Pageant Chatter is a segment where I highlight the thoughts and opinions of pageant enthusiasts concerning their own pageant experiences and major changes in the pageantry industry.
Pageants have grown significantly over the past few years especially due to the age of social media. Pageant systems are utilizing social media to bring awareness to their organizations and use it as a tool to recruit contestants. This form of marketing has allowed systems to reach a vast number of people, and it does not require a hefty price tag. Also, the queens of these systems are using social media to build their brands, promote their platforms, and bring even more awareness to their respective pageant systems.
There are even some pageant systems that require their titleholders to not only have social media accounts, but their social media accounts must be public accounts. Even though social media is the norm in our society, there is still this issue of safety and privacy. Also, most social media platforms have an age requirement so younger division queens are not able to sign up for said accounts unless they are created by their parents or legal guardians. So the question remains is it okay for pageant systems to require titleholders to have public social media accounts? I asked a few pageant enthusiasts, and this is what they had to say.
“I think it’s fine if it’s a business page only with parents as admin. If done right, it could teach her a healthy way to approach social media.”-Kia Young, Founder, The Social Crown
“Our national titleholders are all required to have one. For our younger divisions, parents manage it. It’s important for them to post after appearances for safety. So it’s more of a ‘this is what I did’ not ‘this is what I’m going to do’.”-Sunny Hill, President, American Pageants
“Our younger divisions do have social media accounts but they are heavily monitored and ran by their legal guardians. It is not required however just encouraged.” -Molly Franks King, Director, Alabama United States Pageant
“No one is going to make my 12 year old have an account. We can have a business page that only I monitor and post.”-Lakisha C. Brooks, VP of Sales and Marketing, UMedia Groups
“I will never ask a child under the permitted age by Facebook or Instagram to have a page. I think it opens them up being followed by people who may not have the best intentions. I am sure the parents monitor it but I just don’t think It’s right to REQUIRE IT. We request the parents post on their page and if they want a pageant page, we will support them. This will undoubtedly prevent us from reaching the full marketing potential for America’s Elite Miss, but I am a mother first and I make decisions based on my maternal instincts.” -Kerrie Juliana, National Director, America’s Elite Miss
“I think if parents allow their kids to do such a public sport like pageantry then they can’t be upset when they’re required to post about appearances on a public social media outlet. The parents should be the ones in control of the account/page and not the kids, though!”-Ashley Horsley
“With monitoring I think it’s necessary to increase awareness of that system.”
-Brittanie Nikkie, Queen of Social Media, Pageant Planet
“I think as long as their parent has complete control of the account I think it would be fine. The photos posted will be about service and promoting their platform and pageant.”-Ariana Carlos-Lee
Social media is indeed a wonderful thing for pageant systems and titleholders, but it needs to be closely monitored. Sound decisions need to be made with regards to social media practices. It is important that titleholders have fun and successful reigns, but safe reigns should be the first priority.
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