1. Know where to post

Knowing what platform aligns with your content is crucial! If you’re trying to create a sneak peak photography portfolio, Instagram might be preferable over Twitter not only because it is geared towards visuals but because of the community that comes with it!

2. Make your posts relatable

Who is going to be reading/viewing your social media post and why should they be interested in it? When it comes to promoting a business, creating a product, or even for personal use, people will move on quickly if it has nothing to do with them or their interests!

3. Know current news!!!

This one has 3 exclamation points because it’s IMPORTANT. This is more for you social media managers out there, but the last thing you want is for your good intentions to accidentally offend the public, and this can (not always likely) but easily be done when a bad joke is made without you knowing it.

This post was made just after the Colorado movie theatre shooting, which killed 12 people and injured many others.

4. Schedule Posts

The best way to beat a busy schedule is to create one…for posts! Schedule your posts for certain times/days does some of the work for you. Now, you can tweet, write, photograph and pin when you have time, and allow it to post itself when you don’t have time. Thanks technology!

5. Set goals

Don’t be afraid to dream big! Whether your goal is getting a certain following or learning something through your social media experience personally, setting goals will help keep you motivated, determined, and passionate about whatever content you are presenting. Just make sure you care about it for the right reasons. (Not everything is about numbers)

6. Be YOU

People pleasing gets the best of us all sometimes and it can prove especially true on social media. Some take a picture a thousand times over before they decide to finally post it, some edit and distort their features after every selfie, and some delete content all together if it didn’t get “enough” likes.

At the end of the day, it’ll only leave you unsatisfied and insecure. You thought keeping up with homework was hard? Imagine pretending to be someone you’re not in front of the whole online world! Seems tiring. You’ve heard it all before, so I’ll leave it with this.

and this…

7.  Personal style

Once you make sure you’ve got #6 down, figure out your own personal style and stick with it! Whether this is through writing or design, consistency in your work will make you stand out and set a brand for yourself. Some find their style through trial and error and go with whatever photo editing technique or language in writing feels most natural to them.

If you feel like you don’t know your style yet- don’t get discouraged and don’t let it keep you from letting the creativity flow! A personal style will come naturally when you are staying true to who you are and what you love. It will reflect YOU.

8. Hashtags don’t have to be annoying

#boothang #Ilovemyboyfriend #2dayanniversary #lovelovelove #xo #bestfriendsforeveruntilmarriage #soulmates #ringbyspring #bae #goals

This is annoying. Let’s not be like this. HOWEVER, hashtags can be used for good! When used in moderation or for actual connection purposes, hashtags can send your post into a community of people who are interested in what you have to say or show. Maybe it’s a certain location, or a service you’re selling. It’s a way to connect and engage with people and accounts posting relevant content to yours!

9. Build relationships

Social media is a great tool for making connections, but it depends on what kind of account. My Facebook consists mostly of personal information and keeping in touch with friends and family, so it’s not typically a platform I use to connect with people I don’t know. My Instagram, however, doubles as my photography account, and I have made quite a few connections with other local photographers that I have learned from or partnered with! These connections can land us internships, jobs, or even friends! Just be careful of who you’re talking to. As we know by now, people aren’t always who they say they are, so use caution.

10. Take a break

While electronics and social media specifically hold a bunch of helpful tools and uses, don’t let it become an addiction. After all, nothing can replace face to face communication!

Here are just a few of the many signs you may want to take a break:

1. If you’re scrolling through your feed while someone is talking to you
2. If you text or direct message more than you talk to people in person
3. You can’t estimate the amount of hours you were on social media on a given day
4. You close an app and immediately reopen it
5. You met most of your friends on the internet
6. You get mad at a teacher for not letting you be on your phone in class
7. You check how many likes your post got every 5 minutes