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Return to Article Details Social Media: Rewired for Good?

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create a strong following using social media to promote library engagement

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Level Up Your Library: Leveraging Social Media to Build a Strong Digital Community Presence - Infobase

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Libraries (via their awesome library workers) are leaders in developing a strong sense of community. Which makes sense, because we’ve had thousands of years to learn how to best connect with our communities! Librarians were even early adopters of the (then) newfangled World Wide Web, cleverly and quickly incorporating the power and potential of the internet into our community-building and resource-facilitating efforts. So, when social media emerged on the scene, many librarians didn’t shy away from joining the fun, foreseeing the potential power a strong social media presence could provide for a library program. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or any of the other and emerging platforms, you’re sure to find a strong and vibrant librarian and library presence. The fast-paced and continually changing social media landscape can make it all a bit overwhelming, however, and some librarians may struggle to fully capture the full power and potential that a strong social media presence can offer. As a librarian who stumbled into the social media game about six years ago and surprisingly found she was good at it, I’m happy to answer some common questions and offer some advice to help you maximize the reach and impact of your […]

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Level Up Your Instagram Design Power, with Canva

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See why this librarian is going viral on TikTok

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Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs

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Find and read more books you'll love, and keep track of the books you want to read. Be part of the world's largest community of book lovers on Goodreads.

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**This post is an introduction to the ways TikTok can be used by libraries/librarians. In the coming weeks I will make subsequent posts about “How TikTok is Taking the Book World By Storm,&#8…

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Templates are a great way to connect social media with lesson content

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Don't do the work if you don't have to.

Our Google Slides, Drawings, PowerPoint and Jamboard templates get your students to work quickly.
Just click on any image below to be taken directly to that section.
Download or make a copy. Adjust as necessary. Assign to your students. Yep, that easy.

Make learning memorable!

Take your teaching to the next level by transforming your lessons into a memorable learning experience.

Can't get enough templates? Neither can we. Check out these posts with some of our best content including TONS of templates and a post that shows you how to create your own!

Back to school is an exciting time. It can also be overwhelming.

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Don't do the work if you don't have to.Our Google Slides, Drawings, PowerPoint and Jamboard templates get your students to work quickly.Download or make a

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University of San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education

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Since gaining widespread popularity in the early 2010s, social media has been a controversial topic when it comes to using it for education. However, many educators are now embracing social media as a teaching tool with a wide array of benefits for learning.

From parent-teacher communications to organizing group projects to developing digital literacy, social media has the potential to enhance the curriculum at any grade level - provided it is used responsibly. Here, we'll explore eight platforms and five possible uses for social media in the classroom, plus some best practices for keeping it a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
How Social Media is Reshaping Education Pros & Cons of Social Media for Students 8 Ways Teachers Can Use Social Media in the Classroom 5 Social Media Lesson Ideas to Try FAQs About Social Media in Education
How Social Media is Reshaping Education

As around 60% of the world's population knows, social media can be an effective way to share news, find communities, build social networks and disseminate information instantly to a broad audience. According to Pew Research, 95% of American teens use at least one social media platform - so it makes sense that educators would seek to engage their students using technology they already interact with daily.

Teachers can use social media to organize group projects, communicate with students outside of class, share resources, and much more. Social media also has the potential to connect schools to the wider community for purposes including:

Sharing school news

Promoting school events

Holding virtual town hall meetings

Advertising fundraising initiatives

Sending out emergency alerts

Since 90% of U.S. adults are also on social media (and many likely access it on their phones), it is an incredibly useful medium for sending real-time communications to parents and guardians of school-aged children.

Pros & Cons of Social Media for Students

Of course, a tool as powerful as social media requires its users to exercise great responsibility to maintain a respectful, safe online environment. Teachers and students should be clear on both the benefits and risks before using these tools for educational purposes.
Benefits of social media in the classroom:

Real-time communications can increase student engagement, collaboration, communication and overall participation.

Many students may find it easier to participate in online discussions than in the classroom.

Students can easily ask each other or their teacher questions about assignments outside of class.

Students and teachers can quickly share helpful resources at any time.

Teachers can easily share announcements with the entire class.

Social media can provide a contingency plan for last-minute remote learning scenarios.

Students can organize school events with each other or with the help of a teacher.

Teachers can augment an online-only class by establishing a social media page or account strictly for building community.

Students can practice using social platforms responsibly, including maintaining a respectful online discourse.

Parents can stay informed of school news via a convenient, easily accessible platform.

Teachers can communicate directly with parents as needed, especially if parents cannot attend an in-person meeting.

Educators can build and enhance their own tech literacy skills to add to their portfolios.

Most, if not all, social media platforms are free.

Downsides of using social media in the classroom:

Social media can be a major distraction in class, especially if students are accessing their personal accounts independently. Private side conversations, off-topic activities and mindless scrolling can all happen when students are granted in-class internet access.

If students primarily use social platforms to participate in class discussions, they can miss out on practicing face-to-face conversations and respectful in-person discourse.

Some students may see social media assignments as an opportunity to cyberbully their classmates, so it's critical that teachers set firm ground rules about responsible social media use.

There is always a risk of a group member posting inappropriate content or language, since it is difficult to manage how students use social media platforms independently. Teachers must be responsible and attentive administrators to prevent and address inappropriate behavior.

8 Ways Teachers Can Use Social Media in the Classroom
Facebook
While fewer school-aged young people are using Facebook today (about 32%, Pew finds), it can still be a useful tool for maintaining an online community, posting updates, sharing links and asking questions. Facebook can be used to organize specific projects, communicate with classes, form student clubs, plan events and more. The instant group chat function can facilitate real-time discussions, and Facebook Live enables teachers to lead virtual lessons, stream lectures and hold Q&A sessions. As administrators, teachers can set Facebook groups to private or invite-only to maintain a safe space for students.
Twitter
Twitter can serve as more of a bite-sized message board where teachers can post short project updates, announcements, links to helpful resources or answer students' questions. The platform can also serve as the basis for lessons in using concise language, since each post is limited to 280 characters - a valuable skill for both essay writing and future professional communications. Teachers can create dedicated handles or hashtags for each of their classes and invite both students and their guardians to follow along.
Blogs
Blog posts provide another way for students to practice their essay writing, an increasingly important skill for higher grade levels. Instead of maintaining physical reading journals, students can submit weekly blog posts with their reflections and responses to assigned readings. Teachers can also use blogs to communicate project instructions during remote learning days or vacations and even write up a semester report for parents and guardians to review.
Pinterest
This is an excellent tool for sharing visual resources like infographics, artistic inspiration, tutorials or examples of finished projects. Many teachers use Pinterest to collect and organize their own lesson ideas, so creating a board (or several) where students can pin their own resources encourages collaboration and learning ownership. While students of all ages respond well to visuals, Pinterest may be particularly popular with younger students who are still practicing their reading skills.
Instagram
Another great visual platform, Instagram can be useful for teachers to share updates, for administrators to post announcements and for students to post project results or follow accounts that are relevant to course content. Teachers can create class-specific accounts where they post assignments, instructions, resources, updates, and more.
Reddit
This online community provides a space for anyone to unite around any interest imaginable - from fitness to classic film trivia to poetry. Reddit has a bit of an "anything goes" reputation for its lax posting guidelines, but moderators are typically on hand to mitigate any inappropriate or improper use of the platform. There's a subreddit for every academic subject, so students can peruse threads for project research (while still verifying any information therein) and even post their own questions for the Reddit community to discuss.
YouTube
Similar to Reddit, YouTube hosts video resources on any topic under the sun. Teachers can easily share educational videos, tutorials and any other type of video content. YouTube is also a great hosting platform for video projects, where students can upload finished videos for their teachers, classmates and guardians to watch on a private class channel.
LinkedIn
This professional networking platform is mostly used by people in the post-school workforce, so high school students may not even be aware of it yet. However, whether they decide to attend college or not, learning how to market their skills and build a professional network can help students navigate the job market after graduation. LinkedIn is also a great place to find articles and other resources to help young professionals build their industry knowledge and skills.

5 Social Media Lesson Ideas to Try

The ideas in this section are merely suggestions for unique ways to use social media in the classroom - but the internet is your and your students' playground! Use these ideas as jumping-off points for your own social media-based lessons.

1. Use blogs to chart learning progress. Blogs can be useful tools for language learning, whether that's practicing how to craft a five-paragraph essay or improving one's French writing skills. But this long-form writing platform can also be used to track students' progress in any subject. For example, have chemistry students write biweekly posts summarizing everything they've learned in class, and ask them to revisit and write about certain topics once a semester to practice knowledge retrieval. These posts can also serve as test prep and reminders of any concepts students may need to review.

2. Use Instagram or TikTok for visual responses.
Most social media platforms popular with young people are visual-based, meaning they rely on images and videos to convey information. Writing skills are essential for school, but sometimes it's easier (and more fun) for students to engage with their learning using formats they're more comfortable with. Instead of a written response to a textbook chapter, have students react using an appropriate TikTok trend. If students are required to show their work, ask them to create an Instagram carousel or Reel of their process and post it to a class-specific account.

3. Use Twitter to illustrate the dangers of misinformation.
Learning to find and cite accurate sources is a key skill for students, especially at higher grade levels. Unfortunately, misinformation is easy to encounter on social media, where anyone can make a claim or spread false information without providing a source. Show students an inaccurate tweet or other social post and ask them to verify or debunk its claims. Have them document their research process and cite the sources they used to fact-check the post.

4. Use LinkedIn to help older students craft their resumes.
Marketing themselves in a professional sense isn't always a skill young people learn in school, but it's a skill that proves useful for nearly every adult. Have students use LinkedIn to craft a professional objective, organize and explain their work and educational experiences, ask for recommendations and start making connections with potential mentors and employers.

Best Practices for Social Media in Education

For many young people, social media is a part of their (and their parents') everyday lives. Chances are, if a teacher chooses to incorporate social media into a lesson, many students will already be familiar with the platform and how to use it. Since students may be accustomed to using social media outside of an educational context, it's crucial that teachers set ground rules and expectations for the appropriate use of these tools.

The following are some best practices that will keep social media a safe and productive place for students and their teachers:

Set professional boundaries: Many teachers also likely have personal social media accounts, so when using these platforms for lessons, it's best to create an entirely new account dedicated solely to academics. Keep accounts private and invitation-only so that no one besides students and their parents can access the content. No one, teachers included, should be posting anything about their personal lives or content that is unrelated to the course. Invite students to create new user accounts as well to avoid mixing their personal and academic business.

Prioritize increasing digital literacy: Generations of digital natives (including today's school-aged children and many of their parents) have likely already been practicing online etiquette, but it never hurts to review both practical and appropriate ways to use social media. Remind students that anything they post online has the potential to exist forever, which becomes especially important as they begin to apply to colleges and search for jobs. Students should conduct themselves online just as they are expected to in school.

Promote student achievements: You and your students put in a lot of work during the school year - share your accomplishments with the community! If your school has a public social media account, provide the account manager with information about your class's latest project or an upcoming showcase so members of the community can see what students have been up to. Not only does this give students an opportunity to show off their work, but it also serves as promotional information for anyone considering enrolling their own children in the school.

Manage multiple accounts from the same place: If you manage multiple accounts for one or more classes, use a tool like Hootsuite or Facebook Publishing (which integrates Facebook and Instagram) to draft and schedule posts for multiple platforms at once. This is especially helpful when students and parents need the same information, but each group predominantly uses a different platform.

Part of a teacher's job is to never stop learning, whether it's about the subject matter they teach, new educational tools or innovative ways to engage students. The University of San Diego offers multiple courses for educators in the Professional and Continuing Education program, including classes covering educational technology, digital literacy, equity in the classroom and more. USD also offers certificate programs that focus on specific aspects of education, so that teachers can build a suite of skills in areas like STEAM education or supporting English language learners.

For a full range of USD courses available through the PCE program, explore all course offerings here.

FAQs About Social Media in Education

How can I ensure students' safety on social media?

To protect students' privacy, keep all class-related social media accounts private or invitation-only and encourage them to set their own accounts to private or create new class-specific profiles. Review proper online etiquette and behavior with students and establish firm consequences for cyberbullying. As a teacher, it's critical to maintain professional boundaries online, so avoid discussing or posting anything personal on school social media accounts. You may even want to grant access to students' parents so they can monitor how their children are using these spaces.

How can I use TikTok in my lessons?

According to Pew Research, 67% of U.S. teens use TikTok, with 16% on the app almost constantly. Since so many students already gather in this digital space, teachers can engage them by creatively incorporating it into lessons. Ask students to film reactions to course content using TikTok trends, conduct research via subject matter experts' posts, or create response videos in place of traditional project reports.

Which social media platform is best for communicating with parents?

It depends on what kinds of content you want to share and which platforms parents and guardians are comfortable using. At the beginning of each school year, send out a survey asking parents to indicate their preferred social media platform, then use the top two results for parent-facing communications. With so many people on multiple social media platforms, it's best not to limit school news to just one; fortunately, managing multiple accounts at once is simple with social media management tools like Hootsuite and Facebook Publishing.

5 REASONS WHY CONTINUING EDUCATION MATTERS FOR EDUCATORS

Download eBook: 5 Reasons Why Continuing Education Matters for Educators

Curriculum covered in this article

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Social Media in Education: 13 Ideas for the Classroom

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Social media in education can be a powerful learning tool if used responsibly. Find tips and best practices for using social media in the classroom here.

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Social Media Strategies To Boost Your Library's Reach And Impact

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Social Media Guidelines for Public and Academic Libraries

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This document provides a policy and implementation framework for public and academic libraries engaging in the use of social media. The following information is provided solely as a guideline for creating a social media policy and is not intended as a comprehensive list of requirements or legal advice.

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Five BIG Reasons Why Your Library Needs a Targeted Social Media Strategy!

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Teenagers and Misinformation: Some Starting Points for Teaching Media Literacy (Published 2022)

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Five ideas to help students understand the problem, learn basic skills, share their experiences and have a say in how media literacy is taught.

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Introduction to Crash Course Navigating Digital Information #1

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You don't need to be a fortune teller to guess which social media trends are poised to take off in 2023. All you need is data.

Combining performance and consumer preference data can create a vivid picture of the year ahead. We're not talking about which TikTok audios will blow up in a few months. We're talking about what's driving audience behavioral patterns and where your brand fits in the mix.

If you're a part of the 76% of organizations that rely on social data to inform other departments, you're already halfway there. In this article, we'll cover the need-to-know stats driving new social media trends forward in 2023.

1. "Edutainment" content will rule

Edutainment isn't just for kids anymore. A few select industries have tapped into the value of creating entertaining, informative content. In 2023, everyone will get in on the fun.

Last year, brands in the fintech space found massive success in creating thoughtful, save-worthy content. To find out what we mean, turn to Chime's TikTok account. Their content strikes a balance between jokes about relatable financial woes and seriously helpful tips on money management.

Short-form video's rise in popularity fosters the perfect conditions for fun facts, tutorials and explainers to thrive on social. No wonder educational content is on most marketers' minds when partnering with creators.

Brand Takeaway: This is your opportunity to demystify a common industry misconception or provide the perfect life hack featuring your product. Comb through your FAQs and inbound social messages to find questions or discussion topics. Brainstorm how you might address those using a TikTok or Instagram Reel.

2. Businesses will put more money behind video production

At this point, it's safe to say that video isn't going anywhere.

When TikTok was still an emerging platform, it made sense for businesses to task video creation duties as an additional responsibility to their social media team. Now that the average American is watching 80 minutes of TikTok every day, business leaders realize that it's no longer "emerging". It's here.

To ensure their brand can stand out in this new social media landscape, forward-thinking companies will invest more in video production equipment and staff. So you'll probably be getting a few extra hands to help with video editing, direction and brand storytelling.

Brand Takeaway: If the discussion isn't already in motion, it's time to start petitioning for a new team member now. Help your management team understand the risks that come with failing to expand your social media team at the right time. Then, paint a specific vision for what will be possible with additional video production resources.

3. BeReal will be a turning point for brands

BeReal was one of the hottest social media trends of 2022. The new kid on the block delighted users and mystified marketers. After all, what are we supposed to do with an app that doesn't incentivize its constant use?

I bloody love BeReal, it's so nice posting on a app to genuinely connect with people and see what everyone's doing and not worry about engagement 🥹

- Talia Mar (@TaliaMar) September 1, 2022

While many will attempt to figure out how to market their brand on the network, you should use this as an opportunity to zoom out. Understanding why vertical networks, closed communities and apps like BeReal are thriving while consumer social media fatigue rises will be crucial to shaping your strategy.

A lot could happen in the coming months. For all we know, BeReal could introduce advertising features for brands. What really matters is figuring out what authenticity looks like for your brand and leaning in.

Brand Takeaway: In 2023, brand authenticity will make or break your business on social. Shift your focus away from fleeting viral trends and dig into what matters to your audience and business.

4. Businesses will experiment with emerging (and re-emerging) networks

Speaking of emerging platforms, keep tabs on some of the new social networks. Chances are, you'll be creating a new brand account on at least one of them sometime in 2023.

In 2022, shake-ups at core networks left consumers feeling deprioritized in favor of profits and business dealings. Now, many are on the hunt for their next favorite corner of the internet.

Networks like Mastodon, Tumblr, Hive and Discord have become notable rising stars in a shifting social media landscape. As audiences continue experimenting with these new playgrounds, brands will be able to identify what's a passing trend and what's sticking around.

Brand Takeaway: There are a few ways to figure out whether or not your audience is adding a new network to their social media mix.

First, try running a poll on your most active social media account to gauge interest in a specific network. Then, use a social listening tool to see the full conversation surrounding the network. Dig into sentiment and demographic data to determine if it positively aligns with your audience preferences.

5. The creator economy will continue to blossom

According to video analytics firm Tubular Labs, creator and influencer viewership will hit 10 trillion views per month across all platforms in 2023. In 2022, influencer content was watched 13.2 times more than media and brand content.

If you don't leverage creator marketing over the next 12 months, you're missing out on a major opportunity.

Marketers across industries collaborate with creators to generate more engagement, strengthen social communities and reach new audiences. As the playing field becomes more diverse and focused, more brands will be able to find and connect with creators that operate within their target market.

Brand Takeaway: If you need help finding your next great creator partnership, start within your community. Search through your followers, superfans, customers and partners. Chances are you'll find a crop of individuals with growing audiences that will be thrilled to work with your brand.

6. Employee advocacy will be the social media trend to talk about

In 2023, brands will tap their workforce to become creators.

Employee advocacy has been a hidden social media marketing gem for quite some time. This year, thanks to a costly paid ad environment and declining organic reach, it will step into the spotlight.

Companies that have already implemented advocacy programs are seeing an increase in brand awareness and qualified job applicants, on top of gaining more control over brand messaging and thought leadership.

As more success stories come to light, advocacy will become the go-to method of building a brand presence within an industry.

Brand Takeaway: Use this program launch checklist to brainstorm on what advocacy might look like at your company. Narrow in on what goals you'd like to achieve and how you'll measure your success as you execute on your strategy.

7. How brands talk about sustainability will change

For the past few years, brands have proudly disclosed their environmental sustainability goals to meet the interests of conscious consumers. Now, many are opting for a quieter approach.

This practice- known as "green-hushing" -comes as a response to fears of being called out for greenwashing. Numerous nonprofit watchdog organizations are dedicated to calling out faux-sustainability claims. Overstating your brand's practices can land an entire business in hot water.

4% of global CO2 emissions come from the clothing industry + 93% of fashion companies don't pay livable wages. This industry profits off the backs of 70 million underpaid mostly-women, garment workers as billionaire fashion execs get richer. Donate today: https://t.co/fu6UeCboWr pic.twitter.com/cVguUqXAE0

- Remake (@remakeourworld) November 29, 2022

Brand Takeaway: Treat every post that discusses your business's corporate social responsibility practices as a PR announcement. Vet the copy and claims with a PR and CSR rep to make sure what you're saying is accurate and to identify any potential risks that post presents.

8. Social customer care will become a vehicle for surprise and delight marketing

When people reach out to a brand on social media, the best-case scenario is typically a timely response. Now, savvy brands are raising those expectations.

I love that you remembered me whining about this over two years ago 😁

- Thomas Frank (@TomFrankly) December 22, 2022

According to all known laws
of aviation, there is no way a bee
should be able to fly.
Its wings are too small to get
its fat little body off the ground.
The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible.
Yellow, black. Yellow, black.

- tumblr dot com the website and app (@tumblr) December 28, 2022

Brands like Notion, Tumblr and more are going above and beyond in inbound message responses to gain organic social marketing traction. Whether they make you laugh or simply feel heard, it creates a delightful experience for the customer and for everyone else that sees the brand response in their feed.

These proactive marketing strategies drive more personal connections, creating new fans in the process.

Brand Takeaway: To create these personalized customer care experiences, you'll need an integrated social media marketing solution. For example, Sprout's partnership with Salesforce provides social customer care agents with a 360-degree view of a customer's history with your business from within the Sprout platform.

This visibility allows teams to quickly reference a customer profile to deliver a more personal, thoughtful response online.
Start your free Sprout trial
9. Social and legal will be the strategic duo no one saw coming

Relationships between social media and legal teams have had their pain points in the past. But, if brands want to hop on the latest social media trends in 2023, they'll need an excellent working relationship between the two.

As content formats and social media memes continue to pull from existing intellectual property, your legal team is the only thing that stands between your brand account and the risk of copyright infringement.

It may not be the most exciting trend in social, but it will have major implications on how your brand shows up online.

Brand Takeaway: Meet with your legal team to review and update your social media governance policy. Remember: Their goal will be to mitigate any potential risk, so they may try to tack on some cumbersome preventative measures. However, you understand the channel more than anyone else. Push back where you need to and make this a learning opportunity for both teams.

10. Social commerce will get up and dust itself off

Social commerce was the social media trend on everyone's mind late 2020 and in early 2021. Then, mounting recession fears promptly pushed it into a backseat. Networks rolled back features, brands made strategic pivots and we all braced ourselves for whatever lies ahead.

And then people kept shopping.

The end of 2022 saw a record-breaking Black Friday/Cyber Monday, a surge in spending on luxury goods, and the return of "haul" posts on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Despite a gloomy economic outlook, people are still spending on their favorite must-haves and doing their purchasing research on social.

Brand Takeaway: Get up to speed on social commerce features by network. You can complete tons of quick optimizations on your profiles to ensure a speedy checkout experience for when a follower finally becomes a customer.

The 2022 holiday season spurred some outstanding metaverse activations from brands like PacSun, American Eagle and Klarna.

These campaigns have given brands a taste of what's possible with metaverse technology. More than half of marketers anticipate investing at least a quarter of their budgets into a metaverse/AR/VR social strategy, and 2023 is when we'll see the fruits of that labor.

These activations will provide learnings for brands that have yet to experiment with the latest frontier in social.

Brand Takeaway: Now's the time to get up to speed on how to join the Metaverse. There's a bit of a learning curve here, so give yourself time and take inspiration from brands you admire.

What social media trends are you most excited for?

Trends are the spice of social media. They ensure no work week, month or year is the same. Isn't that the best part of working in social?

If you want to learn more about how you can embed these trends into a rock-solid annual plan, check out this article on developing a social media marketing strategy. Use it to help define the goals and tactics that will bring you success this year and beyond.

Ronnie Gomez

Ronnie Gomez is a Content Strategist at Sprout Social where she writes to help social professionals learn and grow at every stage of their careers. When she's not writing, she's reading or looking for Chicago's next best place to get a vanilla oat milk latte.

Read all articles by Ronnie Gomez

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11 social media trends you need to know in 2023

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Learn about the latest social media trends dominating in 2023 so you can stay ahead of competitors and showcase your brand where it counts.