English for Social Media

"algorithm"

The automated system a platform uses to decide which content to show each user in their feed

"She posted at peak hours because the algorithm tends to reward content that gets quick engagement."

"feed"

The continuously updated stream of posts, images, and videos displayed on a user's home screen

"His morning feed was full of travel photos from accounts he had liked the previous week."

"go live"

To start broadcasting a real-time video stream to followers on a social media platform

"The band decided to go live on Instagram to announce their new album before the official press release."

"stories"

Short-lived vertical photo or video posts that disappear after 24 hours on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat

"She used stories to share behind-the-scenes moments that felt too casual for a permanent post."

"thread"

A series of connected posts or replies that form a continuous conversation or extended message

"The journalist published a long thread explaining the background to the story in a sequence of tweets."

"pinned post"

A post that has been fixed to the top of a profile or page so it is always the first item visitors see

"The company updated its pinned post with the new customer service hours to reduce support enquiries."

"explore page"

A discovery section on platforms like Instagram where users can find content from accounts they do not follow

"The reel went viral after it landed on the explore page and attracted hundreds of thousands of new viewers."

"shadowban"

When a platform limits the visibility of an account's content without notifying the user

"He suspected a shadowban because his posts stopped appearing in hashtag searches almost overnight."

"engagement rate"

A metric calculated by dividing the total interactions on a post by the account's follower count, expressed as a percentage

"Despite having only 5,000 followers, her engagement rate of 8% impressed brand partners more than accounts ten times her size."

"call to action"

A direct instruction in a post that encourages the audience to take a specific next step

"The post ended with a clear call to action asking followers to share the link with one friend who needed to hear it."

"boost"

To pay a platform to increase the reach of a post beyond your existing follower base

"They decided to boost the product launch post to reach users in three new cities."

"repost"

To share another user's content on your own profile, either with or without commentary

"Dozens of fans began to repost the video, and within hours it had spread across multiple platforms."

"tag"

To link another user's account within a post, comment, or photo so they are notified and others can visit their profile

"She tagged the photographer in the caption to give proper credit for the stunning image."

"duet"

A TikTok feature that allows a user to record a video side by side with another user's existing video

"The chef posted a duet reacting to a popular cooking hack and it became his most-watched video that month."

"ratio"

When a reply or comment receives significantly more likes or engagement than the original post, implying the original was poorly received

"The brand's tone-deaf tweet got ratioed badly, with thousands of critical replies and very few likes."

"micro-interaction"

A small, brief user action such as a like, reaction, or quick reply that signals interest without deep engagement

"Even if users scroll past without commenting, micro-interactions like saves still send positive signals to the algorithm."

"content calendar"

A schedule that maps out what content will be posted, on which platform, and on which date

"The marketing team built a content calendar for the entire quarter so every department knew the publishing plan."

"caption"

The text that accompanies a photo or video post, used to provide context, tell a story, or encourage action

"She spent as much time crafting the caption as she did editing the photo because the words drove all the comments."

"hook"

The opening line or visual element of a post designed to grab attention and stop users from scrolling past

"The video's hook—a surprising statistic displayed in the first two seconds—kept 70% of viewers watching to the end."

"repurpose"

To adapt existing content for a different platform or format without creating it entirely from scratch

"He decided to repurpose the podcast episode into a series of short quote graphics for Instagram."

"UGC (user-generated content)"

Content created and shared by fans or customers rather than the brand or creator itself

"The skincare brand encouraged UGC by asking customers to post before-and-after photos using a branded hashtag."

"carousel post"

A post containing multiple images or slides that users can swipe through in sequence

"The tutorial performed well as a carousel post because each slide gave one actionable tip that readers saved."

"evergreen content"

Content that remains relevant and useful over a long period without becoming outdated quickly

"How-to guides and FAQ posts are classic examples of evergreen content that continues to drive traffic for years."

"batch creation"

The practice of producing multiple pieces of content in a single dedicated session rather than one at a time

"She used Sunday afternoons for batch creation, filming six short videos so she had a full week of posts ready."

"niche down"

To focus your content on a very specific topic or audience rather than trying to appeal to everyone

"Once she decided to niche down to plant-based cooking for athletes, her follower growth accelerated significantly."

"organic reach"

The number of people who see your content without any paid promotion, through the platform's natural distribution

"Since the latest algorithm update, organic reach for business pages has dropped to roughly 2% of total followers."

"collab post"

A post jointly published by two creators or accounts that appears in both profiles' grids simultaneously

"The two fitness coaches did a collab post announcing their joint online programme, doubling the initial audience exposure."

"cross-promote"

To share your presence on one platform with the audience of a different platform to grow both accounts

"He added a link to his YouTube channel in every newsletter to cross-promote and convert email subscribers into viewers."

"follower funnel"

The journey a stranger takes from first discovering your content to becoming an engaged, loyal follower

"She mapped out the follower funnel to identify where people were dropping off before pressing the follow button."

"growth hack"

A creative, low-cost tactic specifically designed to acquire users or followers rapidly

"Offering a free checklist in exchange for a follow was the growth hack that tripled her account in three weeks."

"social proof"

Evidence that other people value your content or brand, such as follower counts, testimonials, or media mentions

"Displaying "10,000 satisfied students" on her profile page acted as powerful social proof for new visitors."

"pillar content"

A substantial, high-value piece of content that can be broken down into many smaller pieces for distribution

"The annual industry report served as pillar content that was repurposed into 30 individual social posts over a month."

"nano-influencer"

A creator with a small but highly engaged following, typically between 1,000 and 10,000 followers

"The local restaurant chain partnered with nano-influencers in each city because their recommendations felt more authentic."

"sponsored post"

A piece of content that a creator has been paid by a brand to publish, which must be disclosed as advertising

"She clearly marked the image as a sponsored post using the platform's paid partnership label to stay compliant."

"affiliate link"

A trackable URL that earns the creator a commission each time a follower clicks and makes a purchase

"He included his affiliate link in the bio so subscribers could buy the gear he reviewed and he would earn a small cut."

"media kit"

A document that summarises an influencer's audience demographics, engagement statistics, and collaboration rates

"Before pitching to fashion brands, she updated her media kit with the latest reach and audience data from the past quarter."

"authentic content"

Posts that feel genuine, personal, and honest rather than polished, scripted, or purely promotional

"Audiences responded far better to authentic content showing real challenges than to perfectly staged promotional shots."

"brand deal"

A paid agreement between a creator and a company to promote a product or service to the creator's audience

"Landing her first brand deal with a nutrition company allowed her to invest in better camera equipment."

"paid partnership"

A disclosed commercial relationship between a creator and a brand, shown via a platform's official tagging system

"Instagram displayed "Paid partnership with [brand]" below her username so followers knew the post was sponsored."

"creator economy"

The ecosystem of platforms, tools, and monetisation models that enable individuals to earn income from their content

"The creator economy has made it possible for people with niche expertise to build sustainable full-time careers online."

"no cap"

Meaning "I'm not lying" or "seriously" — used to emphasise that something is absolutely true

"This is the best coffee I've ever had, no cap — I've been thinking about it all week."

"slay"

To perform, look, or do something exceptionally well; an expression of high praise and admiration

"She walked into the event in that outfit and absolutely slayed — everyone was staring."

"lowkey"

Slightly, quietly, or to a moderate degree — often used to admit something you feel a little shy about

"I'm lowkey obsessed with this new playlist and I've had it on repeat for three days."

"it's giving"

An expression meaning something strongly resembles or evokes a particular vibe, era, or aesthetic

"That new café interior is giving 1970s Parisian bistro and I am absolutely here for it."

"rent free"

When a thought, person, or piece of content keeps occupying your mind without any effort — living "rent free" in your head

"That song has been living rent free in my head since I first heard it at the gym on Monday."

"touch grass"

A playful instruction to go outside and experience the real world, used when someone is spending too much time online

"After spending eight hours arguing in the comments, his friend told him it was time to touch grass."

"main character energy"

Behaving as if you are the central protagonist of a story; being boldly self-confident or the centre of attention

"She walked into the meeting with main character energy and pitched the idea like it was already a success."

"the algorithm hates me"

A humorous complaint used when content gets unexpectedly low reach despite good quality

"She spent three hours editing the reel and got 40 views — "the algorithm hates me," she tweeted in frustration."