Apps like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Tik Tok might be calling your name, begging for the perfect post. And when you have an adorable child, you probably have a seemingly endless array of giggle-inducing content. Sometimes, it is hard to resist capturing that gorgeous smile for the world to see. But especially when your child is in the modeling industry, there are some important things to keep in mind before tapping “share.” So, as child modeling experts, we have pulled together some of our best tips to help you navigate social media for kids in modeling.
When it comes to posting social media content with your little model, it's both a personal and professional decision. Let's be clear, not having these accounts won’t make or break your child's modeling career. But having them might! When it comes to impressing a casting director, they often pay more attention, or even pay more for a job, if your child has a strong social media presence. The number of followers and the content you post can help contribute to your child’s brand. Some companies want to share in that success! So, for child models, it can definitely be a good idea to have it. But keep in mind these important ground rules….
Unless your child is an older teenager and you feel comfortable letting them take control, parents should be in charge of any social media accounts of minors. Be sure to notify any fans or followers by including a disclaimer along the lines of “account managed by mom” in the bio of your child’s page. This lets people know that they will be reaching out to contact a parent instead of the child, should they want to get in touch.
It is also best practice to include your child’s agency in the bio as well. This looks like writing something like “represented by @bensimonmodelsandtalent” in the bio. This is a great way to encourage bookings and to filter out any inappropriate messages or scams. You can refer anyone in the DMs or comments about bookings to your agent so they will know you mean business.
As much as social media for kids is all about having fun and staying positive, we have to keep in mind that not everyone has good intentions. Be proactive about protecting your child by not posting any personal information on the account. Anything that could signal the location or identification of your child should be completely left out of any social media. This includes addresses, phone numbers, schools or other places your child regularly goes to.
Sometimes there are also some not so nice people on social media. Be sure to monitor the accounts for bullying and other negativity to stop it in its tracks. A great way to do this is to set the account to require approval of comments so that people can't say nasty things.
This might go without saying, but don’t post any inappropriate content. And for children, the range of what is and is not appropriate might be wider than you might think. What seems like an innocent photo is online, public for the world to see (forever!) and can’t be taken back. Make sure that children are always fully clothed in photographs and try to avoid anything that might become embarrassing later.
While you might choose to be open with social media for your kids, another parent might choose to keep their kids off of it altogether. So, be sensitive and always ask permission from any other parents before posting pictures that feature their child. If you want to use pictures from on set or a shoot, get it cleared with your agent first and the production team responsible for the shoot. There are rules against sharing on set photos in many cases and you should be aware of that to stay on contract.
As much as we know your child is doing adorable things every day, try to keep posts to every few days. Unless your child is considered an influencer, social media is to keep an active presence not a catalog of everyday tasks. You want to retain a presence without overwhelming everyone's feed. But of course, if you have something special, we want to see it! So, keep posting to remind everyone how beautiful and amazing your child is!
At Bensimon Models and Talent, we want to make sure you and your child are getting the best out of their experience. Social media is a great way to show off some of the amazing projects your child has worked on. Not to mention how wonderful they are! But most of all, it should be fun. If you have any questions about social media for kids, reach out to us via email or slide into our DMs!
