Harnessing Social Media

Why and How You Should Use Social Media to Elevate Your Career

Social media is becoming more pervasive in our lives, and for actors, in our careers. When used well, social media isn’t just a rabbit hole of doom scrolling and cute dog videos, but rather a tool to self-promote, network, and show off your personality. Your profile is your digital resume, and you can utilize it to elevate your career and find opportunities you wouldn’t have gotten before. And, you don’t have to become an influencer with millions of followers to do it. Let’s dive into all the benefits social media can give you and how to access them to boost your acting journey.

Networking. As it turns out, social media is an excellent place to… well, socialize. You can follow your friends, keep up with their work, and support their projects when they come out. You can also use it to keep track of your favorite production companies, casting directors, and industry creatives. Sometimes, indie projects (or even big studios) will post open call auditions online. Companies might post about networking mixers or training opportunities. Find the people you want to work with, follow them, and engage with what they’re doing. That’s how you build your community, one step at a time.

Self-promotion. As said before, social media is like a digital resume—many performers are even opting to use their social media page, with links to their materials in their profile bio, in place of making a website. Use your accounts to post about your new projects, your film premieres, maybe a self-tape you worked on in your Actorsite classes *wink wink*. Just be careful to okay any on-set or project photos you’re posting; NOTHING is worse than getting into trouble and damaging your reputation for posting something you shouldn’t have.

Feel free to show off your personality as well; share photos of that fun hike you went on or the new hobby you picked up this summer! People don’t want to work with a resume, they want to work with other people. It’s all about balance! Maintain professionalism of course, but don’t be afraid to showcase your fun side.

Stand out to casting. The truth of it is this: many casting directors are looking you up (especially commercial CDs). And the better your online presence, the better you’ll come across to casting. This doesn’t mean you need to be an influencer with millions of followers—it means, like we’ve said before, having a polished look on social media, sharing your previous work, and having an energy people want to work with. Casting directors also check your digital footprint make sure that you’re a good fit for their brand, without any liabilities or online red flags. Make sure that you’re leaving a good first impression and giving yourself the best chance to be cast.

Keep your creative cup full. Finally, while not essential, creating social media content can be a fantastic way to keep your creativity alive, especially if you’re in a slow season. Many actors post funny sketches online to flex their comedic, storytelling skills. Musical theatre performers share songs they’ve been working on, or music of their own. You can even post about the daily practices you engage in to further your career, like how you prepare for auditions or what you do when working on a new character. Sharing content about your journey counts as marketing AND holds you accountable to keeping up your routines. 

A benefit of posting social media content more frequently: it absolutely can get you opportunities you wouldn’t have had otherwise. We hear success stories of actors who were scouted through their online platforms. Actor Dylan O’Brien started his career posting YouTube comedy sketches at the age of 14 where he was noticed by a local producer who asked him to star in an indie web series. Through that show, he landed his first talent manager and eventually, his first big break on Teen Wolf. All this to say, putting yourself out there can get you noticed, in ways you wouldn’t have expected. Even if it doesn’t lead to starring on Broadway, it keeps you on the minds of the people in your network and strengthens your image as an artist. 

A NOTE FOR PARENTS OF KIDS/TEEN ACTORS

When it comes to younger performers, the regular rules don’t apply. Casting Directors do not expect young actors to have a digital presence, and it won’t stop your child from getting cast in a project that’s right for them. If you do want to engage in the online space, many parents choose to create accounts for their kids, often noting the account is “parent-run” in the bio. You can use that account to post about your child’s successes and keeping up with fellow creatives in the industry. Still, it’s important to heavily censor what you post, ensuring any personal details about your young actor aren’t accidentally shared. Keep it positive and focused on your child’s acting accomplishments.

ON HAVING A LARGE SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING

In some cases, having a large social media presence is an asset, most notably in the indie film/TV world. If you’ve got thousands of followers and strong community engagement, it means there’s a built-in audience of people who will want to see your work, generating more revenue for the project as a whole. But outside the indie world, on larger network shows, follower count is not a determining factor in whether you’ll get the part. What matters most is your talent, work ethic, training, and what unique take you bring to the table.

A good rule of thumb is this: if you like creating content, go for it! If it all feels too overwhelming and more like burnout than fulfillment, focus on the social media fundamentals. Do what feels authentic to you and the rest will follow. 

OVERALL

Though a large social media presence might be helpful in some cases, it isn’t necessary to a long, successful acting career. Your talent, experience, and personality are the most important parts in booking roles. But it is an excellent tool to present your talent in a polished, professional, and fun way that every actor should explore, whether you want to be a content creator or just post every so often about your most recent booking.

Want more specific information on what to post on your social media accounts and how to streamline your branding? Keep an eye out for our upcoming Social Media Best Practices blog for more concrete tips and tricks that any performer can incorporate to revamp their social media profile.