We can all agree that meeting one of our favorite soap stars would be a dream come true. Many of us will never have that opportunity fall into our laps and for that reason, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have opened the door to interact with some of our favorite stars. Celebrities have been diving into social networking in a big way recently. In fact, celebrities quickly jumped on the Twitter wagon, finding it a good way to stay in touch with fans and message out information instantly without the need for a publicist or traditional media outlet.

Some celebrities choose to use social networking sites as a free method to promote themselves. Shortsighted, some may call them. Some stars truly are not sociable people. That type of person may be a good actor, but does not see how his or her craft can be improved by becoming more personable. Of course, he or she must take precautions, because even with the best intentions of reaching out to fans, there will always be a handful of overzealous types who pose real harm to the celebrity. For the most part, though, fans are genuinely respectful. The ideal match is to interact (not pester) with a celeb who appreciates his or her fan base.

Nevertheless, along with the real celebrities have come a slew of imposters to confuse and amuse. Twitter has recently implemented an authentication program designed to lessen the number of copycats. As a user of public social networking sites, it would be a good idea for you to remain vigilant against those who may be posing as a famous celebrity. Two kinds fall into this category: official spokespeople and frauds. For example, Mary Beth Evans (MBE - Kayla Brady, DAYS) has a large following on Facebook. However, closer inspection reveals that the poster is another fan of MBE’s, a friend, a spokesperson, or a fraud.

One example of an appreciative daytime star is Sarah Brown (Sandy Sommers, B&B). Brown is front and center on Twitter and Facebook daily, updating us on the goings on of the show, as well as her personal life. Sarah interacts with fans and seems to be of a genuine sort that is interested in merging her personal daily activities with her professional one. Sarah frequently replies to her fans that have asked questions or have made note-worthy comments in response to one of her tweets.

Overall, I have made some fabulous connections with celebrities. Some use social networking as a vehicle to get their message out, while some do interact with their fans. The trick is to find the ones who are who they say they are! I’d love to hear about your real-life connections with a daytime star.