Why Celebrities Should Have a Digital Agency
Most celebrities understand the value of self-promotion better than anyone. It’s in their blood.
However, understanding something and implementing it effectively are two very different things. Self-promotion is a fine art. Done well, it can pay off immensely. Done poorly, it will have significant negative ramifications for your personal and professional brand.
Regardless of their level of fame or exposure, most celebrities should have a digital agency to help them leverage their skills and experience into sales. They say all publicity is good publicity, but that usually only applies if you’ve got talented people on your side ensuring the public conversation turns in your favour.
The public, and particularly the media, can be very fickle. Without a deep understanding of the forces at work in public relations, it can be difficult to stay on top of things and craft your digital presence to take advantage of your own work and ongoing trends. So, without further ado, here are just some reasons why celebrities should have a digital agency.
Public backlash can be intense and unrelenting.
Sometimes things just go wrong. Even with the best of intentions, it’s always possible to fall foul of the crowd. Whether you’ve sent an errant tweet that fails to acknowledge prevailing public opinions, or a personal feud has gone public, the public backlash can be instantaneous and incredibly vicious.
Particularly for high-profile celebrities, it can be very difficult to please everyone and stay loyal to your own convictions and personal brand at the same time. Sometimes you will absolutely polarize the masses, and the way in which you respond to the resultant backlash can have a significant impact on your reputation moving forward.
Digital agencies and online reputation managers have seen it all before. We understand the patterns of public responses to a broad variety of situations, and we can help you navigate the minefield of public opinion. Sure, you might be able to survive public backlash on your own. With the help of professionals, however, you can come out stronger than ever before.
The “Viral” factor works both ways – depending how well you play it.
We’re living in the information age, and digital platforms mean that information spreads faster than anything ever has before. Many celebrities who built their reputations online are well aware of the power of virality and regularly leverage it to their own advantage. However, for more traditional talent, it can be an incredibly difficult art to master.
With a strong digital fanbase and regular, quality engagement, it’s possible to take advantage of existing trends and even publications specifically regarding you. Promoting virality can be an incredibly effective way of spreading your personal brand and gaining greater traction.
However, virality is a two-edged sword. When you take a wrong step, it can be very difficult to stop the runaway train before it causes serious damage. This is where a digital agency comes into its own – by controlling the situation before it gets out of hand.
Crafting an image requires nuance, skill and time.
Even if you’re well versed in brand and reputation management, the digital world can still present challenges to all but the most experienced agents. There are countless stories of celebrities causing irrevocable damage to their brand by attempting to manage things themselves.
Woody Harrelson’s disastrous Reddit AMA is a perfect example of a world famous celebrity failing to grasp the subtle nuances of a particular social platform, resulting in ongoing reputational damage even years later.
A digital agency can help you navigate through various social platforms and avoid making the mistakes that others have made before you. Furthermore, they’ll be able to track and manage mentions of your name, ensuring that you maintain your brand image and continue to remain relevant.
Digital platforms are more important than any other.
Of course, this depends entirely on what line of work you’re in. However, as a general rule, maintaining a positive online presence is far more important than anything else. Critically, it allows you to have some control over the content that is distributed and the method in which it is used.
Most major media outlets invest heavily in digital distribution, and also actively draw on online content for news content. By having an actively managed online presence, you greatly increase your chances of gaining additional positive coverage and expanding your footprint.
Leveraging your digital presence into work and exposure takes skill.
Simply tweeting regularly and staying active on Instagram, Facebook and other networks isn’t enough to build your own brand. You need to take a strategized approach and maintain a high level of brand consistency. Unless you’re a professional brand manager or agent, you’re going to have a difficult time managing this alongside your regular work.
Sometimes it’s not just exposure that matters, but the right kind. Getting in front of the right people and getting yourself noticed is a fine art that takes years to perfect. You need to understand how to use data to maximise your online impact and ensure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
A digital agency can act as a buffer between you and the masses.
When all else fails, it pays to have someone standing between you and disaster. Crisis management is a large aspect of online reputation management, but when the crisis has begun it’s often too late to turn the situation into a positive.
By engaging a digital agency to help you manage your brand from the outset, not only will you avoid creating negative situations, but you’ll stand a far greater chance of riding them out if they arise outside of your control. There’s nothing stopping someone writing a hit piece on you and getting it published through major syndicated networks. However, if you have a professional digital agency on your side, they can easily nip the situation in the bud and prevent ongoing reputational damage.
Want to learn more about how a digital agency can help you manage your online reputation? Get in touch with us today. We’ll take a look at your existing digital presence and let you know how you can gain greater exposure and take the leaps you want in your career.