Social Media. Is it just me, or should Theatreview push their presence on Twitter and Facebook?

April 6, 2011

Social Media

Sylvia Giles posted 4 Apr 2011, 10:24 PM

Is it just me, or should Theatreview push their presence on Twitter and Facebook? What is Theatreview doing to stay relevant to theatre-going audiences?

Editor posted 5 Apr 2011, 09:50 AM / edited 5 Apr 2011, 09:50 AM

Sylvia, you will note to the left that there are tags that allow you to post links to Facebook, Twitter, Email and Favourites. People often post links to reviews on their Facebook wall. Not being a Tweeter I don’t know how often that facility is used.

If you click on Reviews (LH column), you will see that one can subscribe via RSS feed. SCOOP uses this to add theatreview review links to its Culture section (you have to scroll down quite a way to find them). The Big Idea’s weekly Navigator Bulletin also includes a Theatreview Weekly link.

Is there anything else we should be doing – or are there better ways of using the technology and systems we already have? Suggestions appreciated.

charlie unwin posted 5 Apr 2011, 10:01 AM

I agree and I would suggest having a theatreview fan page on facebook, where links to the reviews could be posted, etc. I wouldn’t post reviews in total as you still want/need people to visit your actual site . It’s a good tool for reaching a lot of people and would attract more visitors, as more people would potentailly be made aware of theatreview.

Sylvia Giles posted 5 Apr 2011, 10:21 AM

Yeah, obviously I’d seen the sharing links, and people can always do that themselves… it just really shaves a few seconds off. It’s not the same thing as having a presence, I don’t think. I’m still really surprised Theatreview doesn’t have a FB fan page. Just sayin’.

Sylvia Giles posted 5 Apr 2011, 02:40 PM

You could use the Facebook page to editorialise more, really pluck out the best reviews, and the best shows… it would offer you a really different look and feel to the website, but feed into it, of course. More like a magazine, less like a database. Super welcoming to, for anyone who’s not in industry but wants to dip their toes, etc.

Michael Wray posted 5 Apr 2011, 05:06 PM

Good idea Sylvia.

It’s early days, but Theatreview is now on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Theatreview-The-New-Zealand-Performing-Arts-Review-Directory/214885415195623?sk=wall

John Smythe posted 5 Apr 2011, 05:20 PM

Thank you Sylvia – and thank you Michael for your help on this. My interest is in bringing people to this site rather than running the conent in a parellel universe called Facebook. If discussion occurs on Theatreview itself, it remains on record for researchers etc forever. What happens to Facebook postings — they quickly become part of the vapour in the cloud?

Editor posted 5 Apr 2011, 06:06 PM / edited 5 Apr 2011, 07:59 PM

Productions that are to be reviewed on theatreview may use this page to publicise the show – but please also email the production info, cast & crew credits and a jpeg image to john@theatreview.org.nz

Michael Wray posted 5 Apr 2011, 07:16 PM / edited 5 Apr 2011, 07:59 PM

PS: Now that we have reached the requisite number of fans on the page, we are allowed a short name and I have set this, obviously, to Theatreview. So a shorter link than the one previously posted is http://www.facebook.com/Theatreview

Sylvia Giles posted 5 Apr 2011, 09:25 PM

@John Smythe Yeah, I can understand that. That’s actually a million-dollar entrepreneurial web idea, a piece of software that transposes comments made on Facebook back onto a blog.

Currently the format that is just so heavily skewed to industry. Which, obviously, isn’t a bad thing… it’s a great thing… but for us plain-old theatre dorks there could be a massive potential for us to engage in a way that suits our needs too. We just need a way into what is a very large resource. I reckon, and I have no way to back this up, that anyone involved in theatre would still comment on the website itself. Just not us laymen whose comments are more like: “wow! saw this Fri night! was awesum! go c it!”

John Smythe posted 5 Apr 2011, 10:26 PM

I am very keen to make Theatreview attractive to audience members – that has always been a core value and major intention. If theatregoers feel more comfortable commenting on Facebook or Tweeting their feelings so be it – but it was never my intention that Theatreview’s comments and forum facilities should be dominated by practitioners. I’m always delighted when a ‘punter’ speaks up.

Sylvia Giles posted 6 Apr 2011, 08:47 AM

Well, I could be wrong, of course!

Twitter is worth a look too, I promise. And it’s more than just a way to disseminate info and reviews, a lot of people can be introduced to your site that way with retweet and stuff. BTW, and slightly off topic, the Auckland Arts Fest did a terrific job with theirs, and the ATC do a fab one too. Their needs are totally different to ThV, of course, but I think they really set a bar for productions themselves looking to promote their shows through social media. (This is another thread entirely, I guess!)

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