āThe Other Pressā guide to style and class in social media
By Sophie Isbister, Staff Writer
People have asked me a lot of questions about my social media detox, mostly, āWhatās the point?ā which is a silly question that I refuse to address. The second most common is, āWill you go back to Facebook?ā and my answer is always a resounding, āHell yes!ā
If Iāve learned anything, itās that social media is the place to be (see last weekās column on what I miss about social media). Iāve also learned that social media is a tool to be wielded wisely. I hope to temper my posts with moderation, and in an effort to cement these good habits while the ideas are mere buds in my mind, Iāve created a handy how-to guide for Facebook posts. Iām going to tackle the top five things to post on Facebook, and my co-writer Keating Smith will be sharing his personal hit-list of Facebook pet peeves. As with all advice in The Other Press, the following should be taken as gospel and strictly adhered to.
Top five dos when posting on Facebook:
1. Link with confidenceāand context! Weāve all seen it: the link or music video just slapped on someoneās newsfeed and broadcast to their own personal audience, with zero accompanying information. I think sharing is greatāwith some caveats. If youāre going to post a link to an article, Iād suggest including a pullout quote and then providing a small blurb of your own writing to spark a discussion.
2. Share, but donāt over share. This one should be a no-brainer, but it isnāt. The whole point of social media, I realize, is to share details about your life, and I love to read the occasional āBennies for breakfast!ā status. But before you hit post on your latest lunch or transit status, think: does everyone need to know your exact schedule of meals and deals? Unless youāre actively seeking stalkers, try to limit the personal life shares to once or twice a day. Or less.
3. Infographics are good, but only if theyāre good. Infographics, or flashy visual representations of data, are shared on Facebook about as frequently as an Amanda Bynes hit-and-run. Theyāre usually created by social advocacy pages, which I can get behind, but only if theyāre good. Iām seriously interested in knowing about the evils of Monsanto and the benefits of organic farming, just as much as Iām interested in a breakdown on how electoral reform could have prevented a Conservative majority government. Iām not interested in reading a cluttered, grainy, and hastily-shared table that looks like it was made in MS Paint.
4. Manage your brand. Social media is most effective when your online activity is focussed. The day-to-day stuff is nice to read in moderation, but what I really like is when people tailor their posts to a specific interest. Say you really like baking, or Canadian film. Maybe you do graphic design, or write for a student publication such as The Other Press. If you can manage and promote your personal brand and become known for a certain kind of post, it will make your Timeline, and your overall social media presence, more relevant and connected.
5. A picture says a thousand words. I know some will disagree here, especially my colleague Keating Smith, but I just canāt get enough of Instagrammed photos of food, cats, and kids. Vacations, graffiti, latte art, dead birds, I love it, so keep it coming! Some may argue that over-sharing clutters their feed and doesnāt provide any valuable information, but I say itās hard to take an ugly photo with Instagram (or Android versions such as LightBox and FXCamera). Images are a visual, attractive way to share original life content. And if you donāt like it, you can scroll down.
