The secrets of social media

This Social Media Theory and Practice class has taught me so much about the power of social media and how far it can take a company. Before this class, social media to me was just an outlet to socialize with my friends, vent my thoughts, and occupy myself when bored or waiting in lines. Now, after this class, social media is SO much more. I am a multimedia journalism major so I don't know much about public relations or campaigning for a company. Most of my experience has been in journalism and creating media. However, this class really combined all of that, utilizing skills from multimedia and skills from public relations. I learned so much about how you can use those multimedia skills and writing skills to then create a campaign for a brand/company with social media platforms! This class has given me the skills and tools to not only help a company create a strong social media presence but also help create one for myself. I feel confident that I can now successfully brand myself online with my social media accounts.

So if you think you are already an expert on social media? Think again! This class will expand your definition of social media.

Still don't believe me? Check out this list of just a few take-aways I got from this class.

1) Establish brand-identity!!!

You have to establish a strong online presence and distinct voice for your brand/client/yourself.

What makes you unique and stand out? How can you become recognizable by your social media posts? Be consistent with fonts and colors or maybe create visual images that represent your brand. Making a certain style for your posts or having a certain color scheme gets your audience to associate certain things with your brand you created. Don't just post to advertise, create a lifestyle associated with your brand!

2) Do your research!!!!!

You should know your company/product/client like the back of your hand! You should Know all of the competitors. What are they doing well and poorly with social media? You should know your audience, who specifically are you trying to appeal to?? It is extremely important to be very clear about your target audience. You should know all the different social media platforms and what they each can potentially provide. Doing all this research is vital before you try and make a social media plan for your brand/client/yourself.

3) VISUALS!!!!

Create unique and aesthetically pleasing visuals to enhance your social media posts! Visuals are SO important with social media. Visuals help catch the eye and are what get people to stop and look at your post. They are a lot easier to take in and retain compared to a bunch of text. Visuals can support your story and make complicated ideas seem simpler. Warby Parker is a great example of a brand that posts awesome visuals. All of their visuals are so pleasing to the eye and tell a lot about the company.

4) Audience Engagement!!!!!

Create an engaging environment with your audience. Allow your followers to feel involved and a part of something special. Get them involved and make them feel included in the fun! You want to build and maintain a strong relationship with your followers. A good way to build that relationship and loyalty with your followers is by engaging with them as much as possible!

5) Set GOALS!!!!

Don't be afraid to set goals and follow up and check in on those goals. All strategic communication is goal oriented. Without setting goals, how can you ever know how successful you are? How can you know what to work towards without setting a goal? You cant measure success without setting goals first! Know the big picture of what you want to accomplish with your brand/client!

6) Tell the story!!!!!

This to me is the most important of them all! You can't forget the story you are trying to tell. What is the message you want to send your audience? You should make every word count. Don't lose the story. Be creative and write a compelling story through your social media posts that leaves your audience wanting more!!