The world of social media has grown exponentially and doesn’t look close to stopping anytime soon. Social media used to be a place of creativity and expression, but that was a simpler time. Nowadays, everyone and their employer are on social media, raising limitations on what we should and shouldn’t be posting on our beloved Instagram. It may feel exasperating but here’s a list of five “no no’s” everyone should avoid across all social media platforms. 

People want to see the same post across three platforms. 

That’s a negative, ghost rider. And a ghost rider following is exactly what you’ll have if you partake in the annoying sport of cross-posting. No one wants to see the same post repeated. If they do, chances are they’ll stop following you on all three platforms and choose just one. Lesson learned: no cross-posting. Ever. 

Saying whatever’s on your mind. 

Let’s never forget, social media platforms are public. That means anything you say can and will be used against you. Think before tweeting a random thought or posting a compromising photo on Instagram. Even if you have your account set to private, nothing is private anymore (thank you screenshots). A good rule of thumb is if you’re confident you could show what you posted to your grandmother and your future employer, you’re good to post away!

Social media is your own therapist. 

Unfortunately, social media isn’t a place to practice your monologue for open mic night. Online rants are out, and conversation is in. Engagement is fundamental when posting regularly on social media. There’s a community out there, interact with it and listen as much as you want to be heard. There’s a balance of giving and take, finding it will make your experience on social media much more enjoyable. 

Retweeting and liking posts don’t count. 

If you think people aren’t looking at what other posts you’re sharing or favoriting, you’d be wrong. Your activity on social media matters. Engaging and interacting on social media is a great way to build a following and connect with others, but what you choose to re-post and like will follow you. Even if it wasn’t you who originally posted an idea, commenting or favoriting it automatically makes it associated with your personal brand, so be careful.

Politics are a light and fun subject.   

Ha! If only. Now, this doesn’t mean we don’t have a right to our own opinion. However, this does mean our opinion may not match those of another and nothing can heat up faster than a political debate. And let’s face it, on social media, no one wins. Regardless of what you’re posting, your politically-based thoughts can always be misconstrued by another so it’s always best to avoid it.

We can all empathize with the struggles of social media. Whether it’s not knowing when to log off, posting to much/not enough, or even the ever-growing unrealistic posts that are slowing clogging our feeds and our minds. What’s important is to realize that this is a struggle for anyone who has a social media account. Some see the simple solution of just deleting your accounts. But is it really that simple? In this day in age, it’s not. 

Deleting all accounts is simply unrealistic. Social media is as much as a blessing as it is a curse. Now that it’s readily available across the globe, its necessity. Now we’re met with two options: admit defeat or figure out how to healthily navigate the turbulent maze that is social media. Let’s keep it simple: stay in touch with reality. 

Social media is great for helping us connect and keep in touch with people we care about but it comes at a cost. As inspiring as it can be, we need to remember that not everything is as it appears on a post. Looking at edited, perfect posts can take a toll on your view of reality. Don’t forget: what people post is not a reality. It can symbolize what they wish was real but nowadays its extremely rare to see a post that hasn’t be edited. Also, don’t forget to look up. We get engrossed in what’s on the tiny screen in our hands and forget to enjoy our everyday surroundings.

In this post, I’m going to give five ways on how to boost your social media presence. These tips are applicable to both personal and professional accounts as well as across all forms of social media. Let’s start with number one…

Using the right channels 

Making sure you’re using the right channels is key to creating a thriving social media presence. Where does your content get the most responses? Are they the types of responses you’re looking for? Knowing what type of audience you want and where to find them is crucial in the world of social media.

For more help on figuring out which channel is right for you, click here.

Daily Activity 

In order to engage with your audience you must be active on social media every day. Whether that’s posting, commenting, or following new accounts, there should always be some sort of engagement surrounding your account. 

Captivating Headlines 

One of the best things about social media is the ability to grasp a reader’s attention by one simple headline or photo. Its all about those first few words when trying to gain the attention of a potential reader. Posting on Instagram? A picture is worth a thousand words, find the right one and let it speak for itself. It’s important to know what you want to say and making sure that your post is captured in that first look. 

Know Your Competition 

Being aware of what’s going on in the social media world is important in order to remain relevant. Daily trends pass by, but they can be utilized to your benefit if you can incorporate that day’s top trend into your daily post. Be ahead of the curve, not behind it.

Negative Comments: How to respond 

If you haven’t already, go ahead and accept the fact that negative comments are inevitable in the world of social media. As frustrating as they may be, it’s important to realize that you only have control over how you respond and not what others say. First off, choose your battles wisely. If you don’t have a pro-active response, then wait until you do. Secondly, when you choose to respond, make sure it’s honest and open. You want to avoid escalation when responding to any negative comment so keep it brief but sincere.