There are Four Simple Rules for Social Media:
1) There is “A Progression of Attention” as you build your following, from 10, to 100, to 1000, to 10,000, to 100,000, to 1,000,000, etc.
2) You want to have “Steady Growth” in order to succeed.
3) “Storytelling” – Your engagement will come from storytelling.
4) “Vlogging” – Video blogging has proven to have high engagement and has taken over the social media world, people are reading less and less, so the present and the future of online communication is through video!
Start by finding the top 3 social media platforms that you enjoy the most.
Favorite Social Media Platforms and how they serve:
Facebook (the online universe – a huge percentage of the world is on Facebook),
Instagram (showcase your talents and influence), and
Youtube (the long form of videos).
Other platforms are:
Twitter (express your opinions),
Snapchat (a form of TV, beginning to wain in popularity),
TikTok (short form of videos – started as youth personified, dancing – has evolved into more of a Youtube channel),
Linkedin (the business channel),
Podcasts (the talk radio of the internet),
Pinterest (your vision board),
Live Stream on various channels (the latest thing to do, people can interact with you), Clubhouse (a voice-only chat room, more like a panel discussion at a seminar, including questions from the audience,
Email (still a powerful communication tool, but people now receive hundreds per day, yours could get lost), DM – Direct Messaging (replacing email, but can be considered very invasive and that is a negative).
As competition for the online eyeballs and people’s time increases, there are expansions on every platform, like Stories, FB Rooms, etc.
Many more coming every day! Many social media influencers are forming their own versions of each of these larger platforms.
Social Media is here to stay and because it is still new, business pressures, the short attention span of the public today, and the quickly changing interests of the youth market, plus legislation and lawsuits, are all creating a dynamic and ever-changing environment.
Businesses making social media the platform for their success must be on their toes, agile, and aware of the constant zigs and zags in order to stay relevant.
(Source – Editor Jack Atkinson and information from various social media consultants.)
