Amie Rhone

Monday 3 April 2017

The power of using and understanding social media

Image from Pexels
As you know, I recently wrote a post on why I use social media and it got me thinking. Social media is something that we simply cannot escape from, from updating Snapchat stories to re-tweeting celebrities, Instagram stalking to enhancing our profiles on LinkedIn, it's become an everyday activity.

A recent survey by UM's Wave indicated that 85% of social media users actively spend time managing their profiles online and compared to 2010, people are 40% less likely to see social networks as a place for fun and entertainment and are 30% more likely to see them as platforms on which to promote themselves.

I may not be the most social media savvy, but being a millennial and growing up with the use of social media platforms and emerging technology definitely has its positives. Here are my three top tips on how to utilise social media:

Use your own voice

When writing online, don't pretend to be someone you're not. Whether it's writing simple status updates to long blog posts or instant messaging, make sure it's written in a way that promotes your best self. Use similar language to what you'd use in everyday life while talking to family or friends and be genuine in how you come across. You don't want to find yourself meeting someone for the first time and realise that your online persona is completely different to what you're actually like.



Keep on top of it

When running online accounts to use professionally, make sure you keep on top of it. For example, try to tweet at least 4 times a day to show that you're involving yourself in discussion and current affairs. Re-tweeting people in the same industry or users who you look up to will help your activity as well as engaging in conversation, through instant messaging or commenting on someone's tweet, image or announcement. You'll be amazed how many people notice engagement on your feed, just by a simple re-tweet or comment.

Remember all social media platforms

When starting up social media accounts, most people will focus on Twitter, Instagram and a Facebook page. They're easy to use, have a large following and you can find relatable posts with just a one-word search. However, I've found that even using LinkedIn as another source has provided me with professional engagement and helped me gain contacts in the industry. Potential employers can access your account and posting solely professional content can increase your employability. Using social media platforms that are relevant to your business or brand is so important - for example, using Pinterest if you're an interior enthusiast, SoundCloud if you're a musician or The Dots if you want to exhibit projects you've been a part of.




I spoke to Rhiannon Birch who co-founded Cheshire Cat Marketing with Darren Finder. Her top tips for social media can be adapted to suit any business or personal account:

"While sending out the occasional routine tweet is ok, try to aim for quality over quantity. Interact with users or perhaps post on particular trends, even if they're outside of your usual business subjects... don't be afraid to be spontaneous."

"Don't forget to interact with people"


"Prioritising saves time and energy and allows you or your team to get on with answering questions. Don't forget to interact with people on your pages as well though, customers appreciate a personal interaction and it increases loyalty."

"Scour the web for mentions of your organisations name (which also works with your name as a professional or blogger) and whichever social media channels you find yourself mentioned on, create a page! By creating your page and making yourself known though great organic content and advertising, the customers will find you and they will appreciate you creating a space for them."




Using hashtags is another great way to interact. Here's a tweet using professional interaction that got me a lot of response! Are these social media tips helpful for you?








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