Confused by Grandma FB, Snotty Insta and Snap? Frontline Social Media Pros Weigh In

Every social media platform has its own culture – its own norms, trends, rules and community of users.

And guess what else?

Your content and products, though generally the same, must be presented according to each platform’s own cultural tendencies.

We asked two social media specialists from Gamma Entertainment– managers of many unique, standalone brands – to weigh in regarding everything from massively general spaces like Facebook to highly specific concentrations like Switter.

What to front line professionals working multiple platforms on a daily basis have to say? Jess, who’s young and hungry and new, and Ursela, who’s highly experienced and precise, shared the goods.

YNOT: Social media seems to be getting more and more sex-negative (or, it always was), even Twitter. In that environment, performers and models can still draw from endless things about their lives that have nothing to do with sex, but what can a content company engages besides content? 

Ursela: I believe providing safe for work content is usually possible for any adult brand. We use social media platforms to inform our follower base [about] who and what is upcoming. In my own experience, I do not even carry profiles on strict social media platforms such as Facebook (too many deleted past accounts), and I focus my time on more adult-friendly platforms. Ultimately, companies use social media for exposure and communication with their audience. You don’t necessarily need to be exploiting naked sex pictures in order to do that.

Jess: Showing the creation process is always effective for me! I love to share behind the scene photos of models getting ready or being on set. It’s incredible the amount of work and technicality that is involved while creating a scene, and our followers seem to be interested in this process. If I can show the people who love our content how it is made because they genuinely want to know, then I’ll happily oblige. It’s very based on what the people want rather than what I want to show them. There is a happy balance between the two.

Even if we create adult content, that doesn’t mean that is the only topic we can discuss and share. Pornography really is a collaborative effort from many different talents (screenwriters, directors, performers etc.) and I like to highlight that through my posts.

As a social media savvy person managing very successful brands, what are your opinions on the follow sub-areas of social media:

1. Social media that caters to different age demographics

Jess: Oh, I definitely love to reach out through different platforms to reach all demographics. Admittedly, it is tricky to try to reach everyone without coming off as a little “corporate,” but it just makes sense to use every platform you can. I aim to relate to the people I’m trying to engage with, and you cannot properly execute that if you don’t use the same mediums [as they are].

Ursela: Snap is great for takeovers and posting live “behind the scenes” content, but Facebook is a no go for me. Every platform has its best purpose for our needs, but in [oir] industry, we only really focus on two in particular: Twitter and Instagram. I don’t cater posts or content based on age demographics. We let the quality of the content speak for itself on every platform we use as far as social media is concerned.

2. Social media that is very overtly sex negative, but widely popular

Jess: Yes, this is very tricky to navigate these days. You always have to follow their rules, but I have to admit I find it to be a little convoluted. The thing with pornography is that you are endorsing and promoting acts performed between two (or more, holla!) consenting adults. I would much rather support an industry that pays its workers appropriately for their respective labor rather than an alternative means which could be linked to sex trafficking. To have social media that willingly tries to restrict and abolish the companies who respect their workers… well I can’t get behind that. I’ll follow their rules, but there’s a flaw in their beliefs.

Ursela: Instagram has been one of our best successes to date, funnily enough. Although we work around incredibly strict guidelines when posting content, we receive amazing engagement from fans and, often, other performers. Rules keep changing, but we change with them. We also keep aware that when posting even super safe-for-work pictures – for instance, bikini, non-nude — they may be reported, and we might have our accounts suspended or deleted. Sometimes, moderators and bots make absolutely no sense, but it comes with the territory. We do our best to work around it.

3. Concentrated community spaces that cater to the needs of sex workers but do not generally have a large influx of consumer users (e.g. Switter)

Jess: I love Switter! I 100 percent believe that sex work is in fact work, and those who participate in this line of labor deserve their right to security. Yes, the general public might not use these small concentrated spaces, but these are the communities where you can be best understood. Again, I really try to relate with those I try to engage with, and sometimes it’s not about reaching out to the widest audience. When you make a meaningful connection with a user, others will see it and will follow. It’s like a ripple effect.

Ursela: Switter is currently floating at roughly 100K users as of today, so it is growing. Its current incantation doesn’t quite serve our purposes for promotion, but for use as an individual in the industry, there is great promise. We’ll keep our eyes on it and see what potential it might present as it continues to expand.

Any final thoughts regarding social media that y’all would like to share?

Jess: I find this line of work to be so incredibly interesting! It’s a job where you receive instant gratification. Members will laugh at your comments, respond to your posts and ask you questions. It’s a great way to be on the front line and really engage. I find that is an aspect most companies don’t fully practice: engagement and listening. When you show someone that you are listening, they will never stop sharing — and oftentimes, what they share is just the kind of feedback you need!

Ursela: Social media is really just a tool. From being a major proponent of the Arab Spring in 2010 to informing us what our friends ate for lunch, the user shapes its use. As a brand, we’re trying to maintain a presence and provide an experience to our followers, while also staying aware that we need to keep social media safe for all who use it. Because of this, it comes with challenges that I, as a parent, have no issue working with (or against) in effort to keep our platforms safer.

Although some social spaces may seem “sex negative,” this really is determined from what perspective you are approaching it from. With this in mind, we adapt. In the words of Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart regarding pornography and obscenity — “I know it when I see it.”

There’s usually a way around regulations as long as you have creativity and time on your side.

Image via ramzi hashisho.