Despite the fact that social media has been around for many years, there are still plenty of people who are only discovering it just now.
If you are in such a situation and would like to know more about using social media as someone who is inexperienced, this article ought to come in handy.
The basics mentioned below should be good enough to build a decent foundation. And once you are comfortable, you can even consider social media as a means to make money.
Save Content on Your Computer
Let’s start with the content. While surfing social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, you might find images or videos you like. Now, these platforms store content on their servers which are quite reliable. Nevertheless, the person who posted the content might end up deleting it, meaning that you can no longer view it.
Knowing how to save a video from facebook or Instagram comes in handy as a safety net because you do not have to worry about losing pieces you like.
The question is how to download and save videos. With images, it is pretty easy as you can open a picture in another tab and save it on your computer. Some social media sites let you download directly from the post or save them on your computer or mobile device.
It is a bit different with videos. You will have to find a third-party application that reads the video’s URL and converts it into a proper file format that you can save on your device. Or, as an alternative, use an online converter that creates a video file after you paste the URL and wait for the conversion to finish.
Some media files might be large, and keeping them on your computer might lead to drive clutter. External storage comes in handy in such cases. External HDDs, USB flash sticks, and cloud storage are the way to go.
Join Relevant Groups
One of the best things about social media is the fact that you can talk with other people. After joining, you are most likely going to start by adding people you know to your friend list. Following them is also part of the process so that you can keep an eye on what everyone is up to.
Having said that, there is another way to look at socializing on platforms like Facebook. If you want to meet new people, you should join various groups. Local communities are a great example. Check whether there are groups based on where you live. For instance, if you like to ride bikes, there might be a biking club. Any other sport is also a good example.
In case you are not interested in what is available locally, you can also check groups that are international. The bottom line is that you can and should join social media groups that align with your interests because it is easier to connect with people that share the same as you do.
Manage Your Feed
After using social media for a while, you might find your feed to be all over the place due to too many random posts. Most platforms also send you various recommendations to get you to spend more time on the site.
Managing the feed is one of those things that more social media users ought to learn. If you no longer wish to see pages popping in your feed, unfollow them. Quitting groups or disabling the option to show group content on the feed is another way to make things easier.
The goal is to create a social media experience that does not get in the way of you enjoying what it has to offer, and a properly organized feed is one of the necessary elements for that.
Disable Irrelevant Notifications
Notifications get in the way of your work, particularly when it comes to smartphones. As someone using social media, you are likely going to have an app on a smartphone or tablet.
Random pop-ups work as a means to get you addicted. If you receive a notification and hear it, you will want to check what it is about.
If you are not doing anything important, notifications are fine. However, if you have to focus on important matters, such as work or studies, you do not want to have social media get in the way, so be sure to disable notifications.
Take a Break
Like already mentioned, social media can be addictive and disruptive. If you find yourself spending too much time browsing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other SM sites, reconsider what you are doing.
Taking a break or finding another hobby might be good for your mental health. Cutting social media off from your life for good is not necessary, but if it becomes an inconvenience, rethink your priorities and do what must be done.