What Will You Learn Today?

Obviously social media today has expanded beyond using platforms such as, Instagram and Facebook, to share pictures and updates with friends and family. We are now seeing just how powerful and impactful social media is with the amount of influencers around the world being able to make a living through their content. While most creators become popular by sharing an interesting/exciting lifestyle, or being entertaining. I’ve begun to see a different style of popular creators on social media.

One of the great benefits of social media is that there is countless informational videos, posts, blogs etc.. You can search the internet and learn just about anything. The main stream of informational content that I would like to talk about is not exactly the type that will benefit your overall education. However, I would like to share how I have used social media to learn more about golf and how I have been able to improve each day.

(Adam Young Golf, 2018)

Like many people over the last couple years I decided to take up golf while most things were shut down during the pandemic. I would imagine that most people began with some older clubs and just began swinging at the ball and hoping for the best, at least that’s how I started… Some friends and I were looking for something to do as a group, and with not many options available we decided why not hit some balls around and drive some golf carts.

Fast forward a year, I have never had anyone around to be able to give me any lessons on golf. Yet I have used social media to teach myself everything that has allowed me to become, what I would say is an above average golfer, in just over a year. I now find myself watching hours of content on social media learning new tips and drills to improve your game. Each day it seems like I get better and better, seeing this makes me more mot

Facebook – How has social media improved my golf game? Find out here – https://bit.ly/3bUBaRg

Twitter – Why you don’t need golf lessons. https://bit.ly/3bUBaRg

The Rise of TikTok

By now if you haven’t heard of the social media platform TikTok, I’m not sure where you have been. This platform has taken the social media world by storm and I think there are a few reasons for it. Now, I’d like to take you back a bit to 2013, remember vine? This app also became very popular very quickly, unfortunately it was about as equally quick that this app would fall off, but that’s a different topic for a different day. The reason I bring up vine is because of the similarities between the two platforms, both started off with short video times, roughly 6-7 seconds in length. I think that these short video times were a huge reason for the rise of these apps because of our generations decreasing attention span.

The main reason that I believe TikTok has become so popular is because of their algorithm. It has something that has been talked about a lot in regards to the app. Rather than platforms like Instagram and Facebook where your home page is where you will see the content of accounts/people that you follow. TikTok has created the ‘For You Page’. This page will show you videos/content from users that you follow, but will also be filled with content from users that you have not followed. This is why the algorithm of TikTok has been talked about so much. They are able to track how long you watch certain videos, when you share them with friends, when you like certain videos. They then use this information to flood your ‘For You Page’ with similar content to keep you interested.

(Brian Dean, 2022)

Now, while TikTok still remains behind other platforms in overall popularity I think its influence on these platforms can’t go unnoticed. Instagram and Youtube have taken notes from TikTok and the popularity of shorter videos. With instagram creating ‘Instagram Reels’ and Youtube creating ‘Youtube Shorts’. While these may have different names these are essentially the brands own versions of a ‘For You Page’. Allowing users to scroll through 6-7 second videos from users in a very similar framework that has made TikTok such a hit. Will TikTok continue to grow and evolve in the world of social media or will we see TikTok go down the same road as Vine? I am excited to see what this platform has in store.

Twitter: Find out how #TikTok has risen the ranks of the most popular #socialmedia platforms https://bit.ly/3vNlJRv

Facebook: What is it that makes TikTok a social media platform to look out for? Find out on my most recent blog post: https://bit.ly/3vNlJRv

The Hindrance of Social Media

Why is it that we can find ourselves making time to allow ourselves to scroll through social media for hours a day? However, we are reluctant to make time for more important endeavours that we deal with in everyday life. Looking for a prime example? As I attempt to complete this blog post I find myself being battling with the urge to sit and scroll through social media.

(Miguel Porlan, 2019)

While the number of social media outlets is expanding to allow us greater opportunities through social media. However, this greater outlet of social media content makes putting down the phone an even greater task. How can we tackle this issue?

Putting the phone down can be a challenge, but I hope to offer useful tips to allow you to stay focused.

• When working try keeping your phone on silenced or on Do Not Disturb, this will keep you from feeling drawn to your phone by constant notifications.
• Create a schedule that allows you time to spend time on social media, in turn opening up time in your day that will be designated to completing work.
• Treat social media as a reward for yourself after completing a task. This can go in hand with creating a schedule, allowing yourself x amount of time to spend on social media after completing x amount of work.

Facebook: Having a hard time putting the phone down and struggling to stay focused, check out my blog for a few tips! https://algonquincollegesocialmedia.wordpress.com/?p=124312

Twitter: Looking for tips to limit your time on social media?
Check out my blog here: https://algonquincollegesocialmedia.wordpress.com/?p=124312

How Can You Benefit From Multiple Social Media Accounts?

Social media is forever expanding and evolving. Whether it is with new social media platforms or users finding new tricks to use in current platforms. The main trend that I can’t help but to think about is the creation and use of spam accounts since instagram allowed users to create multiple accounts in 2016. I think being able to have multiple accounts allows us as users to be able to express ourselves in a number of ways. We have talked about finding our “style” or “flow”, by creating multiple accounts it allows the user to work with multiple aesthetics for their accounts.

(The Rubicon Show, 2021)

Being able to use different styles over multiple accounts has the benefit of allowing to reach multiple audiences. When you’re not stuck trying to follow the same flow I think it can allow you to be more creative and keep you from getting bored of your own content. Keeping yourself interested in your own content is going to keep the reader/viewer interested and coming back to your page, or in this case pages. Being invested in your own content will help you to continue posting regularly to keep your posts on your followers pages.

Trying to maintain a proper posting schedule can be difficult to follow with one account. If you’re going to try to maintain two accounts how will you manage? What would your plan be, would you make posting times the same for both accounts for the sake of convenience? Or rather would you find it more beneficial to space out your posting times between your accounts? At the end of the day I think there are many benefits to creating multiple media outlets for your followers to engage with. Do you think that you would be able to keep up?

Bokji, Alexandra. Module 2 Content, Introduction to Social Media. July 17, 2022.