Article first published as Social Media Could Aid Ashton Kutcher’s Success on Two and a Half Men on Technorati.
Ashton Kutcher joining the TV show “Two and a Half Men” is being discussed all over the Internet. Will his joining the cast save the show?
But I think something important is missing from the articles I’ve read: How much Kutcher’s active participation on Twitter could help his acceptance on the show.
The May 14-15 Wall Street Journal had an article by Sam Schechner titled “CBS Takes Gamble on Kutcher.” The article described the success, or lack of success, of other substitutions of main characters on popular TV shows.
Here’s the important point that the article left out:
None of the other TV shows cited took place in the era of social media. But Kutcher has a huge following on Twitter – 6,728,979 at the moment I write this – and his participation preceded Charlie Sheen’s jump on Twitter to further Sheen’s media circus rant.
Even the Daily Variety in its May 13 article by Andrew Wallenstein titled “Half Is Whole Again” didn’t truly appreciate this huge Twitter following. The last two paragraphs of the story read:
“The actor also has a busy side career as an investor in digital-media properties. And he has established himself as a Internet star of sorts, with more than 6 million followers on Twitter.
“With TV nets increasingly involved in harnessing the forces of social media for marketing to younger audiences, that massive following is an added bonus for CBS.”
Yes, this is an added bonus for CBS and one that should definitely be figured into predictions of how well the show will do with Ashton Kutcher.
But what’s also important to realize is that social media marketing is NOT just to younger audiences. In fact, in the case of Twitter, one might make the case that the audience is actually older.
I base this on a social media marketing talk that my business partner and I gave to a UCLA freshman class this week. Of the 20 students, only one young woman was on Twitter (and she was the only one on LinkedIn) while all 20 students had Facebook profiles.
Regardless of who makes up the over six-and-a-half million followers Kutcher has on Twitter, his active participation on the social media site could have a significant impact on the chances of the show doing well when he joins it.
Social media has changed the world in so many ways, and making an easier transition for a new lead into an ongoing TV show may just be one of these ways.
If you want to know what Kutcher tweets, you can see his tweets at http://twitter.com/aplusk (the white checkmark means that this is a verified account).
And if you want recommendations on an effective Twitter profile, get the Miller Mosaic free report at www.MillerMosaicPowerof3.com or get this free report as one of several free reports at www.millermosaicllc.com/miller-mosaic-free-reports
© 2011 Miller Mosaic, LLC
Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller on Twitter) is the co-founder of the social media marketing company Miller Mosaic LLC.
Get the free information “8 Social Media Marketing Mistakes” and “Social Media Marketing Does Not Magically Work; You Have to Work It” at www.facebook.com/millermosaicsocialmedia
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