Today marks the ninth annual celebration of the World Social Media Day since its creation by media company Mashable in 2010. Originating in the US, the UNESCO-recognized World Day has grown and grown, and is now acknowledged worldwide as the day to celebrate the impact social media has had on global communication.
Today, social media is the heart of global communication; and since its inception, Mashable’s been using social media to connect between cultures, movements and super-fandom.
In Qatar, where Arab and non-Arab expats usually dominate the Top 3 social media channels namely Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram compared to locals, the surge has been kept apace and there's clearly no other way but up. A 2017 Northwestern University Qatar survey even showed that two-thirds of the population in Qatar get news on social media but only less than half trust what they see and read.
For the above-mentioned matters, ILQ brings you 25 of the most utilized—but sometimes head-scratching—social media terminologies that you may not have heard of yet!
Hashtag, viral, chat, and selfie might be words you're quite acquainted of, but surely not these 25!
If you haven't heard of this 4-letter word, then where were you all this time??? Like, seriously??? Memes are basically pictures with words on them, usually involving famous people or characters that have been invented for fun with many of them deeply relatable as most scenarios being tackled happen in real life! Facebook is one site where memes are all over the place—and they range from stupid to stupidly-HILARIOUS!
For memes that you can relate to during Ramadan and Eid, click here.
Feeds are all over the internet today! Whether it’s on Facebook or on Twitter or indeed any other social network, a feed helps organize all of your favorite content (photos, videos and articles) into one easy place! Be mindful of the spelling though, as 'feed' (without an S) and 'feeds' (with an S) are two completely different words in terms of context. For general reasons, the former one is the more acceptable way to spell the word.
The word 'vlog' is a combination of the words 'video' and 'blog.' So basically, it is just like a blog but in the form of a short video—usually ranging from 5-10 minutes in length. If you've ever heard of another practice called lifecasting, then this is its more toned down but more entertaining version as users are allowed to edit their life coverages and add music, effects, and even incorporate an interesting story into it. You can find most vlogs on YouTube but there are also other sites where people can put their content.
To know the five tips when vlogging in Qatar, click here.
Do you have a group chat on Messenger which has more than a dozen members and you suddenly feel asleep in the middle of a really funny conversation? You can still catch up on the topic simply by back reading! Now there's no reason for you to miss out on your squad's staycation plans!
Ten years ago, shout outs are being done over a radio programme or a live TV broadcast but now that technology has took over, a simple mention, credit, or greeting can now be done over any social media platform. On Instagram for example, asking for a shout out is one way to boost one's followers count especially if the account who mentioned you is a verified one.
We'll be talking more about boosting and verified accounts in the upcoming items, so keep scrolling!
This new Instagram feature has been introduced only a few months back and it's been changing the landscape of posting stories on everyone's favorite photo sharing app in a tremendous way! Since Instagram stories—unlike a regular post—only last for 24 hours, Story Highlights is here to serve as your treasure chest of memories as you now have the option to save every 15-seconder—and expired—story in categories! This is one of our favorite features of Instagram ever and we're sure that you feel the same way too!
Crowd sourcing, similar to outsourcing, refers to the act of soliciting ideas or content from a group of people, typically in an online setting. Similar to crowdfunding—which is helping someone raise money for their projects—crowd sourcing is when a group of people come together to complete a task or think of an idea. A lot of businesses use this technique to complete work for really low prices online—and you can use it too! Crowd sourcing is another fantastic invention all thanks to the internet and the power of technology.
When someone says that a place or a person or an animal or an event is instagrammable, it just means that the noun that person's pertaining to is aesthetically photogenic. It can also substitute for beautiful, gorgeous, and pretty. Now that's instaggramably interesting!
Phishing is the rampant and fraudulent practice of sending emails and direct messages (DM) purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. Be so wary of this! As we have mentioned earlier, it's becoming very rampant—even here in Qatar.
To have an idea on how to deal with scam calls in Qatar, click here.
Roof topping, an out-of-the-box craze which sees 20-something millenials dangling off skyscrapers and other tall buildings, has been around since 2010. Starting off as a plain initiative to shoot magnificent skyscrapers from another perspective, the trend has been transformed into something way more innovative—and oftentimes risky—with the emergence of Instagram and, eventually, social media fame. Some of the most popular Instagrammers nowadays begin as roof toppers and for them, the dangling is all worth it.
To know how the idea of roof topping is being accepted and tolerated in Qatar, click here.
Feeling the thrill yet? Keep scrolling, we're not even halfway through!
You do this when you want to receive real-time updates from your favorite celebrities on Instagram so that every time they post something new, you'll be among the very first ones to get notified. Sounds creepy but admit it, this is yet another convenient feature that can save up lots of your time!
Apart from the blockbuster Hollywood movie, an avatar is an image or username that represents a person online, most often within forums and social networks. Another sub-word to keep in mind is a 'Handle' which is used to describe someone's username on Twitter or Instagram. So the next time you attend a meet-up and someone asks you for your handle, you know exactly what to say!
Cloud computing is a relatively new term in the social media/technology world. It's when you don’t use a physical device to save things such as documents file. Instead, you save them in the cloud. Now, this cloud isn’t an actual cloud, like a rain cloud, but a virtual space where all your saved files can be accessed from anywhere! Great examples are Apple iCloud, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
We often see social media influencers posting stories on Instagram informing their followers that they have a new post and that the link is in their Bio. Basically, a bio on social media refers to a short bit of explainer text that gives a brief introduction who the user is. On Instagram, users have the option to attach links of their latest work on their Bios which is easily accessible in just one click.
A platform is a system that manages content. Your friend may ask, "Which platform are you using?" You may answer Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram—depending on your target audience. Keep in mind though that each platform serves a specific use. Instagram may be great for showcasing your photography skills but Twitter is best if you're in the mood to rant, so always choose what to post, and where to post it.
We're getting more and more in-depth, so bear with us!
Engagement rate is a popular social media metric used to describe the amount of interaction—likes, shares, comments—a piece of content receives. To define it simply, if you are communicating to other social media users, you are engaging.
This Instagram story add-on is getting a lot of attention since last year thanks to its repetitive nature. And when we say repetitive, we mean in loop! By using the Boomerang app, you can create captivating mini videos that can play back and forth, then share them with your friends!
This is what corporate accounts and fan pages do in order for their content and advertorial materials to get more engagements. For a meager amount of a few US dollars, you'll be in for more likes, shares, and comments from people you don't even know—thus increasing your fan page likers and followers as well!
This shortcut term can be used in any platform but is most widespread on Youtube. This is the vloggers' way of saying "let's work together!" or "let's produce something awesome by combining our expertise!" So, wanna collab?
This is a term that’s quite important on social media but it’s also rather sad. Trolls are people that try to make people angry or emotional on the internet by harassing them and constantly contacting them or commenting about them on social media. The good thing is that now there is protection against trolls, they can be arrested by the police and charged with a crime. So make sure you're not one of them! We are all entitled to our opinion but there is no need to be too aggressive or hurtful!
Ready for the last five?
Whenever someone posts a crowd sourcing question—for example—on a Facebook group, we usually see the word 'up' being typed in the comment box several times. The reason behind this is so that that specific post will get more engagements than expected. Commenting 'up' is also done in order to help the person who posted the question get a useful answer.
For some, posting the first comment on a newly-uploaded Youtube video is all what it takes to make their entire day count. We have no clue why this is so much of a big deal as well, but if you wrote the first comment on either a Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande VEVO video, then CONGRATULATIONS!
Ever wondered why some Instagram accounts has the blue check after the username? It's because these accounts are verified. It means that Instagram has confirmed that this is the authentic account for the public figure, celebrity or global brand it represents.
Traffic, traffic, traffic. This refers to the visitors that visit a website on a daily basis and which can also determine whether the site is getting enough engagement with the posts that are being published regularly. Just a bit of advice: You must decide if traffic to your site is really that important to your organization, or if engaging with a loyal customer matters more.
Lastly and the most unheard of, are Moblogs—short for mobile blog. Obviously, these are blogs that people post from their mobile devices, meaning everyone of us is considered a moblogger as we post content on different platforms everyday. Often, moblogs are shorter than normal blogs but they are published more regularly as mobile bloggers don’t have to be in front of a computer to post. Just like a regular blog post, other features of moblogs include videos and photos.
Anybody could start a moblog! If you have a phone and something to say, why not start right now?
What do you think of ILQ's quick Social Media Vocabulary article? Are you excited and looking forward for a possible sequel? Let us know in the comment section below and also, don't forget to like and share this article—it keeps us going!
Sources: (My English Teacher, HubSpot, Social Media Today)
Images courtesy of: IStock Photos
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