, for me at least, are not a trend for me. They are who I am as well. As in “I tried to run from it but embraced it as my identity” sort of deal. Think Mark Hamill and him being associated with the Joker and Luke Skywalker.

 

It was part of my life ever since I was very young and is still a part of me in current times. The only difference between then and now is that I’ve gained life experience through challenging trials and rewarding triumphs in my life. 

 

And that’s actually not a bad thing because I don’t have to hide who I am at all and sell a lie to potential clients. I can be honest with myself, have a little fun with my work, and provide an excellent service without having to fake it. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being consistent who I am as a person as well.

 

That’s far more important than holding up a public persona that can be discarded on a moment’s whim. If anything else, if something goes wrong and that it isn’t part of who the person is both in public and in private, then it is going to be concerning. Consistency is important because it’s crucial to a brand and beneficial to an audience because they will know what they will get.

 

My point is that the superhero theme I have is who I am, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. What you see with me is in fact what you will get, in my personal and professional life. 

 

Hailing from Los Angeles, Bonnie has been acting on the stage, television, film, and a voice actor for over 20 years. Credits include Isabel in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Margaret in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and Glory and Rhonda in ALMOST, MAINE. She also recently performed in COMING BACK FOR ME, the winner of Project Chrysalis 2.0 with Cary Playwrights. Voiceover clients include Amazon, Buick, NC State, Toyota, and K-Swiss. She has a Bachelors in Theatre Arts from CSU San Bernardino. When she’s not recording in the studio, she can be found hanging out with her dog Marcel, drinking too much coffee, and serving on the board at North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre. You should totally check out her website at vosuperhero.com   

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Marketing Woes and Foes in 2020, Part One

There are many “social media marketing gurus” out there, and just as many, if not more, influencers with massive followings selling you something every time you refresh your feed. How can you tell if they’re legit?

Enter: SocialBlade. This nifty site allows you to look at the analytics for users on social media platforms from Youtube to TikTok, and everything in between.

For most users, it allows you to look at a brief history of the user’s account over the last year or so. You can track followers, unfollows, media upload count, and more.

What are some things to look out for and investigate before you give any of these gurus/influencers your money or time?

It is quite unusual to go from 300+ new followers in a month to suddenly having over 4200 new followers in a month. That boost in followers accounted for about 1/4 of their current following. 

One thing to look for is a sudden increase in followers, an unusually high number, especially compared to their average follower count, surrounded by a gradual dropoff. A big increase isn’t the most unusual thing to happen – let’s say someone was cast in a show on Amazon Prime and their PR team announced it. There’s a big chance their social media following is going to grow. But the thing is – it’s more likely than not) going to keep growing.

Here are some statistics from a popular fitness Instagrammer who has been accused of buying followers. If you look at November 6th, they had a sudden increase of over 2,000 in one day. 

Another giveaway of a fake following: low engagement on posts. SocialBlade considers followings with 1-2% engagement rate to be “okay” while 5% is considered a success and much more likely to have an authentic following versus fake followers.


So why do people buy fake followers? Honestly, if I had to guess, it probably goes back to appearances. If you have over 10K, you can use the swipe up feature. It “looks” more legit. But it does more harm than good in the long run. Audiences are wising up. Instagram is getting smarter in catching it behind the scenes. Remember the purge of inactive followers from a few years ago that people freaked out about? A lot of users who bought fake followers basically wasted their money and their follower count dropped. At the end of the day, buying followers can get your account shut down if you’re not careful. It’s really not worth the risk. 

So, lets recap. The next time you see someone with an impressive social media following who is trying to sell you some sort of IG course or service, look them up first before you open your wallet. Scroll through their feed, look at their pictures and videos. Are they getting the kind of engagement that you think is successful? Or are they selling you the appearance of being successful? There is a big difference. 

I love using my voice on social media to spread happiness, meet new people in the industry, and have also had the pleasure of making some incredible friendships online through various platforms. To me, it’s more than image, it’s about the connection. Why have a large following if you’re not truly making an impact? I might not have as big of a following as some people who push social media marketing online, but the numbers speak for themselves. I’ve never claimed to be an expert, just someone who loves using social media to actually be social and meet new people. I’d rather have a smaller following if it means I’m being authentic and genuine versus selling a lie.

Be honest with your audience. Especially if these are people buying from you and trusting you with their business. 

Stay tuned for part 2 of the blog where we’ll talk about ways you can authentically connect with your followers, and some tools that have been really helpful for me in my business.

Hailing from Los Angeles, Bonnie has been acting on the stage, television, film, and a voice actor for over 20 years. Credits include Isabel in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Margaret in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and Glory and Rhonda in ALMOST, MAINE. She also recently performed in COMING BACK FOR ME, the winner of Project Chrysalis 2.0 with Cary Playwrights. Voiceover clients include Amazon, Buick, NC State, Toyota, and K-Swiss. She has a Bachelors in Theatre Arts from CSU San Bernardino. When she’s not recording in the studio, she can be found hanging out with her dog Marcel, drinking too much coffee, and serving on the board at North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre. You should totally check out her website at vosuperhero.com   

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Why the Voiceover Superhero?

A fellow VO colleague asked me how my branding is working for me in my business and said that they were thinking of doing something similar until they were advised against it by someone outside the industry. Had this been me ten years ago, I would’ve re-evaluated my whole brand and gone into a “Did I make a mistake?!” spiral, because back then I wouldn’t have believed it, and it wouldn’t have felt genuine and authentic. But me today? Nope. So why did I pick The Voiceover Superhero as my branding? 

To answer their first question, I’d say it’s going pretty well. When you create your business brand, it needs to be about what is associated with you, what you do, and your message needs to be clear. I was raised in geek culture, and could identify and name the members of The Justice League and the X-Men before I started preschool. But it goes beyond that. At my core, I’ve always strived to be of service and help others, to offer guidance and support, to be a problem solver. Superheroes have been my own personal heroes and have served as my North Star during very dark and trying times. With the world feeling as scary as it is, we could all use more superheroes right about now. 

Basically, it isn’t about me, in a braggadocious manner. It’s about what I can do for my clients, my colleagues, my friends, and my family. If I can’t be the solution they’re looking for, I want to be the person who can help them find it. Difficult things and tasks don’t scare me. I don’t give up easily. I believe that the impossible can be done. I’m living proof that great things can come from  small and difficult beginnings, and I believe in the power of people combining their powers to make change happen. I believe we’re all stronger when we work together. 

So when you boil it down, that’s why I chose to represent myself as The Voiceover Superhero, to be the person that can help save the day. Because where there’s a Williams, there’s definitely a way. 

I’d love to hear the backstory of your branding in the comments below 🙂 

 

Hailing from Los Angeles, Bonnie has been acting on the stage, television, film, and a voice actor for over 20 years. Credits include Isabel in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, Margaret in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, and Glory and Rhonda in ALMOST, MAINE. She also recently performed in COMING BACK FOR ME, the winner of Project Chrysalis 2.0 with Cary Playwrights. Voiceover clients include Amazon, Buick, NC State, Toyota, and K-Swiss. She has a Bachelors in Theatre Arts from CSU San Bernardino. When she’s not recording in the studio, she can be found hanging out with her dog Marcel, drinking too much coffee, and serving on the board at North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre. You should totally check out her website at vosuperhero.com   

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