RT.

Lucky for you, Hollywood has become increasingly transparent in the last decade. You can find out what projects a Casting Director has worked on; and with social media, you can discover what he or she enjoys to do, read and share. Although, this is more than a fun stalking activity. Platforms like Twitter offer a big networking opportunity – especially if you play by the unspoken rules. Attracting a Twitter tribe is easier than you might think. The community is very supportive. By engaging with other people’s content, you establish common grounds for a potential relationship. Just don’t get too excited – a follow back does not mean you’re BFF’s now.

Here’s our Twitter protocol:

Search. In order to effectively find business connections, relevant links and news on Twitter, you need to take advantage of the advanced search options. Here are some commands– besides the (hopefully) obvious hashtag #–to type into the search that will give you relevant tweets and tweeters!

• Casting Call – results will contain both words.
• “Casting Call” – results will contain this exact phrase.
• Want to get even more specific? Use Twitter’s Advanced Search to find tweets by location or username and to hide irrelevant content.

Attract.

• Build an audience. Find individuals, organizations, and businesses that resonate with you. For starters, this gives you content to re-post. If others find your point of view interesting, they might follow you for your eye for good content. Generally, you should follow back anyone who follows you (unless their content contradicts who you are). When you come across someone who you look up to – celebrity or not – check out who they follow. Twitter is not a place to be shy about your ratio – plenty of people follow 30k+ users. You never know who you’re going to e-meet. 

“You’re the average of the five people you spend most of your time with.” –Jim Rohn

• It might seem minor, but as we talked about in our Branding post, it’s important to craft an interesting profile. People quickly scroll through their feed, so you need to grab their attention off the bat. Fill out your bio with a link, and legitimate location (no one is going to find you if you live in La La Land). Also, don’t leave your cover photo blank! This is a golden opportunity to use imagery to create associations with your name. For example, a candid photo of you volunteering with a group of children in Southeast Asia shows altruism and a love for travel. Simple, but effective way to instill an impression that goes beyond your headshot.

Engage.

• Tweet about what matters to you. Post and respond to things that are current and relevant. Genuine, raw reactions build trust and help your followers to feel as if they already know you.
• Tweet about things other than acting! The same way you need to practice other hobbies for your own sanity, it’s important to share those hobbies with the world. Not all actors love yoga and happy hour. So if you do, talk about it! This helps your followers figure out who you are and decide if they want to establish a relationship.
• Retweet, retweet, retweet. This is an easy one. You don’t have to come up with your own content. Instead, share things that are valuable and entertaining. Spread the wealth. It’s also a great way to continue branding yourself. But remember the saying “be careful what you post on the internet” applies here. Even if it’s not an original thought it sheds light on who you are. This is not a place to take risks.

“You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at.” –Tina Fey

• Get on other people’s radar. Especially the ones you want to establish relationships with. @ them. Don’t just retweet. Comment on what they are saying – share your perspective so you’re not a passive follower. Obviously don’t shower them in compliments – sucking up is as (if not more) obvious online as it is in the real world. Instead, offer new, personal commentary. Give the person a reason to respond –  if you nail it you’ll get a RT!
• Help others. Offer advice, answer someone’s question, respond with a link. Get creative and do it without expecting anything in return!

Repeat.

• Search.
• Follow.
• Retweet.