I was fairly late to the game when I started using Facebook in the eighth grade. I never had a MySpace and dove head first into Facebook, sending pokes, Bumper Stickers, and writing on my friends walls. As I got older, it seemed that every month there was something new but I stuck primarily with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, dipping my toes into each new social media that developed.
Fast forward seven years and social media has changed so much that I have two seperate accounts on some networks. While I don’t have a “Finsta” (Safe Smart Social, 2015) I have a Twitter for my friends as well as a professional Twitter.
Becoming more and more like my dad in that anytime I hear someone mention Queens I force a overly enthusiastic conversation with them
— Shannon McCann (@shanlmccann) April 6, 2016
#ff #followfriday: @guarnaschelli @gzchef @rapo4 @GDeLaurentiis for the very best of @TwitterFood #foodflock 🍗🌮🍜 #NHsmc
— Shannon McCann (@Shannonlmccann) September 2, 2016
Having two accounts allows users post more genuine content, rather than the image they are curating to develop a personal brand. Finsta accounts allow users to communicate in different ways to different audiences which I think is really intuitive and genius.
In college, social media has been a large part of my education as a public relations major. I have come to understand the importance of telling the story of a company, person or brand on several different channels. As much as traditional media hits matter, there is no denying the coverage that a photo or video will receive if it goes viral.
Additionally, I have developed hobbies, strengths and weaknesses on social media. I have a foodie Instagram account that has included me in an entire digital community that I could have never been a part of if not for the success of Instagram (and the obsession with #foodporn). My interaction with social media has helped me in my professional experience as well, because understanding the tone of a company digitally is a legitimate asset to employers.