Acting has always been a competitive career choice. Few make it, and many spend their lives struggling. The good news is that a few simple strategies can help a person to advertise themselves as an actor better and get more attention. By getting more eyes on their work, an actors will increase the odds of being granted an audition, and ultimately being hired. As national motivational speaker Sam Haskell would say, it’s just simple math. Here are five reasons that every actor should have both a website, and a portfolio.
1. More Exposure
How a company gets in touch with the actors and actresses they need can happen in a variety of ways. While there are the big auditions that most people tend to envision when thinking about this, there are also cases in which a company may search online for the actors they need.
In these cases, it is important for an actor to have a website. By having a website with the correct keywords, an actor can make sure that their site which gives an overview of their skills and presents their portfolio, will be seen by the people who want to hire them.
2. Showcasing One’s Skills
Not only does a website give an actor a way to pick up search traffic, it also serves as a home to their portfolio. Sure, nothing beats an audition for showing off one’s abilities, but a portfolio can present a wider range of skills, and even serve as a resume of sorts by showcasing past acting gigs.
The important thing for actors to remember is that like many professions, employers are often times looking for employees who fill a specific niche, not a generalist. The more the portfolio can make an actor look like an expert at playing certain roles or doing certain work, the more likely they are to get hired for these roles.
3. Convenience
When one thinks of a portfolio, they often times think of a binder with a bunch of stuff in it that they carry to job interviews and such. This is essentially useless for showcasing an actor’s skills as one would imagine. Having an online portfolio is a better idea because it makes things more convenient for both the actor, and their potential employer.
For example, if an actor attends an audition, they can give the person making the hiring decision a business card with the address to the online portfolio. This makes things easier on both parties and increases the chances that the person making the hiring decision will actually take a look at the portfolio.
4. The Power of Video
Still images are essentially useless when it comes to presenting a person’s acting abilities, making the idea of a physical portfolio impractical for an actor. On the other hand, online portfolios hosted on the actor’s own website can use the power of video to show off their acting abilities.
What actors should remember though is that people have short attention spans, especially employers who need to look at a lot of resumes and such. By keeping the video clips short and to the point, an actor can increase the chances of an employer taking the time to review their work and contact them for an interview.
The videos should also be organized in a way that makes it easy for employers to find what they are looking for. For example, there could be a page for commercial work, a page for other TV work, and a page for movies. Regardless of how it is organized, it needs to be fast and easy for an employer to review the specific skills that they’re looking for.
5. Looking Professional
In the past simply having a business card was a big step towards looking like a savvy professional in one’s industry, but these days, it is not enough. Having a website shows that an actor takes their career seriously and presents them as someone who will also take their job seriously. This will leave a positive impression on potential employers who see their website.
Having a website also allows an actor to focus on branding. This can apply to not only the types of acting that they do, but also how they carry themselves, and what they bring to the table for their employers. By developing a strong USP (unique selling proposition) an actor can further set themselves apart from the crowd.
The Best Way to Get Hired
One thing that actors who create a website and online portfolios tend to forget is that their website is essentially a sales funnel. Each page should prompt the reader to contact them via phone, email, or whatever method is best.
Sam Haskell would often remind people that there is no point in having a website or online portfolio if it does not get potential employers to act, and he isn’t wrong. Any actor willing to build a website for more exposure should ensure that the site actually does its job by having strong calls to action because if it doesn’t help an actor get hired, there’s no point in making the website in the first place.
