Social Media is King these days—everyone from giant brands to TV shows to grandmas in Poughkeepsie are Tweeting their brains out. The key to using Twitter is not to just Tweet for Tweet-sake. If you’re a brand, you probably have your ad agency or social media guru running your Twitter account. Porn stars normally run their own accounts, and while this is great, it can definitely lead to the downfall of their careers.
I have run accounts for clients who are porn stars (or up and comers) and adult-oriented companies and studios. And of course, I run my own Twitter @therubpr. In the year and a half I’ve been using Twitter, I have learned what works and what doesn’t work. I have seen my clients and other girls Tweeting things they shouldn’t be. When it’s one of my clients they get “the call”—this is me calling them and telling them to take down a Tweet (or Tweets). And 9 times out of 10, they listen to me, since I’m looking out for their images, careers and futures. For the greater good (and so I don’t have to constantly see girls sabotaging their careers), I’ve decided that a blog on do’s and don’ts is in order here.
Do’s
Be Interesting & Descriptive
Tell your fans about your day on set, what a naughty girl you are or the shoe extravaganza you went on today. This is all very interesting to them, even though it seems like the usual to you. Feel free to tease you fans and leave them wanting more…of you.
Post Photos
Yes, post photos of you in your new, sexy dress or you at the gym—anything! If you post naked or topless photos, make sure they are not posted to Twitter. Use YFrog, Lockerz or other photo services that actually host the images for you. If you upload them directly through Twitter, your account could be suspended or deleted. Also, make sure your pics on your Twitter page also aren’t naked or too risqué—this can also lead to your account being suspended or deleted.
Keep the Tweets to a Minimum
I always tell my clients to Tweet at least 10 times a day. Try to Tweet no more than 25 times a day. This will force you to have interesting Tweets and really think about what you’re Tweeting—don’t Tweet about taking out the garbage or your skin breaking out. If you Tweet too much, your fans will unfollow you.
Offer Your Fans An Incentive to Follow You
Are you 10 away from hitting 10,000 followers? Let your fans know and offer to Tweet a topless photo or give a prize to the 10,000th follower. This can really make your numbers go up.
Promote Yourself
This is the reason you should be Tweeting. Tell your fans about your latest movie about to street, award nominations, your spread in Penthouse Magazine or that you will be signing at a convention. You can even retweet press about yourself. Be your own publicist, or help the one you have because they can retweet your Tweets.
Retweet Certain Tweets
The fans LOVE it when you retweet their Tweets about how much they love you or how hot you are. When you retweet these types of Tweets, it gives fans their 15 minutes of fame and makes them feel important and that you care about them. Try and limit retweets (RTs) from fans to 1 or 2 a day, at the most—a few a week would be better.
Keep the Swearing to a Minimum
It’s OK to swear on Twitter, but no every other word. If I’m going to use the “F” word, I usually write is like f@ck. Yes, it’s porn, but professionalism counts.
Try & Follow Back
It’s easier to follow 10 people than 1,000. But, if you follow back, it can help raise your amount of followers. I follow industry peeps, peeps who can help my clients, friends and fans (yes, I have them too, thanks to my clients). I follow half as many people that follow me (generally). I also create private and public lists so I can find my clients’ and associates’ Twitters easily. Your timeline can get full quickly when you follow a lot of people—and, you don’t want to miss stuff.
Add Your Wish List
Use tone of the link shortener tools for Twitter and get your Amazon Wish List in there. Fans love to buy you stuff. But don’t beg for them to repeatedly buy you stuff. You can put up a link for a dress for AVN (or whatever you need) and ask the fans to buy it for you. But, don’t repeatedly ask. And when they do send it to you, thank them on Twitter or spoil back with an autographed photo or some item that shows the fans your love.
Dont’s
Inside Jokes Should Stay…Outside
Inside jokes between you and another person can be funny, but if your Tweets sound more like riddles and/or make no sense, you’ll also get unfollowed. I had a business associate who babbled utter nonsense all the time, and it was quite the topic of conversation for a lot of people. Just say no to inside jokes.
Don’t Be Too Personal
No one wants to know you have an STD, your fiancé is in jail, you’re depressed (or suicidal) and/or you don’t have money to pay your rent. Avoiding political chat that can enrage others (with a different opinion than yours) is also a good idea. Some things are better left unsaid. Think before you Tweet. And remember to never give out yours or anyone’s info on Twitter (i.e. email addresses, phone numbers, etc.).
Don’t Make Threats
No one should make threats on Twitter—posting threats to the Internet is a crime and is admissible in court. Even if it’s a joke, it can still get you in trouble.
Don’t Start Fights or Talk Trash
Starting fights and talking trash are the quickest ways for my clients to get a phone call from me. Starting fights is a bad idea—nothing good can come of it. Talking trash and/or gossiping is another way to get people to hate you. I had a client who dissed a director on Twitter—even though it wasn’t by name, it’s easy enough to figure out whom she worked for the day before. This can keep you from getting work. Just remember that directors and studios could very well be checking you out on Twitter.
Don’t Type in All Caps
Just like email, it is screaming.
Don’t Talk about Drugs
Yes, even Tweeting about pot is a no-no. Don’t use code words and try to be clever when discussing drug use. I always tell my clients to live their lives as they please, but drugs are one thing they should NEVER Tweet about. Studios will pass on hiring you if they see Tweets about drugs. Really. Also, try and not talk about how drunk you are—people will think you do it all the time and you’re an alcoholic, which isn’t too great for your image either.
Don’t Buy Applications to Up Your Followers
When you go from 5,000 followers to 27,000 followers in the blink of an eye, people know you bought your followers. The not so popular girl who’s new to the biz with 55,000 followers…that’s suspicious. Earn your followers, so you’re actually Tweeting to someone and people know you’re on the level.
Don’t Get Caught Up in #FFs
Follow Fridays are time consuming and it sucks when you forget to add someone in there. Personally, I get so many that I just retweet a few. It won’t make you more popular, but could piss people off when you forget to #FF them. Some people take their #FF very seriously.
Don’t Spend All Your Time on Twitter
Get out and work on set, webcam or on your site. Twitter is great for your career, but you need to be working and out in the “real world” too.