Social Media: Of People, By People, For People. | #WinterABC #Day6

Have you ever wondered what the point of social media is? I know I have. I actually once took a pen and paper and started writing down the lessons I’ve learned from social media.

You see, the world of social media can be difficult to navigate. It’s a place made of people, by people and for people. For something so people-centered, you can expect a lot of conflict and noise. At the same time, there is so much value that you can expect too! Because of this, it is a special art to expertly navigate social media by avoiding the noise, reaching your audience and also gaining value. In trying to master this art (which I am in no way close to doing), I’ve learnt a couple of lessons which I will be sharing in today’s post.

• Images matter!

There is only so much you can say with words on social media. But, you can use an image to communicate something that would have taken you a thousand words to explain. So on social media, a picture is literally worth a thousand words. People like to see before they believe. They hear you. They hear your words. But images, they help the words sink in.

• Nobody is perfect.

It’s easy to start to believe that some your favourite people on social media have perfect lives. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Believing that they’re perfect will only leave you disappointed when you discover new truths about this person or people. So, the best thing to do is accept that not everyone is perfect. Know that you’re loving a person on social media for ONLY the part of them that you can see. And that’s okay.

The illusion of perfection may also lead you to look down on yourself at some points. Don’t do it. Don’t compare yourself to anybody. Just ensure that you’re doing your best. Let people motivate you but never let them make you feel bad about yourself. This leads me to my next point.

• Protect your space.

Like I said, on social media, there is value and there is noise. Curate your timelines to drown out the noise and provide value to you. Mute accounts that don’t make you feel good about yourself. Protect your social media space like you would your physical space.

• Be sincere.

It’s easy to want to put on a show but the truth is that authentic content wins. Don’t try too hard to pretend to be something you’re not on social media. You don’t need to put your whole life on social media but you also don’t need to lie. Be sincere. Be truthful. Be authentic.

That’s all the lessons I’d be sharing but I know we’ve all learnt a lot more so tell me, what has social media taught you?

Love,

Tomi of Lagos