Being a teenager is a tough time for everyone, yet our generation had an even more cringe-worthy opportunity than was afforded to those from earlier generations: the ability to post our every thought and action on social media. In 2010, about 75% of teens and young adults were using social media, and that number has grown to 92% as of 2018. We know...Yikes.
Today, having a presence on social media is practically a requirement for personal and professional reasons, especially if you’re a technology PR and marketing pro. As social media gurus, we craft tweets and posts about the latest trends impacting our industry, professional events we’re attending, tech insights, and occasionally what’s happening on the latest season of The Bachelor or the last episode of Game of Thrones (come on, we’re only human).In honor of Social Media Day, we asked a few members of our Uncommon Crew to reflect on their very first social media post along with their thoughts on how social media has changed over the years.
Cortney Johnson
“My first-ever tweet was an inside joke between a friend and I from college, which is maybe why it got little to no engagement. No one knows what it means! My posts on social media have changed greatly over the years. Instagram is my favorite channel and I mostly use Twitter for professional purposes- it’s where a lot of Health IT chatter happens!”
“The one thing I find most interesting is how much my Facebook use has changed over the years. While I still regularly check the app, I do not use it to communicate with people quite as much as before and I rarely post on peoples Facebook walls anymore.”
Rachel Blanks
“My profile shows that I joined Twitter in February 2011, but as you can see I didn’t post my first tweet until 5 months later. If I recall correctly, a lot of my friends weren’t on Twitter yet, so I was mostly using it to follow celebrities and news. Although I’m also active on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and LinkedIn, Twitter is still my favorite social media platform because I can utilize Twitter for myself and our clients to share technology news and create a unique brand voice.
“Looking back on my earliest tweets is a little cringe-worthy as a social media manager. In 2011 my tweets were mostly updates about what I was doing or who I was with. There wasn’t much value being shared or encouragement happening. My favorite thing about social media is that it keeps me connected with my friends from college, relatives in Ohio, childhood neighbors and, of course, our awesome clients.”
Chris Shattuck
“In 2008 and 2009, when I was only in high school, I was the only one on social media in my family. So, in that sense, social media was freeing because it made me feel like I had greater freedom to open up and share my thoughts. Now everyone I know is on some kind of social media platform, and as I’ve gotten older, I’m a lot more conscious about the types of content I’m sharing.”
“My posts have also become more segmented by platform: Instagram for amateur photography + daily stories, Twitter for daily news, LinkedIn for professional updates, and Facebook for events and info I want to share with my friends and family. Overall, I’d say my posts have become more tactical with defined roles to reach whom I want, when I want and how I want, which is imperative for any client social media strategy, too!”
Erika Scholz Van
“Not surprisingly, my first Instagram post was a photo of a very special feline- my family’s cat Zeus back in January 2012. You’ll notice there’s no location, no hashtags and just a very brief caption.”
“My Instagram posts have changed because I now am more descriptive, tag the location and are more visually interesting, along with having a few other people tagged in them. In social media marketing speak, they are more optimized.”
“Instagram is one of my favorite social platforms because it’s so easy to skim through and see what my friends, family and coworkers are up to- as well as researching right-fit influencers for our clients. I recently got married and it was so nice to get likes and comments from old friends that I hadn’t talked to in ages- it made me feel like I was still connected to them.”
One of the best things about social media- and digital technology as a whole- is that it is evolving every.single.day, and it will continue to do so in the future. If you’re struggling to adapt to the latest social media trends or if you’re unsure about how it can be used to catapult your executive visibility strategy or leading technology company, fear not. Our team of experts offer social media trainings and regularly share tips about how to maximize your social presence- be sure to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or reach out to learn more!