A lot of people have strong opinions when it comes to social media. Because it’s only been around for a relatively short amount of time, society is still grappling with how to approach it. We’re still trying to understand how to use it and how it affects our communities.
While there are still plenty of unanswered questions out there. These are 5 myths we can identify with confidence:
Myth #1: It’s only for young people
When social media first stepped on to the scene, it was mostly college kids on Facebook and tweens on instant messenger. Now it’s everyone (and their grandmother!) Social media is for all ages. This also means just because you’re not in your 20’s that you shouldn’t feel confident using it. Like anything else in life, mastering social media takes a little learning and adapting.
Myth #2: You should only post once a day
We’ve all seen the caption “sorry for posting again today!” Thanks to Facebook’s new algorithms, audiences aren’t seeing your content in chronological order anymore. They’re seeing it by what Facebook deems as most engaging. So, if you’re managing social media for a business, don’t be daunted by posting more than once a day. If your content resonates with your viewers, then they’ll want to see it as much as possible.
Myth #3: You have to be tech-savvy to master it
Again, no need to feel like you need to be a “hipster” kid with a pair of bulky headphones to fit the part of social media manager. All that’s needed, really, is a smartphone and an ear and an eye for quality content. Once your judgement is aligned with quality content, then you’ve mastered the biggest goal of social media.
Myth #4: You need a professional camera to do it
If your phone has a camera then congrats, you have al the equipment necessary to master social media. While having a nice camera certainly helps your social media presence, it is not necessary. We’ve seen plenty people become social media masterminds from a simple camera phone. Again, as long as your content is good and what your producing has an audience, then you’re all set.
Myth #5: It’s replacing long-form reading
We certainly think (and hope) this is a myth. Social media, in many ways, can act as a powerful gateway to quality journalism. We’ve seen plenty top-notch long form writing websites tease their writing through social media. Through social media, long-form writing and reading has another outlet for advertising itself. Humans, we believe, will always crave deeper thought. And we don’t think social media will ever kill that desire.