So let’s look at two different things. First, how could we apply this to magic, more specifically getting hired as a magician? Secondly, take a look at the description for Linked In. “I’m very skilled at training cats.” Linked In, as most of you know is the “professional” social media place. It’s where you go to connect with professionals for business reasons. It’s not just a hang out where you have fun and “like your cat” or “play with your cat” or “share pictures of your cat.” It’s where you show people how skilled you are at training cats.

For fun, let’s rewrite the list for magicians, keeping in mind that our goal is to use the tools listed below to help get us hired as professionals.

• Facebook: I liked performing for American Family Insurance Last Night
• Twitter: I’m heading off to my 5th repeat gig at University Of Utah
• YouTube: Watch this video of me cutting and restoring the tie of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield CEO
• LinkedIn: I’ve been performing professionally as a magician for over 20 years.
• Instagram: Here’s a picture of my audience in shock from today’s show
• Pinterest: Here’s a way to use magic to make your day at work more fun
• Yelp: I love the food at Dos Hermanos Mexican restaurant so much that I decided to work there as a magician.
• Google+: I want my site ranked well on Google, so I post everything to Google+ also
• Spotify: I’m listening to it’s Magic by the cars (or Music IS Magic) (or you’re a magician what instrument do you play?)
• Foursquare: I’m at Chinese Gourmet performing Right NOW!

Take a look at each one briefly, and you’ll realize that there’s more there than meets the eye. Using each of these forms of media can really help you in your on line presence. Someone who is considering hiring you will search for you on Google, Facebook and LinkedIn at the very least. Having Facebook posts like the one mentioned above shows that you’re performing real gigs for real clients.

The Twitter post shows that you’re getting rehired . . . the show must be good if you got rehired. Obviously, a clip of your show on YouTube speaks volumes of your quality and style, etc. LinkedIn is obviously the big place for professionals looking for other professionals. Also, make a point of connecting on LinkedIn with those people who hire you. Showing your connections on LinkedIn to other professionals shows that you’re connected and respected.

Instagram and Pinterest both show the fun side of you. Posting pictures online of your gigs and venues also shows your popularity and gives you credibility when someone wants to hire you. For the Pinterest example (using magic to make work fun), be creative. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy. It doesn’t even have to be an actual trick that you teach. It could be a picture of an optical illusion or something along those lines.

With Yelp, make a point of reviewing businesses you’ve performed for. Let the owner know that you’ve reviewed them and send him/her the link to the review. Knowing that you’re an extension of the business’s marketing arm can be extremely valuable when it comes to rehire time.

As for Google, the bottom line is that they are THE search engine to beat. Everyone uses Google. Sure some people are switching to Bing and at the moment, Yahoo! is getting more page views (not searches) than Google, but it’s tough to deny the power that Google wields. I’ve personally found that when I post a link to one my magic reviews on Google+, it comes up in the Google searches more often than those I’ve not posted to Google+. Basically, everything I post on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and my own Blogs/sites, I also post and/or link to in Google+.

Spotify is a chance to have a little fun. You can post comments to Facebook from Spotify . . . comments about the song you’re listening to. In the above bullet points, I mentioned three different examples of what you might say. The point, however, is to show the fun/personal side of you while still keeping it linked to magic.

Finally, Foursquare. This is a great way to let people know exactly where you are and what you’re doing. If you post the gigs you’re doing, first of all you may get some people to show up at the gig. Secondly, however, the history of all your Foursquare posts shows how often and where you’re gigging. Again, credibility.

The above list is certainly a great place to start and to get some ideas on how to use social media. However, the main one is LinkedIn. It’s the place for pros. At the company I work for, we use LinkedIn quite a bit to help develop the online reputation of our CEO and our company. In fact, we purchased a course on LinkedIn that I highly recommend. It’s called Linked Influence and was created by Lewis Howes a former Pro Football player who was seriously injured and had to take his career in a new direction.

Check out the course. It is easily adaptable for professional magicians. You can get the course here:

Linked Influence

And he offers a money back guarantee.

Until next month . . . get online, get social, and get some gigs!