Our millennial generation is completely consumed with social media. One rarely encounters someone who doesn’t use some form of social media. We believe we’re social media experts, skeptical of anyone who believes otherwise. Yet, we might not be as qualified as we would like to think. Basic practices we tend to forgo are what social media practitioners utilize daily to stay active, influential and popular online. See below for a few easy tips to better your social media practices and truly become the social media expert you believe yourself to be.
1. Use a real hashtag
We all believe our hashtags included in posts, tweets or photo descriptions are creative contributions to the social media world that help us connect with others and stimulate conversation about what we’re trying to express, but the majority of us are just creating online clutter. Including the unique hashtag #studyprobzzzz in a post about a recent all-nighter limits your reach instead of connecting you with others. Next time you go to share something on social media, search for trending hashtags about that topic and include those in your post; extending your reach, conversation and possibly even gain sympathy and followers beyond your current follower feed.
2. Say less, express more
Publicized trends say that online posts that include 100 characters or less get 17 percent more engagement. Although Twitter might restrict you with a limited character count, other social media outlets have no such restrictions. Many are quick to post a quarter page long Facebook status or post 40 simultaneous Instagram photos that will only annoy followers and increase your chance of being “unfriended,” “unfollowed” or “blocked.” To engage and entertain whoever you’re trying to reach, keep your word count small, pair a short sentence with a photo, hyperlink or social media lingo to gain the attention you desire.
3. Post wisely
Now that your social media presence includes short, engaging posts paired with relevant hashtags, you’re an influencer within the social media world. You want your contributions to be valued and unique rather than just another addition to the mass amount of contributors sharing repetitive, unreliable and pointless content. Limit your contributions to insightful, credible and rarely available information and viewpoints and be well on your way to being an influential social media expert.