Should Voice Actors Quit Social Media?

I have just been reading the news that one of the UK's largest pub and restaurant chains has pulled out of all social media platforms. JD Wetherspoons has dumped Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with "immediate effect". 

The company cites trolling, lack of engagement and concerns over personal data. 

But what about voice-over artists? Should we consider doing the same?

This would fly in the face of accepted wisdom. In fact I have been touting the benefits of social media for years and in one video I suggest it is an essential part of your marketing. 

Did I (and many others) get it wrong?

Firstly, I feel we may be the victims of group think. One expert says social media is important, so we all jump on the bandwagon. And why not? It has been the hot topic for many voice-over talents for a long time. 

Scratch below the surface, though, and it is difficult to find any reliable evidence that social media promotion actually works. In my own case, I only have circumstantial evidence from my voiceover students. 

Linkedin has worked for a couple of people and Twitter's network business hours have yielded voice-over work for one of my graduates in Leicester. Other than that, affirmations are hard to find. 

Let us face it - few voice actors know how to use these networks properly in order to find VO jobs. 

And here is an inescapable aspect of social media: you end up only talking to likeminded folks. Voice-over groups inside our filter bubbles rarely attract the people we really want to reach..... the clients. 

After all, why would a potential client be looking at a voice actor's Instagram or Twitter account? All those pictures of microphones, headphones and acoustic foam can become tiresome.

They are more likely to be doing a Google search hunting for a voice they think is a good fit for their project. Your website's SEO is surely of greater importance. 

So what should you do?

Taking a stand and quitting social media for moral or business reasons seems laudable and you are probably chiming with the current zeitgeist. 

However, it is a high risk strategy. What if Facebook et al get their house in order and emerge invigorated and more user-friendly? They have deep pockets and can withstand substantial knocks.

If this happens, you will have quit prematurely and will probably be on the wrong side of marketing history. 

On the other hand, if the backlash against social media intensifies, most voice-over talents will want to be as far away from the swamp as possible. 

These are interesting times.

What has been your experience of social media? Please let me know in the Comments section.

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Gary Terzza is a UK voice-over coach.