So, you’re sat ready with your cosplay and you’ve got everything you need to make yourself look damn badass (…or sweet as anything, whichever cosplay you’re going for!), and you’ve got all these awesome progress pictures, but you haven’t got a place to share them. Sure, you’ve got hundreds of Facebook friends and they’d appreciate your work and the effort, but maybe 60% aren’t cosplayers and don’t really understand why you cosplay, or what you’re actually doing, so how on earth are you meant to spread your awesomeness?
Today we’re going to go over the different mediums you can use to show off your cosplay pictures, plans and general cool stuff! We’re going to look into how you can create your own cosplay page, what sort of stuff will get you the most views/likes, where you can share your page to get more interest and possibly one of the most important things; how to create your own cosplay name, something that is gonna get you noticed and something that you’re not going to hate within a few months, because we’ve all been there, let’s be honest!
Cosplay Names
There’s plenty of unused names out there in the cosplay universe! Hundreds, thousands, millions! But choosing the right one for you can be quite hard at times. 
When it comes to my own cosplay alias, Pixie Styxx, that came from my own nickname which I’ve had for going on ten years, Tinkerbell. Now, I knew I couldn’t use that as my cosplay name because… well, Tinkerbell is her own character, she’s owned by Disney and it would be downright confusing over all. So when choosing that name, you’ve gotta make sure it’s something new, something eye catching, creative and ties back to you! Have you got a nickname that no one else has? Use your nickname! Whether it’s a one word name just like Kamui (you all know the lovely Kamui!) or Malinka (Canadian cosplayer you should all check out!), or a double barrel like War Panda or Mistress J, you can simply add the word ‘cosplay’ afterward to round things out. Or take after me and just use the name itself!
Two important things when choosing that awesome name of yours: Don’t use bad language! It can sometimes come across as a little unprofessional, and if you gain a younger audience of fans it won’t go down very well with their guardians. And secondly, RESEARCH THE NAME! Make sure you’re not using a name that is already established on the internet or in a different country (or even the same country!). Just make sure that you’re not going to get attached to a name that is already attached to someone else.
Also, make sure that you damn well love that name! Make sure it’s something that relates to you as a person, or how you want to be perceived as a cosplayer. There will be times when you’ll think, “Hmm, maybe I should have chosen something different…” but if you’re truly happy with that name, you’ll always go back to it and love it unconditionally. It’s like choosing the name for a family pet.
Cosplay Pages
Now that you’ve chosen that name, your next step is to set up that awesome Facebook cosplay page of yours. If you’re a newbie, then you probably won’t have that many pictures to show off but, fear not, because you don’t have to just post pictures of finished cosplays. Cosplaying is not just about your finished product, it’s about how you get there, the fun you have on your journey and, of course, the sweat, blood and tears that you pour into everything. Your ‘fans’ and friends want to see every bit of your journey and making your own cosplay page and keeping people up to date is a fantastic way of bringing people along for the ride! In fact, it can be a bit of a confidence boost when you have people watching for your next update, giving their advice and even asking for your own advice on a project.
Your cover photo should show off some of your cosplays, or else just your cosplay name. It’s one of the first things people will see when they come to your page to give it a like, so make it something memorable! If you’re not good at graphics yourself, ask a friend if they can whip something up for you, or just use one of your awesome pictures if you’ve had a photo shoot or two. As for your profile picture; whether it’s from a shoot or whether it’s a selfie, pick one of the cosplays you love most and pop it up. If it’s something you love and are proud of, then others will love it too.
When keeping your page updated, make sure to post things that are relevant to your audience. If you’re a cosplay page, don’t suddenly start posting about the new cheese that your local supermarket just brought in! Keep your posts related to the things you love. If you’ve got something to show off, take a picture and share it on your blog in the afternoon or the evening, when people are more than likely on Facebook. Always make sure to post your progress pictures or photo shoot pictures during a busy time and make sure to share your work onto your own personal profile, if you want the two to be linked.
When posting your photo shoot pictures, make sure to credit your photographer. Always credit your photographer, and/or the person who edits your picture. They help you out, you help them out. It’s the best way to reach others and show your appreciation for their work. You can also keep things neat and tidy on your page by creating albums for each cosplay, or even each photographer you work with! Things are easy to find and people can like things as they see fit. Share news and other things on your page that you think your followers would like as well because that way you can get to know the people who are interested in your stuff.
Sharing Your Page
When it comes to sharing your page, you should definitely link things up to Twitter and Instagram. You’re basically widening the bracket of people; you can reach far more potential fans if you share your cosplay pictures on different mediums of social media.
Another way of sharing your page is with crediting people and companies who help with your cosplay. If you’re using an Arda wig, share your picture with a link to Arda’s Facebook. The same goes for your cosplay itself, or even with your contact lens company on Facebook.
Cosplay groups on Facebook can be fantastic when it comes to sharing your pages. You can get Share 4 Share (S4S) or Like 4 Like (L4L) if you post your cosplays in a group called Promote Your Cosplay Page, and you can even meet like minded people and broaden your cosplay circle. When I want people to see certain cosplays of mine, like my Peggy Carter cosplay for instance, I did a search on Facebook for Marvel Cosplay Groups and found three different groups and have even found more cosplay pages to like and befriend myself!
Getting your cosplay ‘life’ sorted out online can be fun and a little challenging at times, but keep at it! Why not post your cosplay pages in the comments if you’ve made your own?
