There are so many pros and cons to social media. I love staying connected to my family and friends through updates on Facebook, keeping up with the latest trends and being social on Instagram and dancing to the latest tunes through Tik Tok. The possibilities on social media are endless. With every new platform that comes out I always take time to assess before creating an account. Myspace was the first social media platform I joined. I was in seventh grade and the music element and coding (before I knew what coding was) was exciting to experiment with. I'm not sure when or how I started my Facebook account, but I know that I wasn't one of the first to join. My brother created my Instagram account for me, and my LinkedIn was started out of obligation through a class assignment.

Although it’s rare for me to go a day without opening several social media accounts, today is Social Media Day. I was going to share my favorite social media platform, but then I realized I love and use each of them for a variety of reasons. While many friends, followers, connections, etc. overlap from platform to platform, none of them have this same audience. Social media can be overwhelming, but my favorite thing about all the platforms is the main thing that they were created for - to be social.

My Facebook account is private, and I know everyone that I'm friends with. Whether it's family, classmates or former colleagues, I have personal connections to each of them. I love Instagram because it allows me to connect with people who I've never met before but feel like family and friends. Twitter is where I look for news, trends and current events, and I use LinkedIn primarily for professional networking and career-related updates and opportunities. These are just a few ways I use each platform, but I’m active (some more than others) on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tik Tok, Club House, Snap Chat, Girl Boss and LTK, in addition to my own space on the internet here at JASMINECTATE.COM.

Outside of my personal use of social media, it’s also a central component of my role at TGR Foundation. Whether I’m writing copy, designing graphics, pulling photos or planning content, there’s always something social media-related to be done. In celebration of Social Media Day, I want to share some tips and tricks I’ve learned through my experience managing and engaging on social media.

1. Personalize your name and keep it consistent.

No matter who you are or why you use social media, your personal brand is important and should be consistent in every area of your life. On most platforms your personal URL will be platformname.com/yourname, but for some like LinkedIn and Facebook, you’re assigned a number. Those can be changed when you log in. You can find me anywhere I’m social @JASMINECTATE.

2. Complete your profile.

While this practice is basic there are many profiles on every platform left incomplete. Unless you don’t want to be found or social at all, your profile should be complete. It will help people discover you and know who you are when they do. Even if you are not actively posting or engaging daily, a complete profile is necessary, especially on LinkedIn.  

3. Keep your contacts and content organized.

Lists and bookmarks are a great way to stay organized and find what you need when you need it. Twitter offers lists to organize your contacts and bookmarks for posts. Instagram also provides an option to curate a list of close friends and save posts. Be strategic with your use of those features and curate your boards and lists. For platforms that don’t offer lists and boards, Pinterest is a great alternative, and my next tip.

4. Share content to Pinterest.

Create public and private boards and share to them when you find something inspiring or resourceful. For creators sharing to public Pinterest Boards expands the potential of your content to reach a new audience. Be sure to implement Search Engine Optimization Strategies, like use of key words and terms that people will search for, in your captions.

5. Use desktop mode when necessary.

Although it’s extremely important to have websites that have mobile compatibility and apps in 2021, sometimes the mobile versions move features around and complicate accessibility a bit, not to mention that Facebook has a separate app for messenger. I hate seeing the notifications and when I do I switch to desktop mode to see if it’s a bot or message worth responding to, and I save the space on my phone. I’m also not a fan of the LinkedIn app and convert it to mobile compatibility when I want to use through my phone.  

Bonus: Mute accounts and/or posts that don’t inspire, benefit or support you.

This is one of my favorite options on all platforms. Facebook allows you to unfollow people without unfriending them. Instagram gives you the option to mute posts and/or stories.

These are some of my top tips for all platforms. What would you add? In celebration of Social Media Day, be social with me and share in the comments below or on social media @JASMINECTATE.

Hugs & Handshakes,

Jasmine C. Tate