by Carma Spence
Why do you want to have an actor website? This is the first thing you really need to think about before you do anything else … before you buy your domain name, secure web hosting or hire a web designer.
When it comes right down to it, there really are only two primary reasons to have an actor website:
- To showcase your portfolio.
- To build a fan base.
Which will be the prime purpose of your website? Will it attempt to accomplish both? Will there be other goals, as well?
Be clear on your purpose … just as you should be clear on your acting goals … before you pay one dime for your website.
So what kind of things can your website do for you and your career? These are things that you might want to keep in mind as your create your vision or goal statement for your website.
Showcase Your Talent
This is really what a good online portfolio does. It uses audio, video and images to illustrate what you do best as an entertainer.
Build a List of Fans
Do you want to make a connection with your fans? Do you want to be able to “keep in touch” with them, updating them with new adventures along your career path? Then there are certain things your actor website will need to have in place.
You can be lackadaisical or robust in your fan base nurturing, using anything from RSS feeds to social media to email marketing tools to interact with your fans.
Establish Your Brand
Every actor has a “brand” … a distinctive style they are known for. If you manage this brand well, you can transcend typecasting. When you think of Robert De Niro, what do you think of? He has a very clear “brand” and is still thought of as an “actor’s actor.”
A brand, whether it is for a business or an individual is an emotional experience. So, your website needs to communicate that emotional experience through images, color combination and word selection. So, what is the emotional experience of your brand? What do you want your brand to say about you?
The purpose of your website determines how you go about designing the look, feel, copy and navigation. So be very clear on your goal before you start working on its design.
