Social media brings people together in an easier way, but more importantly, it helps people get the information they want faster and simpler through a tap of a button. It also paved the way for business growth and for people to discover more of what the world has to offer. Because of its undeniably life-changing impact, people all over the world regard June 30 as the #SocialMediaDay since 2010.
According to We Are Social and Hootsuite's Digital 2020 report, there's a total of 73 million active social media users in the Philippines, and people aged 16 to 64 spend an average of 3 hours and 53 minutes on social media sites daily. Social media plays a pivotal role in their daily life, so it is best to make sure their time is well spent and can also positively contribute in real life.
As the go to platform for #WhatsHappening in the world, Twitter is also one in celebrating the positive impact of social media in connecting people from all walks of life. Twitter itself is a platform that allows people to spark conversations, interact with one another, and discover what’s being talked about for the day. This #SocialMediaDay, know more on how Twitter can be your go-to platform to help you in your everyday life.
1. Stay updated with the latest news daily
With our rather busy and digital lifestyle, not all people have the luxury to sit down and read newspapers or even a whole online news article. In addition, news also comes and even changes in a flash, so it is important to get the information in real-time.
Through Twitter, people can easily discover real-time information about a topic, and even discover which topics are trending among users. Verified journalists and news outfits are using the platform and are tweeting real-time to share news through threads for developing news. You can be easily informed about #WhatsHappening just by simply following their accounts or you can also create a List to organize your news sources. For example, this Twitter list features Tweets from agencies working towards crisis and disaster relief in the Philippines.
2. Find and join active communities
As we delve into #WhatsHappening daily, we are exposed to a variety of topics and conversations that can spark our interest and allow us to learn more about it. From sports, arts to cooking and gaming, you can find and interact with people sharing your same interests on Twitter.
Start a conversation or share your talent; you are never alone on Twitter. For example, people can use the #artph to see a community of talented Filipino artists. People are also Tweeting about their cooking recipes or newfound hobbies through #QuarantineCooking and #Quaranthings. If you are into entertainment, supporting your favorite artist is always fun when you do it with your fellow fans. There are a lot of fandoms on Twitter that you can follow that share hashtags or updates about their favorite artists.
3. Get help or extend a helping hand online
Twitter is not just a place for entertainment or leisure. With complex issues that surround our everyday lives, Twitter is also taking actions to make the platform a better space for its users. For example, there was a lot of misinformation during the early stages of the pandemic. To combat this, Twitter launched a dedicated search prompt so that users can easily find reliable and authoritative information on COVID-19. With this section of collated verified accounts and trusted sources, Filipinos are provided with real-time updates on the COVID-19 situation in the country.
There was also a recent surge in gender-based violence, and because people are stuck at home, it can be difficult to spot or report such cases. To help people in its fight against the shadow pandemic, Twitter also partnered with the Philippine Commission On Women (@PCWgovph) and Women’s Care Center to launch a dedicated gender-based violence, where people can find hotlines to report such incidents. There are also dedicated notification services on mental health and suicide prevention, vaccination, and child sexual exploitation.
Social media makes it possible for people to help each other out despite the distance, so If you need or know someone who might need help, Twitter can provide easier access to helpful resources that you can share to your friends, family, or communities.
4. Explore and save something new everyday
Aside from being the place for fresh updates, people can also easily discover, follow, and even save Tweets or topics on Twitter. Whether you need tips for your work, online classes, and other Tweets that you find useful, the Explore tab conveniently houses trends on various topics. All you have to do is to visit the tab and scroll away to see the latest news and information.
Do you encounter a Tweet, but do not have time to read or react as of the moment? You can easily save and revisit that Tweet using the Bookmark feature. For example, you can save videos to watch, Threads to read later, or just simply bookmark an insightful Tweet that might come in handy next time! Here’s a user who used the Bookmark feature to save her favorite KathNiel Twitterseryes.
Here are the steps to use Bookmark feature using mobile:
● From a Tweet, tap the share icon and select Add Tweet to Bookmarks.
● To view your saved Tweets, tap Bookmarks from your profile icon menu.
● To remove a saved bookmark, tap the share icon from the Tweet within your bookmark timeline and select Remove Tweet from bookmarks.
● Additionally, you can tap the more icon at the top of your bookmark timeline to remove all of your bookmarks at once.
Being on social media can also bring productivity in our daily lives. There are plenty of ways where people can find entertaining, educational, or even-life changing information online. Most importantly, social media helps us express ourselves, so do not be afraid to spark a conversation on Twitter today!