Here we present some suggestions to help you with the marketing of your virtual flyer as part of your overall mixed-media strategy:
Putting up your press release/press pack on dedicated websites like Festival Previews offers you another platform to assist you with your internet marketing strategy. Festival Previews regularly reviews its web pages in order to maximize its appeal to search engines.
We would very much welcome you to be our MySpace friend.
Festival Previews builds links for traffic and Search Engine Optimisation. We link to websites in the same field and do not associate with "inappropriate community" websites.
A link is the lifeblood of the internet. A link to your website from another related website is like a vote for your website. Always remember: LINKING IS QUEEN, and CONTENT IS KING!
We suggest putting your Virtual Flyer web page link on:
Any other website or blog page that you use so the public know where to find your preview clip.
Your flyers, posters, press releases and any promotional material you are preparing for the festival.
Write an online press release to say that you have launched your Virtual Flyer for this fringe or that festival. This is another way to get your show profiled after your initial press launch. Search engines love new content - fresh information = more relevance and search engines will find you. Online press releases bring in potential customers from your local market and increases your worldwide industry presence.
You can sign up for their online basic package/s using www.sourcewire.com, www.dwpub.com, www.allmediascotland.com.
Large US News Release Distribution Services: www.businesswire.com, www.marketwire.com, www.primezone.com, www.prnewswire.com, www.prweb.com.
It is important to know that most news release distribution services distribute to online media such as Google News, Yahoo News, RSS group feeds and five industry targets.
Presentation of your Virtual Flyer is important. Remember your local audience! The customer/public is looking to read what your show is about; enjoy a visual preview; and read what media and other people are writing about you and your show. The more information on your Virtual Flyer, the better they are able to make informed decisions to come and see your show.
Also, remember your global internet audience: members of the public worldwide; the global media; and professionals in the Arts! Presentation of your Virtual Flyer is important in targeting these customers too.
Artists and performers may also use their own national language on the website as well as an English translation.
We are happy to allow your sponsor’s logo with link/s on your Festival Previews web page, provided that your sponsor agrees.
Your Virtual Flyer can be updated to reflect things like show time changes or promotions etc throughout the Fringe/Festival. On your printed promotional literature you should put a note to tell customers to check your Virtual Flyer during the festival/fringe for updates.
During and after the fringe or festival you can gather all your reviews and add them to your Virtual Flyer.
Your Virtual Flyer can also be used to direct customers to the next festival that you will be performing at.
Check out how other performers are promoting themselves and see the type of layout that suits you best.
When creating your video, think of it as a mini-film to promote your show and yourselves. Check out some of the previews of past performers for presentation ideas.
Title screens and credit screens tend to be rushed through which is a shame; they are most important for creating anticipation, gathering information and reinforcing information.
One performer provided great feedback in telling us that he checked out all the video promotions on the website and wrote pros and cons for each one. He then made his own video preview knowing how to make his show’s video for his target audience.
If you are unsure about making a video, you could seek advice from a variety of sources from internet searches to Film and Media Studies students at your local college/university, for example. They are a good source of information and who knows, a collaboration of ideas can help profile both parties.
A number of performers have noted that on-stage video previews sometimes can turn out a bit dark, so check your lighting. Alternatively, some performers have produced video preview clips filmed away from the stage which makes use of natural light.
If you have not managed to upload a video to profile your show before the festival or fringe, you can arrange to record your performance during the first few days and upload it during the festival or even after the festival. This is your platform to create a body of work where each successive festival/fringe you perform at is linked to your current Virtual Flyer. Festival Previews will be targeting year round festivals and many customers click through to past festivals.
Please feel free to contact us to pass on any tips and suggestions that your fellow performers may find helpful. As we receive feedback and tips from performers we will add their suggestions to this list to help you with a part of your overall internet marketing strategy.
Remember this is YOUR PLATFORM. Your demographic reach is local...and national...and global, 24/7. Your show is not just a one day press headline but a virtual headline every day. The public, producers, directors and agents can view your Virtual Flyer any time, any place, any where, all for free.