The only thing that rivalled the bustling streets of Grahamstown for the 11 days of Fest this year was the explosion of online activity around #NAF2013.
The only thing that rivalled the bustling streets of Grahamstown for the 11 days of Fest this year was the explosion of online activity around #NAF2013.
If you wanted to know what was going on at the National Arts Festival, all you had to do is search for the official hashtag #NAF2013 on Twitter and use it to join in the conversation.
Productions used social media networks as promotional platforms, to connect with other professionals and to reach their audiences.
Social media have revolutionised both marketing and the arts.
While actors, directors and musicians used to be forced to deal with pesky advertisers who never seemed to get things just right in the past, they are now in control of their own public relations – and it’s free!
Audiences used social media to find out more about what there was to do: they shared reviews and recommendations, discussed shows and asked questions.
Love it or hate it, Facebook and Twitter are where people want to be – and whoever you are, it’s where you need to be if you want them to listen to you.
While the Twittersphere was lit up with tweets from performers, journalists and fans alike during Fest, the official NAF handle @artsfestival (run by Festival organisers) was surprisingly quiet.
They dealt with urgent issues well, which is a crucial component to successful public relations. One follower was pleased when they sent a group of technicians to fix the sound at a show after she sent a tweet complaining about it from the venue.
But they failed to capitalise on the brand-building opportunity presented by #NAF2013. Instead of collecting and curating the flurry of activity surrounding Fest and becoming the go-to handle, @artsfestival got buried under the avalanche.
All it really takes is joining in the conversation: tweet, retweet, share, favourite. Talk to people. Help them, and they’ll help you.
"Social media has an infinite reach," says Justin Share, part of an art collective called The 13th. "If it’s used properly, wisely and with respect where due, social media can do you big favours."
Although he thinks they did a good job of getting the word out there, he recognises the opportunities that passed NAF promoters by.
"They could have been a lot more interactive, making it a lot more widespread and seen, thus growing the festival atmosphere and buzz," he said.
An artist himself, Share and The 13th co-founder Shalom Mushekwa make it their mission to promote local art in all the ways available to them, including creative photography and film-making.
A lack of social media engagement can actually be harmful to your business. More and more audiences are judging brands by the way they use these platforms – or fail to.
By failing to engage promoters, productions, journalists and festival-goers fully, they missed the opportunity to become the centre of an exciting, colourful, bustling conversation. Hey, maybe next year!
