What do you think about the growing advice that actors should “utilize social media”?
I was asked this question following my seminar at Actors Pro Expo last month, and it’s a subject that has been on my mind before, and since.
It’s not hard to understand why actors are so often advised to “utilize social media.” In an industry where visibility is everything, having an online presence can seem like a smart career move. There are also many that argue that actors are a ‘business’ and therefore it makes sense to treat their online presence as part of that business strategy. It can also be argued that social media can be used as a networking tool, a way to make connections, be discovered, and stay on people’s radar.
I’ve experienced the “we want someone with more followers/a bigger platform” phenomenon myself, more than once. Specifically when working in independent film. And as annoying as it is, I understand the reason (while still wishing it wasn’t the case!) For producers and investors, casting an actor with an existing audience can feel like a safer bet. In a world where budgets are tight and competition is fierce, social media essentially provides free advertising, so why wouldn’t a production want someone who can promote their work to thousands of followers? I also accept this as an ‘uncontrollable’ for me, knowing that even if I did try really hard - there is no blueprint for gaining a mass following online. Every social media platforms algorithm is literally rigged to favour certain content, push certain posts, and hide others.
With the industry being more crowded than ever, actors are encouraged to do anything that helps them be seen. But while I understand the reasoning behind the advice of putting yourself out there online more as an actor/artist, I personally think it’s misguided - and often not thought through. Because, when you really break it down, the expectation that actors must also, essentially, be content creators is not only unrealistic but fundamentally flawed.
The Growing List of Actor Responsibilities
Actors are already expected to do a huge amount outside of their actual job of acting - headshots, showreels, training, securing representation, working on self-tape and audition technique, networking, making your own work, the list goes on. But at least all of these things directly relate to the craft of acting. They are investments you make to put you in the best possible position to get the outcome you desire. Social media, on the other hand, does not relate to the craft. Creating engaging online content is not only an entirely different skill set from performing, but can amount to the equivalent of a full time job! And now, with industry professionals advising actors to “make the most of social media”, actors are increasingly made to feel that their success depends on it. Which means that using social media isn’t a want or a creative passion (like what many content creators and influencers have) but an expectation full of pressure and “I should’s”.
It just feels like yet another thing actors have to “do” just to be considered to maybe have a chance of booking a role. I don’t see casting directors, producers, or directors being told they have to “utilize” social media to do their job. Why is it that actors have a never ending list of expectations outside of working on their craft and being good at what they do? And if every actor suddenly did lean into this advice, wouldn’t it become completely oversaturated, reminiscent of being an actor itself? The online market would be flooded with self-tape tips, behind-the-scenes vlogs, and “day in the life of an actor” content. If everyone is doing it, does it really help anyone stand out? Or does it just become another exhausting, time-consuming expectation on top of everything else actors are already juggling? I also see these kinds of videos and posts online from actors and am noticing how it can directly cause even more over-saturation in the industry. The amount of comments like “I want to be in movies! How do I start?!” is staggering. Because, let’s face it, not many people are making content about the realities of being an actor - it’s always the highlights which in turn make others think it’s easy!
The logistical issues of Social Media Expectations
There are practical problems with this rise of content creation as actors, too. 98% of actors don’t earn their main source of income from acting work. Meaning that, outside of auditioning, working on the craft, and keeping our materials up to date, we are working, sometimes, multiple jobs just to pay our bills. Add to that the factor of being a parent, carer, small business owner...and now, on top of all that, we're being told we should also be content creators as well!
The problem is that this advice doesn’t take into account the sheer amount of work that goes into maintaining an active online presence. It’s not as simple as just posting once in a while; there are people out there whose job is to help content creators ‘build a following’, giving advice on how often to post, what to post, finding a ‘hook’, editing, keeping up with trends, how to hack the algorithm...the expectation is to be consistently creating engaging, high-quality content that keeps people interested. Suddenly, actors aren’t just performers - they’re social media managers, videographers, editors, and marketing strategists.
It’s an impossible balance. Imagine preparing for an important self-tape while also thinking, Should I film a ‘Get Ready With Me’ while I do this? or Should I turn this audition trip into a vlog? At what point does the focus shift from actually doing the work to making content about the work? When actors are already spread so thin, adding social media to the list just creates more stress, more pressure, and more distractions from the thing that actually matters - the craft. The rise of #actorslife social media posts and celebrities being cast in acting projects makes it seem like acting is just a hobby that anyone can dip in and out of.
I’m also seeing posts online of people, musical theatre performers specifically, asking others to please not film during auditions or open calls. The need for content is outweighing the sanctity and special opportunity of auditioning! I would be so upset if I had spent days preparing for an audition, to then be perceived not only by the casting or production team - but someone’s smart phone propped in the corner capturing my performance for potentially the entire world to see!!
The Reality of Growing an Audience
One of the biggest flaws in the advice to “use social media to get ahead” is that it only works if not everyone is doing it. The idea is that posting regularly about your career will make you stand out - but if every actor follows this advice, then no one stands out. Social media becomes just another crowded space where actors are all vying for attention in the same way, posting the same kinds of content. Or if they build a following/go viral from things that have nothing to do with their profession at all, they risk being put in a box or known for something that doesn’t have anything to do with their talent and ability. Then, if they are cast, they’re seen as “that girl from TikTok” and not a trained and able actor who happens to have an online platform.
The reality is, for social media to be an effective tool in helping an actor’s career, their content either has to go viral (which is unpredictable and often unrelated to their actual work) or they need to build a truly significant following. But how many actors actually have the time, energy, and expertise to grow a social media presence to the point where it makes a meaningful difference? The catch-22 is that actors who gain a large following organically, usually do so because they’ve been cast in projects that give them that visibility, not the other way around. Or if it does happen the other way round that is the exception not the rule!!
It also isn’t lost on me that you don’t see famous actors or actors in big budget/well known projects advised to “utilize social media.” In fact, in my experience of having friends who are “names”/working consistently, the more well-known they become, the less they actually post and the more they retreat from social media! That leaves the 98%, the jobbing actors still trying to break through, scrambling to create content, hoping it will somehow translate into job opportunities. But in reality, it rarely does. You might build your platform to 3,000 but that’s a far cry from the 300,000 that known working actors have. It creates more of an “us and them” industry divide.
The dangers of Social Media use for Actors
While social media is often pitched as a tool for career growth, the reality is far more complex and, in many cases, harmful. Multiple studies have indicated a link between social media use and negative mental health, with associations to increased anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness, often stemming from social comparison and the pressure to present an idealized self on platforms. Not to mention the harassment and abuse that every content creator speaks to when having an online platform. And we all know that the creative arts already has a mental health epidemic. Spending time on social media is a slippery slope to cycles of comparison, let alone making it another job of self-promotion and validation-seeking that has nothing to do with an actor's craft. It’s exhausting, and the line between professional and personal quickly blurs.
Then, there’s personal safety. A close friend of mine was severely stalked online after appearing in a well known TV show years ago. The situation escalated on instagram to the point where she no longer felt safe, both online and in real life, and ultimately, she made the decision to leave, not only social media, but the industry altogether. Even her friends, me included, were being targeted and used to figure out places she would frequent - where the stalker would turn up and follow her. This is a reality I never see talked about when encouraging actors to “put themselves out there” on social media. I was in a film a decade ago where there was partial nudity, and I still get messages from creeps online. Let alone the terrifying reality of deepfakes and AI usage of actors without their consent. Visibility can be a double-edged sword.
Beyond that, managing social media is a full-time job - on top of an already unpredictable and demanding career. From strategizing content to engaging with followers and keeping up with ever-changing algorithms, the amount of unpaid labor expected is staggering. And unlike traditional forms of self-expression, social media forces everything to be “work.” Instead of sharing personal moments, actors feel pressured to post strategically, thinking about engagement and branding rather than authenticity.
And let’s not forget the instability of these platforms. TikTokers with millions of followers often struggle to translate that audience to other platforms, and if a platform disappears overnight, so does everything built on it. We’ve seen Twitter go to hell, TikTok was almost banned in the U.S. They could be shut down at any moment, for any reason, and then nothing means anything at all! There are no guarantees, yet actors are being told to rely on social media as if it’s a stable, long-term career strategy, when it isn’t.
an actors job to market?
Actors train to act. They invest in honing their craft, developing characters, and delivering compelling performances.
Social media was never meant to replace traditional industry structures like PR, casting, or audience-building, yet more and more, it feels like the responsibility of promotion is shifting onto the very people who have the least control over whether a project succeeds. If a film or TV show needs marketing, why is that being placed on the actors rather than the PR professionals hired to do that job? The expectation that actors must also be influencers in order to be seen as “valuable” is a concerning shift - one that unfairly shifts the burden of promotion onto the talent.
I fear that actors are increasingly being judged on their ability to generate buzz rather than their ability to perform. This creates an unfair cycle: those with large followings are more likely to get cast, giving them more exposure, which in turn grows their platform - while incredibly talented actors without a digital presence are overlooked.
in conclusion…
Social media can absolutely be a useful tool for some actors. If you genuinely enjoy creating content and find it beneficial for your career, that’s great - there’s no problem in using it to your advantage and I applaud your efforts and creativity. I’ve seen performers use social media to build a following, then get cast because of that following, which they then use to create more content. And that’s brilliant for them! But the key point here is that it should be a choice, not an expectation.
An actor’s ability to bring a character to life, to tell a story with truth and depth, should always matter more than how many likes they get on instagram. The pressure to constantly “perform” online, on top of the already demanding nature of the profession, is unrealistic and unfair.
If social media works for you, fantastic. But if it doesn’t, that’s okay too. I wanted to write this so that actors, like me, who don’t see the advantages for them personally in “utilizing social media” don’t feel lazy, or less ambitious than those who do. You are not doing something wrong in not “putting yourself out there online”. You aren't missing a trick or not investing in your ‘business’ properly. Your worth as an actor is not defined by an algorithm. Prioritize what serves you, your mental health, and your craft - not what the industry (or social media itself) tries to convince you is necessary.
And for industry pros out there who might be giving this advice to actors, meaning well, and talking about how great social media is for visibility and how to taking advantage of it... maybe approach this advice with a more person-centered view. Yes, actors can be described as a ‘business’, but we are human beings first. If you, as a casting director or agent, don’t have the personal desire to vlog your day, post your project pitches, or do dances to trending songs, then I’m sure you’ll undersand that some of us don’t want to either. Actors are consantly being made to feel like there’s a blueprint to “success” in this industry when there 100% is not. Instead of making them feel like there’s yet another hoop they need to jump through, let’s remember that each actor is unique, and their journey is just as individual. While social media can be a helpful tool for some, I don’t feel it should be seen as a determinant of an actor's value or potential. Instead of placing pressure on actors to conform to trends or standards that may not align with who they are, let’s encourage a more holistic approach, one that recognizes talent, hard work, and passion for the craft as the driving forces behind an actor's career.
At the end of the day, it’s not about the number of followers or the content created; it’s about the stories we tell, the performances we give, and the heart we put into our work. Let’s make sure actors have the space and freedom to focus on their craft, without feeling like their social media presence is what ultimately determines their worth. Just because social media is taking over the world, doesn't mean we need to let it take over our industry, or that we need to normalise the expectation of artists having an online presence.
I saw a TikTok video yesterday from a musician that stuck with me, it began with her quoting feedback she had gotten from a music producer…
"I just don’t think this song is going to go viral so…"
“I DIDN’T WRITE IT FOR TIKTOK! I don’t write music for TikTok!
I write music to make meaning out of my personal experiences, and then I end up with a 3 or 4 minute long musical expression of my authenticity, in the hopes of connecting to others THROUGH ART!"
If you found this enlightening or useful, you might enjoy my other resources!
If you have a question or query, feel free to email actingwithalexa@gmail.com, or reach out about how I might be able to help your craft/career with a 1-1 session.
Alexa