Social Media Cheat Sheet

Users can upload single or multiple photos to their feed. They can apply filters, tag other users, and add a location. Multi-photo posts allow users to swipe through a carousel of images or videos.

Any videos that you posted pre-2022 still live on in their original format — but you’ll notice they are now found under your Reels tab. That’s because, as of 2022, all new video posts are shared as Reels.

Stories are photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. They offer various interactive features like polls, questions, and music. Users can also highlight stories on their profile to keep them visible beyond 24 hours.

Reels: Inspired by TikTok, Reels are short-form videos up to 90 seconds long. They can be edited with various effects, music, and creative tools. Reels have a dedicated tab on the user's profile and are showcased in the explore section for broader visibility.

Users can broadcast live videos to their followers. Live sessions are great for real-time interaction, Q&As, and spontaneous content. Live videos can also be saved and shared as IGTV videos after the broadcast ends.

These are standard ads featuring a single photo. They appear in users' feeds and can be used to showcase products, services, or brands. They can include a call-to-action button like "Learn More" or "Shop Now."

Similar to photo ads but with video content. They can be up to 60 seconds long and play automatically in users' feeds. Video ads are effective for storytelling or showcasing products in action.

These ads allow users to swipe through a series of images or videos in a single ad. Carousel ads are ideal for highlighting multiple products, showcasing different features of a single product, or telling a brand story in chapters.

Full-screen vertical ads that appear between users' Stories. They're a great way to reach viewers in a more immersive way. Advertisers can use images or videos up to 15 seconds long, and users can swipe up on the ad to follow a link.

As IGTV is Instagram's platform for longer videos, advertisers can place ads in this format. IGTV ads appear when users watch IGTV videos from creators' channels.

These are full-screen, vertical ads that appear between individual Reels. Similar to Stories, they can be up to 30 seconds long and are designed to blend in with the content of Reels.

These ads appear in the Explore section where users discover new content aligned with their interests. The ads can be a powerful way to reach people who are in the mindset of discovering new products, services, or brands.

Shopping Ads: These ads allow businesses to showcase their products directly through Instagram posts. Users can tap on these ads to learn more about the products and purchase them directly through Instagram's shopping feature.

Collection ads combine videos or images with product catalogs. When users tap on these ads, they're taken to an Instant Experience (a full-screen landing page) where they can browse and purchase products.

Businesses can sponsor posts from influencers or other users, turning their organic content into ads. This is part of Instagram's influencer marketing, where businesses can leverage the credibility and audience of popular Instagram users.

Businesses can tag products in their posts, just like tagging a person. When users tap on these tags, they see more details about the product and have an option to purchase it directly within the app.

This is a dedicated shopping space within the Instagram app. Here, users can browse and buy products from brands and creators. It's curated based on users' interests, making it easier to discover products they'll love.

Similar to shoppable posts, businesses can tag products in their Stories. When viewers tap on these product stickers, they can see more information or make a purchase.

This feature allows users to buy products directly on Instagram without leaving the app. Users can pay using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal.

Brands and creators can sell products during a live broadcast. Viewers can shop the featured products in real-time, creating an interactive shopping experience.

This feature allows users to shop directly from creators' posts. Creators can tag products from the brands they're working with, making it easy for followers to shop the products they recommend.

Brands can create and share collections of their products. Users can browse these collections to find products they are interested in and purchase them directly through Instagram.

Businesses can create ads that include product tags. This makes it easy for users to shop products directly from ads they find engaging.

Instagram Subscriptions allow creators to monetise by offering exclusive content and benefits to their most engaged followers at a monthly fee. Followers can subscribe through an in-app purchase on their mobile device.

In the future Meta will offer people in the EU, EEA and Switzerland the choice to pay a monthly subscription to use Facebook and Instagram without any ads. They can alternatively continue to use these services for free while seeing ads that are relevant to them.

Primary focus on text-based posts, allowing users to share updates, thoughts, and stories in a short written format. Usera can also add links, photos, and videos to their posts, enhancing the text-based conversations and providing a richer context.

Lets users engage in public discussions, providing a platform for interactive dialogues and community engagement

Businesses do not currently have the option to purchase ad space on Threads, however, advertising is inevitable and is likely set to become a significant player in Threads' overall revenue.

Threads, being a text app developed by Instagram, does not have direct shopping features.

It is more focused on communication and may support businesses in customer engagement rather than direct sale

Being a new text app by Meta, Threads does not have a subscription model as it focuses more on communication and text sharing.

Text posts, allowing up to 280 characters of text or image/video/GIF posts. Users can share thoughts, information, links, and/or up to four images, videos that are 2 minutes and 20 seconds or less in length and GIFs.

Users can create polls within their posts. Polls can have up to four answer options and can last between 5 minutes and 7 days.

Users can create a series of connected posts (a thread) to provide additional context, update on a situation, or tell a longer story. This is done by replying to one's own post.

Users can repost others' content to share it with their followers. A mention allows the user to include their own message along with the reposted content.

These are regular posts that advertisers pay to display to people who are not already following them on X. Promoted posts can include text, images, or videos and are labeled as "Promoted."

This program pairs pre-roll or mid-roll video ads with premium video content from X's content partners. It allows advertisers to align their brand with relevant and engaging content.

This ad product ensures that an advertiser's brand is the first thing users see when they log in to X. It includes the "First View" to dominate the top ad slot in timelines for 24 hours and the "Trend Takeover" to own the Explore tab.

Carousel Ads on X allow advertisers to include multiple images or videos in a single ad. Users can swipe through the carousel to see additional content, making it a good option for showcasing multiple products or telling a brand story.

Twitter does not have a built-in shopping platform like Facebook or Instagram.

However, businesses can use Twitter to promote products, share links to their online stores, and engage with customers.

Twitter offers Twitter Blue, a subscription service providing additional features like an undo tweet button, reader mode, and customization options.

Users can record videos up to 3 minutes long (10 minutes if uploaded), add music, effects, text, and filters, and then share them with their followers and the wider TikTok community.

Duets allow users to create content alongside another user's video. It splits the screen in two, with the original video on one side and the user's video on the other.

Stitch lets users clip and integrate scenes from another user's video into their own.

Users with 1,000 or more followers can go live, interacting with their audience in real time. This feature is used for Q&A sessions, live performances, or just casual conversations.

Add Yours: allows you to interact with others on TikTok through a prompt that you can add to your video or respond to.

Similar to Instagram or Snapchat, TikTok Stories allow users to post content that disappears after 24 hours.

These are the standard video ads that appear in the user's "For You" page. They can be up to 60 seconds long, with sound and full-screen mode. In-feed ads support various call-to-actions, like website visits or app downloads.

These ads appear immediately when a user opens the TikTok app, taking over the screen for a few seconds before turning into an in-feed video ad. They are exclusive to different categories per day, meaning only one brand can take over a category each day.

Similar to Brand Takeovers, TopView ads appear when the app is first opened but delay for a few seconds. They then play as full-screen video ads, up to 60 seconds long with sound.

Branded Hashtag Challenges: This is a unique ad format where businesses can sponsor a hashtag challenge. These challenges encourage user-generated content and engagement, often going viral. They appear on the Discovery page and include a custom banner that leads to the challenge page.

Brands can create their own custom filters, stickers, and special effects on TikTok. Users can apply these effects in their own content, which increases brand visibility and engagement.

These are in-feed ads with an added feature that allows users to tap on a product card to learn more about the product without leaving TikTok. This is beneficial for e-commerce businesses.

This format allows brands to boost organic TikTok content (either their own or content they have permission to use from other creators) as in-feed ads. It's a way to amplify native content that resonates well with the audience.

a one-stop E-commerce solution for driving sales and brand growth on TikTok. TikTok Shop allows sellers to sell products directly on TikTok through in-feed videos, LIVES, and the Showcase tab.

Product Showcase is a feature that allows customers to shop directly from a seller's or a creator's account. It displays a shopping bag icon on the profile page of a TikTok account. Customers can browse products and shop brands or creator-listed products in just a few taps.

LIVE subscriptions are exclusive to live videos, providing benefits for creators and subscribers. While creators can earn money through their videos, subscribers can access exclusive content and receive a badge. This badge will appear next to a subscriber's TikTok handle during the creator's live stream.

Users upload pre-recorded videos, which can range from a few seconds to several hours long. These videos can be edited, include various effects, and are accessible on the user's channel.

Shorts are YouTube's answer to the rise of short-form content popularized by platforms like TikTok. These are vertical videos up to 60 seconds long, designed for quick, mobile-friendly viewing. Shorts often get promoted in a dedicated section on the YouTube mobile app.

Users can broadcast live to their audience, which is a great way to interact in real-time. These live streams can later be saved as videos on the channel. Live streaming is used for events, Q&A sessions, gaming, and more.

This feature allows creators to upload a video and schedule it to go live at a specific time, turning the first viewing into a communal event. It includes a live chat feature where viewers can interact as the video plays for the first time.

Similar to Instagram or Snapchat Stories, YouTube Stories are short, mobile-only videos that disappear after 7 days. They're used for casual updates and to engage with the audience in a more informal way.

This feature lets creators engage with their audience through text, images, polls, or GIFs. Community posts are a way to keep the audience updated and involved, even when not posting regular videos. However, this feature is typically only available to channels with a certain number of subscribers.

While not a 'post' in the traditional sense, playlists allow creators to organize and curate their videos (or others' videos) into a series or collection, making it easier for viewers to find related content.

These ads play before, during, or after other videos on YouTube. Viewers have the option to skip the ad after 5 seconds. These ads are charged on a Cost-Per-View (CPV) basis.

Similar to skippable ads, these also play before, during, or after videos but cannot be skipped by the viewer. They are typically 15-20 seconds long. These are charged on a Cost-Per-Mille (CPM) basis.

These are non-skippable ads that are up to 6 seconds long. They play before a viewer's chosen video. Bumper ads are ideal for driving brand awareness and reach and are also charged on a CPM basis.

These ads appear in places of discovery, like next to related YouTube videos, on the YouTube homepage, or in search results. They include a thumbnail image with some text and invite users to click to watch the video. The billing is usually based on Cost-Per-Click (CPC).

These are semi-transparent ads that appear on the lower 20% portion of your video. They can be text or image-based and are only available on desktop platforms.

These are small notifications that appear on the right edge of the video for a few seconds. If a viewer clicks on them, a card (small CTA) expands showcasing products featured in the video. This is great for product placement.

These ads appear at the top of the YouTube home page and are available on a reservation basis through a Google sales representative. They offer massive reach and are typically used for big-budget brand campaigns.

Creators can tag products featured in their videos. These tags allow viewers to see a list of featured products and click through to learn more or make a purchase directly.

YouTube has been experimenting with an integrated shopping platform that allows viewers to purchase products directly through YouTube. This can include a dedicated shopping page or links within videos and video descriptions.

YouTube offers shoppable ad formats, where advertisers can include product images and links within their video ads. This makes it easier for viewers to click through and purchase products they see in ads.

Taking a page from platforms like Taobao in China, YouTube has been exploring live stream shopping events. During these events, creators can showcase and sell products in real-time, with viewers having the ability to purchase products directly through the live stream interface.

YouTube provides a "merchandise shelf" feature for eligible creators, which allows them to showcase and sell their merchandise directly below their videos. This is particularly popular among creators with a large fan base.

As YouTube develops its Shorts feature to compete with TikTok, there's potential for integrating shopping features into this short-form content in the future.

This is a paid subscription service that offers an ad-free experience across all of YouTube, including videos, music, and gaming. Subscribers also get access to background play (where videos continue to play when the app is not in the foreground) and offline viewing. Additionally, YouTube Premium includes a subscription to YouTube Music Premium.

Focused solely on music, this subscription offers an ad-free music listening experience, offline playback, and background play. It's included in the YouTube Premium subscription but is also available as a standalone service for those primarily interested in music.

Individual YouTube channels can offer paid memberships to their viewers. Members typically get various perks like exclusive badges, emojis, members-only videos, live chats, and other content. The specific offerings depend on the creator and the membership levels they set up.

This is a subscription service that offers live streaming of over 85 television networks, including local and national channels. It's geared towards users looking to replace traditional cable or satellite subscriptions. YouTube TV also offers unlimited cloud DVR storage.

The core feature of Twitch, where broadcasters can stream live content to their audience. This is primarily used for live gaming, but also includes music performances, talk shows, art creation, and more.

After a live stream ends, it can be saved as a video on demand (VOD) for viewers to watch later. Creators can also upload pre-recorded videos. These are especially useful for viewers who missed the live broadcast or want to revisit content.

Viewers and streamers can create short clips (up to 60 seconds) from live streams or VODs. Clips are a great way to capture and share highlights or memorable moments from streams.

This feature allows creators to launch a pre-recorded video as a live event, complete with a countdown and chat. It's a way to create a live viewing experience around content that was created ahead of time.

Streamers can schedule previously streamed content to play again at a designated time. This gives viewers a chance to watch content they may have missed and offers additional engagement opportunities for the streamer.

Users can host another channel's live broadcast on their own channel. This is used for cross-promotion and to keep content running on your channel even when you're not live.

At the end of a live stream, streamers can "raid" another live channel, directing all viewers to the raided channel. This is a community feature to support and introduce your audience to other streamers.

Squad Stream: This feature allows up to four creators to stream together in a single view. Viewers can watch all streams at once and switch between chat rooms, making it great for collaborative content and events.

These ads play before, during, or after other videos on YouTube. Viewers have the option to skip the ad after 5 seconds. These ads are charged on a Cost-Per-View (CPV) basis.

These are video ads that can appear before (pre-roll) or during (mid-roll) a live stream or video on demand (VOD). Streamers have some control over when mid-roll ads appear during their broadcast.

These include static or animated banners that appear on various parts of the Twitch website and apps, such as the leaderboard banner at the top of the page or rectangle banners on the sidebar.

Brands can feature their content in the carousel at the top of the Twitch homepage, which is one of the first things users see when they visit the site.

This ad format spans the top of the Twitch homepage and is a high-visibility option for brands to showcase their content or campaigns.

Brands can partner with Twitch streamers to create sponsored content. This can include playing a specific game, showcasing a product, or hosting a branded event.

Similar to sponsored streams, but these are specific segments or portions of a stream dedicated to promoting a brand or product.

This is a program that connects streamers with sponsorship opportunities. Brands can post bounties for specific content, and streamers can choose which bounties to accept and create content around.

Twitch offers interactive extensions that can be added to streams, allowing viewers to engage directly with brands. For example, a poll extension where viewers can vote on their favorite product feature.

Bits are a virtual good that viewers can buy and use to cheer in chat, showing support for streamers. When viewers use Bits in chat messages, it not only highlights the message but also gives a financial reward to the streamer.

Viewers can subscribe to a streamer's channel to show their support. Subscriptions come in different tiers, offering various benefits like ad-free viewing, exclusive chat privileges, and custom emotes. A portion of the subscription fee goes to the streamer, providing them with a source of income.

Some streamers set up their own merchandise stores through Twitch or third-party platforms. Viewers can buy branded merchandise like t-shirts, hats, or mugs to support their favorite streamers.

Streamers can use affiliate links or dedicated panels below their stream to promote products or services. When viewers click on these links and make a purchase, the streamer earns a commission.

Certain interactive extensions allow streamers to showcase products on their stream. Viewers can browse and even purchase these products without having to leave the Twitch platform.

For streams focused on gaming, Twitch offers features where viewers can purchase games or in-game content directly through the platform. Streamers can receive a share of the revenue from sales made through their channel.

Viewers can subscribe to a streamer's channel to support them on a monthly basis. Twitch offers different subscription tiers:

Tier 1: The basic subscription level, offering access to channel-specific emotes, ad-free viewing (depending on the streamer's settings), and other benefits designated by the streamer.

Tier 2: Includes all the benefits of Tier 1, along with additional emotes and potentially other perks set by the streamer.

Tier 3: The highest subscription level, offering all the benefits of the previous tiers plus more emotes and exclusive perks.

Users with an Amazon Prime subscription automatically get Twitch Prime as a part of their benefits. Twitch Prime includes one free channel subscription per month, exclusive in-game content, and all the benefits of a regular subscription like ad-free viewing and channel emotes.

Viewers can purchase subscriptions as gifts for other users. This can be done for specific individuals or as a community gift, which Twitch will distribute to active viewers in the chat.

Twitch offers the option to subscribe to a channel for several months in advance. This provides the streamer with a more stable income and saves the viewer the hassle of monthly renewals.

While not directly a channel subscription, Twitch Turbo is a platform-wide subscription that gives users site-wide benefits like ad-free viewing across all channels, extended broadcast storage, and exclusive chat badges.

A Snap is a photo or video users send through the app to one or more of their friends. A video snap can be up to 60 seconds long. Snaps disappear after they are viewed.

A Story is a collection of Snaps put together to create a narrative. Stories are visible to friends for 24 hours.

This feature shows a user’s location on a map in real-time to their friends. Users can also see Snaps submitted by others around the world.

This is a feature where users can view content from media outlets, brands, and celebrities, which is more produced and curated compared to personal Snaps and Stories.

Spotlight showcases the best of Snapchat, similar to TikTok or Instagram's Reels. It's a way to get content seen by a broader audience and not just friends or followers.

This is a personal collection of Snaps and Stories that users can choose to save and view or send to friends at any time.

These are fun overlays for Snaps that can change the user’s appearance or their environment. Filters are static, while Lenses can include interactive features and motion effects.

Snapchat also allows for direct messaging with friends, which includes text, Snaps, Bitmoji stickers, and more. Messages also disappear after they are viewed.

These are full-screen vertical video ads that appear in between Stories or Snapchat content. They can be up to 3 minutes long, though shorter ads are usually more effective. Users can swipe up on these ads to be taken to a website, app, video, AR Lens, or piece of content.

These ads appear in the Discover section and allow brands to tell a deeper story. They consist of a series of 3-20 Snaps that users can tap through to view. Story Ads are ideal for narrative and multi-part content.

These allow businesses to showcase a series of products, giving users the chance to browse and buy. When a user taps on a product, they're taken directly to the website to learn more or make a purchase.

Businesses can create and sponsor custom Filters that users can apply to their Snaps. These are typically used for brand awareness and are often tied to specific locations or events.

These are interactive, augmented reality experiences that users can play with. Brands can create sponsored Lenses to engage users with their products or branding in a fun, immersive way.

These are non-skippable video ads that appear in Snapchat's curated content. They're up to 6 seconds long and are designed for maximum impact and brand awareness.

Tailored for e-commerce businesses, these ads automatically create and update product ads from a catalog. They are targeted to users based on their interests and past interactions.

These are augmented reality lenses that users can interact with. Businesses can create lenses that allow users to "try on" or visualize products. For example, users can see how a pair of glasses might look on their face or how a piece of furniture might fit in their room.

This is Snapchat's own merchandise store where users can buy Snapchat-branded items. It's a direct way for Snapchat to engage with its users through e-commerce.

Brands can upload their product catalogs to Snapchat. This allows them to create dynamic shopping ads that are automatically updated with the latest products and prices.

This is a shopping section within the Discover page where users can browse and purchase products from various brands. It offers limited-time deals and exclusive offers, encouraging users to make quick purchases.

In certain ads or stories, users can swipe up to directly link to a product page on the brand's website. This feature is designed to make the transition from viewing to purchasing as seamless as possible.

Brands on Snapchat can have dedicated profiles where they can showcase their products. These profiles can include a shop section where users can browse and buy products directly within Snapchat.

Snapchat has a feature where users can use their camera to scan a product or barcode, which then brings up shopping links for that product or similar items.

Snapchat offers a subscription feature known as "Snapchat+." This is a premium subscription service providing users with exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features.