How many times a day do you think you get on a social media app, whether it be on your phone, laptop, etc.? I’m sure the answer varies for each individual person, but that doesn’t change the fact that we all get on social media for some reason.
To some people, social media is a place for comparison, seeing who can get the most attention and fake news. However, social media can actually be used as an effective tool. Since we live in the generation of social media, vlogging, and public figures, why not utilize our resources?
Social media is a way to get your name out there. If you are a young entrepreneur, using a social media page is a great way to publicise yourself, your business or your products. Instagram makes doing this extremely easy and accessible with its ties to Facebook and their business pages. Another key tool is the “swipe up” feature on Instagram stories, linking whatever web page you wish. This feature is only available to those accounts that have over ten thousand followers, but it is still beneficial.
Secondly, social media is a unique way to connect with and meet other people. Just by friending someone you can see what you have in common and like their posts. I personally have made multiple friends just by direct messaging them on Instagram. Some of them live hundreds of miles away, and some live in the same state as me, but either way they are good friendships that stemmed from the click of a button.
Social media is an effective way for businesses to advertise and promote themselves to a targeted audience. Nowadays social media apps will place advertisements on your feed that are personalized to you based off of what you like and who you follow. As creepy as that may sound, it is definitely effective. I know that my friends and I have bought items just because of seeing them on our social media feeds.
On the other hand, social media can help with mental health. According to Curatti.com, emotions expressed online can affect your mood. It not only helps to relieve social isolation but also open new communication pathways and offers support.
Social media allows people to share their thoughts without truly revealing their identity, and it helps to develop an enhanced talent of self-expression without any fear. People on Twitter are always tweeting about their friends, ex’s, emotions, and more without a single care of who reads it. Why? Because they are behind a phone screen. Teenagers typically use social media apps such as Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.
In a recent poll on my personal Instagram story, I asked the question, “What is your preferred social media app?” The answer choices included Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook. The results showed that 2,394 people prefer Instagram, 570 people prefer Twitter, 231 people prefer Snapchat, and 32 people prefer Facebook.

While this may be biased since it was posted on Instagram, the results are still effective. This shows that you can reach the most college aged people (since the majority of my following who voted on this poll are ages 18-25) effectively by using the Instagram app.
Personally, my favorite social media app is Instagram. I like how easy it is to post photos, upload stories and like/comment on other people’s photos. I also like that it is mainly pictures, so that we can tell a story with those instead of words. I think that Instagram makes it easy to reach a larger audience.
If you use your social media outlets for a positive reason, it could have a larger impact than you think. Whether that be starting a blog, a YouTube channel, or simply tweeting something positive, you can be a positive social media user.