We recently dissected the difference between social media platforms and which is most beneficial for you to join depending on what you are hoping to get out of it. Now that you’ve signed up and are rearing to go, let’s explore the proper ways to engage on social media.

 

Facebook and LinkedIn: Facebook allows you to Like, Share, and Comment on content. “Liking” something simply means clicking the thumbs up symbol indicating you like or approve of the post. Sharing the post allows you to add your own thoughts to the post as well as publishing it on your own profile. It’s a great way to share content you think would be beneficial to your followers as well. Commenting on a post is for when you have something relevant and professional you would like to add to the conversation and would like to engage with the original poster as well as others interacting with the content.

 

Twitter: On Twitter, a user is able to Favorite, Retweet, and Reply. “Favoriting” a tweet means you click on the star next to the post showing you find the content relevant or important. Retweeting is taking the same content and forwarding it to your followers. While it distributes the content to more people, it doesn’t allow a user to add their own commentary or opinions. Replying to a tweet is the same as a conversation. It gives users the opportunity to start a conversation or discuss the content in a tweet.

 

Google+: +1, Share, and Comment. These three are the same as Facebook and LinkedIn, but rather than using the word “like,” Google uses “+1”. It’s a way to show your appreciation for a post by saying “one more person” likes it.

 

This might seem like an overwhelming amount of options but there is an appropriate use for each one. Often, the most productive way to engage on social media is to comment. Liking, favoriting, and adding a +1 is great for showing how many people found the content useful. Sharing the post is better as it encourages the distribution of important content to a wider audience. And the best? Comment! Active engagement on social media is the absolute best way to establish yourself as a reputable source and get people talking about important topics.