Social Media 101: What You Need to Know

With the face-paced environment of social media, navigating the digital world can get overwhelming, but don't worry. Whether you're trying to build relationships or grow your brand online, I got you covered. Welcome to Social Media 101, your crash course on everything you need to know.

FIRST THINGS FIRST, WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

To keep things simple, social media is a digital technology that allows for users to create, share, and interact with content as well as one another. The strategies used to increase engagement and create content can differ from platform to platform. Let me show you what I mean.

INSTAGRAM, TIK TOK, FACEBOOK, OH MY!

Each platform is different, and choosing the right platform to use heavily depends on your goals and target audience. 

• Facebook: It may come as a shock, but Facebook is still the most used social platform, with 3 billion active users monthly. As of January 2023, more than 56% of users are male aged 25-34. 

• Instagram: This social media platform is all about visuals. Instagram is a great platform for brands who want to connect with a younger audience. 

• Tik Tok: Tik Tok is known for its short form video content. Whether it's hoping on a trend, dancing, or lip-syncing to your favorite song, Tik Tok is a rising social media platform among Gen Z and Millennials. 

• LinkedIn: LinkedIn is famous for its professional setting. This platform is ideal for its B2B marketing and perfect for making professional connections. 

X (formally Twitter): Known for its real time conversations, male millennials make up most of the platform's population. 

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Whether it’s posting regularly or keeping the same brand image, consistency really is key. Building a strong brand voice is essential for building trust and recognition within your audience. Developing a content calendar to stick to can ensure you are regularly engaging with your audiences. The more you post, the more you will show up on someone's feed!

NOW WHAT?

Now that you know all the basics of each platform, and reaaalllly gotten to know your target audience (like really), it’s time to start crafting up some content.

• Know Your Audience: I’ll say it again because this ones important, Know. Your. Audience. Understanding who your followers are and knowing what they like can help you tailor your content to what will resonate best with them. 

• Authenticity Matters! Instead of trying to push a sale on your followers everytime, just be authentic. At the end of the day, it’s people talking to people in the digital space, and sharing .

• EDUCATE! “Make education a cornerstone of your social media content. Educating your audience turns them from curious observers into informed customers.”

• Trends, Trends, Trends: What might be trending on social media one day, may not be trending the next; so staying up-to-date on industry trends can help your brand stay relevant.

ARE WE TRENDING YET?

After all this effort, you want to see if what you are doing is actually working, right? It is important to monitor your social media regularly. Most platforms provide insights and analytics for you to determine what is working for your business. By tracking things like comments, likes, and shares, it can help you gain a better understanding of what is resonating well with your audience. Using this data can better assist you in refining your content strategy to get the best results!

YOU DID IT!

See, told you I had you covered. Now that you completed the course on Social Media 101, you are ready to launch your new and improved social media accounts!

Happy posting!