Is Social Media Helping to Keep Movie Studios Alive? By Frankie Wallace.

Social media matters. If you want proof, look no further than the number of users on each platform. Across the globe, there are 2.3 billion people on Facebook. There are 330 million active Twitter users worldwide. There are millions more on Snapchat, Instagram, and dozens of other platforms designed to connect all of us. 

Social media has become more than just a way to connect with friends over the years. It has become a powerhouse marketing tool for a variety of different industries, including film studios. 

Going to the movies has always been an immersive experience. Hollywood is all about making money for the film industry, which is why so many companies have decided to make the entire experience even more interactive through social media. From listening to what fans have to say to offering exclusive content, there are many benefits to utilizing social media in the film industry. 

Gaining Perspective and Listening to Reviews

Many different industries use social media to connect with others and gain information. Even the healthcare industry has benefited from it, with nurses connecting with other nurses across the globe, learning new information, and having discussions. You might think businesses use social media in a different way, but the bottom line always remains true: They use social media to develop connections. Movie studios have to develop relationships with moviegoers in order to keep them interested and ensure they keep coming to the theater. 

One of the best ways for movie studios to utilize social media is simply to listen to fans and ticket buyers. An estimated 56% of Twitter users utilize the platform to leave simple reviews about the movies they see. That’s a huge number that can create a big impact when it comes to the success of a film in Hollywood. 

So, what has Hollywood done to capitalize on this? For starters, many studios are working with marketing firms and social media research firms specifically designed to promote films via social media. One of the most popular is Fizziology, which has followed conversations about movies on nearly every social media platform. The teams at these firms do things like collect data about the viewership of movie trailers after they’re released online. They collect data about the conversations people are having, including what people are saying about films before they even come out. 

When these reports are given to studios, the filmmakers and producers can make necessary adjustments. They can also decide to make a change in their marketing plans when it comes to how to promote the film. By using firms to collect data, Hollywood shows that it’s listening to the fans. That helps to build relationships that can keep those same fans coming back for more movies. 

Hollywood Social Media Campaigns

Of course, it’s not just about collecting data and making adjustments. Movie studios actively participate in marketing on social media when they have a new film to promote. Perhaps no one does this better than Marvel Studios. It’s easy to think that any movie Marvel releases will be a box office hit, but the studio still understands the importance of connecting with fans on every social platform possible. 

One of Marvel’s best campaigns came along with “Captain America: Civil War.” The company made individual Facebook pages for the characters in the film and suggested that fans choose a side between Tony Stark and Captain America. It was a great way to keep users engaged and make them feel as though they had a choice in the movie. 

Marvel also understands the fact that most people view social media and web content from their phones. They take advantage of mobile-friendly platforms like Twitter and Instagram, and it shows. The studio has over 17 million followers on its Instagram account thanks to its efforts. 

New York-based A24 is another movie studio that often gets praised for its social media efforts. In their 2016 promotion for “The Witch,” the studio created a separate Twitter account for a character named “Black Phillip,” a goat who appeared in the movie. They posted frequently from the account using the hashtag #BlackPhillip to create a campaign surrounding the film, and encourage discussion between fans. 

It was a breath of comedic fresh air for the film that was otherwise being marketed as something dark and terrifying. Twitter responded positively, with Black Phillip’s account gaining over 10,000 followers. It was a successful way of introducing a lighter side of the movie, and got fans talking before the film even came out — what’s more, it showed the kind of marketing power hashtags can have, no matter the industry.

Even celebrities are using their social media platforms to promote their movies. Ryan Reynolds is a perfect example of this, creating YouTube videos featuring his Deadpool character, as well as actually sending out tweets from the famous comic book character. So, the studios aren’t the only ones putting in the work on the web!

Social media platforms show no signs of slowing down any time soon. With that in mind, we can expect to see even more creative ideas from movie studios when it comes to how to connect with fans. The closer moviegoers feel to a film before it even hits the big screen, the more likely it is they’ll feel drawn to see it. By using social media to promote a movie and using social media in the movies themselves, film studios are hitting a lot of right notes when it comes to developing a relationship with the people buying tickets.

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