Wearing my Social Media Shoes

Determining the right social media platform is much like deciding which shoes to wear with what outfit. Selecting your footwear depends on the type of event, errand, or activity you have planned; much the same with the type of status update or announcement you have planned.

Hear me out, I have the analogy to prove it.

I have put some thought into this, and it's not as difficult as one might think.

Here are the most commonly used social media platforms and a brief description of each. Keep in mind, this is my opinion, if you find that one of none of these descriptions don't make sense, please let me know, I'm not afraid of some constructive criticism.

Facebook posts must be informative, witty, or inspirational, to be 'Like' worthy.

On Twitter, you must keep your tweets short yet concise, the amount of followers directly determines your amount of influence.

Pinterest is a popular platform among the visual learners. The use of photography is important for its success, your boards should be interesting and visually appealing. In other words, you have to 'dress like everyone is watching'.

Google +, who uses this anyway? I don't really know anyone using this platform or how it actually works. I have a Google+  account but I have never really used it, other than updating my profile photo and putting up all of ONE post.

LinkedIn is for business use, simply put. It is your online resume, your list of skills, employment history, and education is listed for the world to see. On LinkedIn, individuals can get hired, or look for work. It is the base of the job application before applying for the desired position.

Shoes make a statement, they complete an outfit which is why they must be chosen carefully (unless you don't care about fashion, in which case you can stop reading the rest of this post)

Knee high boots are strong, confident, and says 'I can kick some ass'. Commonly worn for nights out with the girls, with a rockin' pair of jeans.

Flats are casual, yet cute. They are used mostly in the summer, for casual business days. They do not flatter, therefore are best worn with pants or jeans.

Strappy sandals are sexy and make a statement. Strappy Wedges can be included, but be very selective when choosing a strappy wedge, they can scream 'casual'.

Runners say 'I don't have time for sore feet, I have to get my errands done'; flip flops are an easy reach when all you have to do is go to the grocery store, or the 7-11 down the street. Runners are good for working out (duh), and flats are a good post work out wear, when your feet need some air (again, duh)

Pumps are strong, powerful, and confident. We can include wedges in this case however, they must have a similar face than pumps. (Be selective)

Now that I have listed my definition (and I will strongly emphasise MY) for our beloved social media platforms, and I have provided you with a short yet informative description of what I think shoes say, how do they go together?

In my opinion...

What you have to say and how you have to say it determines the platform you are going to use. AND, we can agree that you won't wear flip flops to your next interview... Right? (OH gosh, I hope you agreed)
 

The art of choosing the right social media platform is the same as choosing the right footwear, or event attire. It doesn't take long to think about this, familiarize yourself with the platform, what others are posting, and its common practices. Unlike the choice of footwear, social media does have unhidden rules.

The lesson here, learn everything you need in order to make a good posting decision. It will save your credibility and your online reputation. AND on another note, leave your dirty laundry out of your public profile.