List your Film on IMDb, TMDB, and Rotten Tomatoes
Blog / Resource
What is one of the first things watchers do when deciding what film to watch? After their interest is struck by looking at your artwork, reading your synopsis, or seeing a quick trailer - they quickly grab their phone and Google your title. Well, what happens if your title is nowhere to be found? Boom, your film lost its chance. Ratings and review sites are crucial to getting your film high in Google searches.
The top 3 sites that we recommend you worry about in the United States are TMDB, IMDb, and Rotten Tomatoes. If you're not on these platforms, you're missing out on an opportunity to attract viewers.
IMDb
IMDb ratings and profiles typically appear high in Google searches. Once again, strong artwork and a complete profile is of the utmost importance. You just made a movie - go the last mile and spend an hour really making this look right. Channel buyers frequently look at your IMDb page as well. So put your best foot forward, you won't regret it.
TMDB
TMDB is similar to IMDb. A lot of streaming platforms utilize metadata from TMDB to populate metadata in their applications. JustWatch also uses TMDB to power their search. Letterboxd also pulls all of their listing information from TMDB. Watchers can also review your film here, which can bring further legitimacy to your film. Make sure you fill everything out in its entirety and display strong artwork. Tap your network, and get them to review your film on TMDB to build a strong foundation of positive user reviews.
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a little harder to get your film on as you cannot directly list it yourself. You have to get Rotten Tomatoes-approved critics to review your film, which can be difficult as they regularly receive a large amount of submissions. The best way to secure reviews is to work with a publicist, which can be surprisingly affordable, sometimes as low as $2,500 per film. Publicists regularly work with Rotten Tomato-approved reviewers and have relationships that can put your film at the top of their list. If you prefer to handle yourself, you can see a full list of Rotten Tomatoes-approved critics here. Do your research to figure out which critics are most relevant to your genre before reaching out.
The Takeaway
It's well worth your time to properly create profiles on IMDb, TMDB, and Rotten Tomatoes. There are some other genre-specific sites such as Top Documentary Films and Reel Scary which can be helpful too. But IMDb, TMDB, and Rotten Tomatoes are the big three you shouldn't ignore.