With over 100 million new social media users a year, it’s clear to see that social media is here to stay. Of course, it’s also evolving and changing all the time and the negative impacts of our digital addiction aren’t common knowledge yet. Research shows that social media use can significantly increase Dopamine and Oxytocin in our brains, two chemicals associated with happiness, love and comfort. Experiments suggest that 10 minutes spent on social media can create a chemical response as powerful as that you might feel on your wedding day. Bizarre right? So with this level of high at play, is it any wonder that we’re also seeing a rise in loneliness and depression as well? Even though we’re technically more connected than ever, the decrease of face to face contact is showing its symptoms. It’s also worth noting that the science behind social media use is also closely linked to addiction, studies show that tweeting is as addictive and potentially more difficult to resist than alcohol or cigarettes; it’s our duty to ensure we use technology responsibly and consider the wider picture of this relatively new tech.
Photo Credi: Tim Marshall @ Unsplash
With so much interaction happening online and on multiple platforms, the social dynamic and our expectations have changed. Society’s continued reliance on social media without a full understanding of the inner workings or long-term consequences is a problem. Rather than suggest we boycott platforms or delete profiles, we’d like to encourage everyone to use these platforms thoughtfully. Constant algorithm changes, new features and a battle between advertisers and authentic content are making it increasingly difficult for content to be seen without a budget. For example, Facebook Business Manager’s suggested daily advertisement spend currently sits in the region of £5000 per day! Now, that’s all fairly straightforward if you’re Topshop, Coca-Cola or L’Oreal, but if you’re a small business, individual or creative you’re going to have problems reaching your audience without a lottery win.
This is our call to start using your social media interactions for good; if you see content that you love, interact with it! But we’re not talking just a simple double tap, that’s not good enough anymore, we’re talking about spending less than 1 minute to engage in an impactful way. You remember it’s called social media, right? We’re not talking a passive glance and tap here and there in a constant stream of content like some kind of zombie. Seek out content you love, filter your social channels to be positive and enriching streams and create consistent and meaningful conversations. And on that note, here’s our break down of the hierarchy of social media interactions and how you can make the biggest impact.
Likes
A simple like on a post does make some impact, in fact if you react with a heart on Facebook it can increase organic reach even further than just a like. However, in the grand scheme of social media engagement, likes are just a drop in the ocean. The real-life equivalent of a like would be a pat on the back, a high five or a wink. It’s brief and doesn’t invite further interaction or conversation. We’ve also got to acknowledge the bot epidemic, not all likes are authentic and many social media platforms are on the lookout for fakers. Fake stats or bought likes aren’t going to have any long-term value other than fooling a handful of people, temporarily. These platforms thrive off genuine interaction, so we should all be encouraging less bots and more of the personal touch. If you want to make a bigger impact, read on down.
Shares
One of the quickest ways to gain organic reach is to encourage shares. We’re not talking outright asking for shares though, these algorithms are smart and they don’t like it when they think you’re trying to fool the system. The most valuable shares come in the form of a share with personalised comment explaining why you shared it. To keep things fair and creators protected, we’d always recommend tagging the original content creator in any shares you do. It means a lot to a brand or creator to see that their work is making an impact somewhere and in the fast-moving world of social media keeping track of where your content ends up is a challenge. Naturally, shares are most powerful when content is shared with large and relevant networks at an optimum time, so not all shares are equal in value. Although, that being said the quality over quantity rule still applies; small niche audiences who are highly engaged can pack a lot of power when presented with the right cause.
Comments
You remember how we were talking about social media needing to be social? This is where things get really interesting. Being social is about generating conversations, conversations have words in them and if you’re not using your words it’s pretty difficult to be social on any level. All of the social media platforms acknowledge that comments are what drive the most reach. The more quality, authentic comments on a post the further it will travel. Each comment is telling the social media platform that this content is interesting, which tells the algorithm to make it more visible. So if you really want to make an impact with your interactions, make it a comment! Even negative comments make an impact, although this should not be your invitation to become a troll.
Whether you’re the type of person who will happily spend hours a day on social media or a once a week visitor, it’s easy to let social media take you down a rabbit hole that leads to procrastination. Become more productive in whatever you’re doing by using your social media influence wisely, take a digital detox if you need some perspective. Social media is a great communication tool when used correctly, stay tuned for more posts on the topic or get in touch if you’d like our help with something. If you’re interested in learning more about the negative side of social media, check out co-founder, Misael’s debut poetry book Social Media: Socially Mediocre, now available on Kindle too!
Co-Creator @wearefoodscouts & @KitschInc. Digital Marketing & Creative Direction. Illustration, writing, creativity & style. Fan of films, TV, cartoons, colourful hair & clean beauty. Blogger since 2009.
