Using Social Media Like An Expert
What is social media? According to a group of researchers, "social media are web-based tools that enable users to communicate using a digital strategy" (Mukminin et al., 2023, para. 1). Social media is a growing platform inundated with people, young and old. We use it frequently- sharing news articles, posting our favorite dinner, learning new information, and telling others about our latest vacation spot. Many platforms are categorized under the umbrella term of "social media". Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter) are just a few social media platforms we will focus on in this article. Should we use all social media platforms in the same way? Should we cater our approach to the platform? Want to know how to post on social media like an expert? Check out the tips below!
Over half the population in the United States has a Facebook profile, making it the most-used social media platform (Lawrence, 2022, p. 53).
Facebook Tip:
- Messages and advertisements that are best received use authentic voices and stories (Lawrence, 2022, p. 64). To make the biggest impact on your audience, try telling a story from your point of view or elevating the voice of someone around you.
Almost three-fourths of Instagram users are under 35 (Lawrence, 2022, p. 67), making Instagram an excellent platform for engaging with Millennials and Gen Z.
Instagram Tips:
- Focus on your feed rather than stories. Feed posts are permanent, allowing more views of your hard work.
- Less is more when it comes to hashtags. Studies show that using less than five hashtags is typically best for engagement with your post (Lawrence, 2022, p. 67).
Although X (formerly known as Twitter) is known to have misinformation (Lawrence, 2022, p. 68), it is an excellent place for concise thoughts and quick discourse with others.
Tips:
- Use X to convey thoughts on current events and happenings (Lawrence, 2022, p. 70).
- To gain a following post often, consistently, and about the same general topic (Lawrence, 2022, p. 71).
Now that you know how to post like an expert, let's look at when to post to get the most engagement! The best day and time to post depends on your social media platform. Use the tips from above in tandem with the best time to post to boost your exposure to a new audience.
Posting on social media has many benefits for your audience. They learn something new, be inspired, or be transformed by a story. Although social media posts most often are made with an audience in mind, posting does not only benefit the audience. Research states, "using social media can help writers hone their words in response to criticism and comments from others and establish their authenticity as writers (Black, 2005; Cremades et al., 2021; Namaziandost & Nasri, 2019; Yan, 2019, as cited in Mukminin et al., 2023, para. 2.2). You are refining your writing skills by posting and having discourse on social media. Use a tip you learned to try to post on a social media platform today!
Do you still want more tips for posting on social media? Watch this!
References
Digital Agency. (2023, March 28). 5 Tips for posting on social media [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/shorts/SBeyxcQHYqo?si=IpgFalMkrZhDZeWH
Faust, K. (2023, March 8). Best days and times to post on social media in 2023 [Infographic]. Empowered Social Media | Social Media Management, Coaching, and Holistic Marketing Solutions. https://www.empoweredsocialmediaco.com/blog/best-days-and-times-to-post-on-social-media-in-2023-infographic
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.
Mukminin, A., Habibi, A., Muhaimin, M., & Hidayat, M. (2023). Social media use for English writing (SMU-EW): Preservice English teachers. Ampersand, 10, 100112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amper.2023.100112
Meredith,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed how organized you were in sharing tips to become a more efficient user of social media! Sometimes I have unintentionally seen social media as something that can only be used in one way. However, the way you presented the information goes with some of the things we have learned this semester so far. For example, according to Lawrence (2022), “people spending time on the internet are socializing, doing work, uploading content, and connecting” (p. 79). So, people are doing a lot more on the internet than what I sometimes think about. Additionally, I have also perceived the use of social media more as a negative thing. For example, as a teacher, while I was researching about the topic, I did find some research about how social media use can impact high schoolers. According to a study conducted by Duzenli et al. (2023), “using the Internet appropriately may help high school students create a successful student profile in their social and school life while using the Internet out of purpose will have negative consequences both socially and psychologically” (p. 616). Together with all the great tips I read in your post, all of these findings help me reflect more on this. As with many things in life, it is not so much about what we are using to connect with others, but how we are using it that ultimately makes a difference.
References
Duzenli, O., Ugur-Erdogmus, F., Korkmaz, O., & Cakir, R. (2023). An investigation of high
school students' social media use, internet addiction and self-confidence levels.
International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE), 6(4), 593-619.
https://doi.org/10.46328/ijte.521
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Ontario,
Canada: Broadview Press.
I love social media for expanding my network of educators and finding new tips, tricks, and activities for my classes! I also use LinkedIn as a tool to see how other professionals have gone from a teaching role to another, higher title like STEM Director or Director of Curriculum in a school district. Towards the end of his book, Lawrence (2022) writes about this exact idea, saying "one useful technique for learning about LinkedIn is to examine user profiles in the industry or area in which you want to work." (p. 129). I've referenced the same article multiple times this week at this point, but it really made me think about just how far educators have gone in the realm of social media and digital writing; Saldaña et. al (2021) wrote about how teachers have branded themselves or tied themselves to a name brand in order to monetize their social media posts. Educators are becoming more and more tech savvy as new developments in technology appear, and it's not just for inside the classroom!
ReplyDeleteReferences
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.
Saldaña, C. M., Welner, K. G., Malcolm, S., & Tisch, E. (2021). Teachers as market influencers: Towards a policy framework for teacher brand ambassador programs in K-12 schools. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(109). https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.5654
Great information! While I am not big into social media. I found your tips and reference to the best time extremely helpful and even shared it with my husband. My husband owns his own business and uses social media as a way of marketing and advertising. As mentioned by Lawrence (2022), "over the last decade, the control of company websites has shifted from information technology departments to marketing departments at most companies. This shift leaves the writer in an interesting position in which they must bolster their technology skills to increase their chances of securing a full-time, salaried position in marketing or communications, if that is their goal" (p. 54). Your platform-specific advice aligns well with his logic.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.
Social media certainly has its drawbacks. However, you have given some very useful tips on how to use it successfully. While disinformation is rampant on all forms of social media, it can be a wonderful way for people to connect with one another. "People continue to find ways to use social media to organize peaceful protests, share useful information instead of misinformation, build personal relationships, launch careers, and connect with fans, audiences, or consumers" (Lawrence, 2022, p. 49). Another positive use for social media is the way that we are using Facebook in this course. The closed group allows us to interact with others taking the class in a meaningful way. "When students are invited to share their opinions and work on social media, they can find an authentic audience, which could be empowering" (Chapman & Greenhow, 2021, p.530). In conclusion, social media can be used by educators and students positively if they are also willing to try to understand its pitfalls.
ReplyDeleteChapman, A. L., & Greenhow, C. (2021). Applying a critical lens to
teachers’ use of social media for civic education, Contemporary Issues
in Technology and Teacher Education, 21(2), 526-555.
Lawrence, D., (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web.
Broadview Press.
I enjoyed reading your blog about social media platforms. You provided some great information. I personally enjoy using social media for various purposes, with Facebook being my platform of choice. In the United States, at least 50% of the population has a Facebook account (Lawrence, 2022, p. 49). I use Facebook primarily to keep up with family and old friends whom I don’t often see outside of social media. It’s a valuable tool for maintaining connections and staying updated on life events, despite the physical distance.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.
I did not know there were better times to post on Social Media. It is good to know that when you want information to be seen the most, to focus on a certain time and day. I try to limit the amount of Social Media I have so I don't get too caught up in it. The only two of those listed above that my daughter has are Pinterest and Instagram. We limit her Social Media so we can minimize the drama she gets involved in.
ReplyDelete