On this page …
Dos and Don’ts when using social networks
Different types
| Skype, FaceTime | 1<>1+ | Free video calls (or voice only) between two computers/phones using the internet |
| Texts | 1>1 | Mostly mobiles: Sending messages via your mobile using your mobile signal |
| 1>1+ | Mostly mobiles: Sending messages (and photos and videos) via your mobile to someone or a group of people using data rather than mobile signal (so also useful if no mobile coverage) | |
| Snapchat | 1>1+ | Mobiles: send videos and pictures, both of which self destruct after a few seconds of a person viewing them! |
| Pinterest/Instagram | 1> | Sharing photos/images – like a bulletin board |
| Picasso, Flickr | 1> | Sharing photos/images – like a bulletin board |
| YouTube, Vimeo | 1> | Sharing videos – like a bulletin board |
| 1> | Sharing information (limited to 140 characters). You ‘post’ a ‘tweet’ and include a ‘hashtag’ or ‘#’ which identifies the subject of the message. People can search for all messages with a particular ‘hashtag’. | |
| FaceBook, MySpace | 1> | Sharing information about yourself and things you’re interested in (words, photos, videos). A network gets created by ‘connecting’ with friends/followers. A Social Networking site. |
| 1> | Sharing information about yourself – mostly used for business, work, skills related. A network gets created by ‘connecting’ with friends/followers. | |
| Blogs | 1> | Information about one subject or person |
| Wikis – Wikipedia | 1+> | Information – in a specific area or general (like encyclopedias, user manuals etc) |
1 > 1 = sending something to usually just one person
1 > 1+ = sending to one or more people
1 > = ‘publish’ something. Like using a notice board. Other people (your friends / ‘followers’) can find it if they look. With most/all these you can send friends a ‘link’ (by email/text etc) to anything you publish so they know it’s there and how to find it.
What is Social Media?
A simple and short video explaining Social Media in plain English.
Another video explaining Social Media – including text, images, audio, podcasts, videos, social networking, wikis, image, photo and video sharing, news aggregation, social bookmarking, online gaming, presence apps.
Another site explaining Social Media and Social Networking
Dos and Don’ts when using social networks
A useful article – Social Media Etiquette for Business Owners: 25 Do’s & Don’ts
The excellent YouTube video I originally found on this topic is, unfortunately, no longer available.
What would you use them for?
Below are three ways of explaining some of the different types of social media (the last two a little tongue-in-cheek) …
