20 Social Media Terms You Should Prolly Know

See our updated 2021 list of terms you should know.

Do you speak social media? Do you feel old when you see terms, hashtags, or acronyms and have no idea what they mean? Nobody needs to feel this way.

It seems like just yesterday that we figured out #YOLO meant. And overused it. Staying on top of social media means staying on top of the slang. Staying on top of slang means staying connected to your audiences. Here are four ways you can educate yourself:

  1. Ask a younger co-worker
  2. Ask your pre-teen nieces (I have four of them)
  3. Google your way to glory
  4. Read this blog

Here are 20 social media terms you should prolly know (zero judgment zone, here BTW) 

AMA
An acronym for “ask me anything,” AMA is a trendy internet term used to describe interviewing people on Reddit. #CSUSocial WON A WEBBY AWARD for our AMA with CSU Professor, Temple Grandin.

April Fools’ Day
The day when the world’s most popular celebrities, like Jimmy Fallon, sport your school colors and become your biggest fan.

Buzzfeed
The cool kids on the block.

capital letters
Optional.

click bait 
Using provocative text in order to generate clicks. You’ll never believe what CAM the Ram did in a crowd full of students!!!!!! 

crowdsourcing
Unpaid interns are hard to find. Which is why crowdsourcing is a great way to share photos taken by people who take pretty pictures of your campus.

ellipses
Ellipses are a great way to end thoughts when you can’t think of an intellectual way to finish…

fire 🔥
When something is so exceptionally good, it’s too hot to handle. Like that time we filmed the CSU football team playing BeanBoozled. 

GOAT
Acronym for “greatest of all time.” GOATS include icons like CSU’s President Tony Frank, CSU Alum and Astronaut, Kjell Lindgren.

IDK
Acronym for “I don’t know.” Typically used by me when my team asks what I’m blogging about next month.

poke
Something we used to do on Facebook for fun. Don’t poke anyone anymore, it’s just creepy. And non-consensual.

Ramily
Our wonderful community of CSU students, alumni, friends, and supporters. Anyone who loves the Rams is part of our Ramily 💚

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ shruggie
This brilliant emoji, of sorts, can mean anything from IDK to whatever to who knew? It went viral when former CSU social media stud, and current Miami Football social media stud, Tim Brogdon tweeted it in 2015 after Miami’s football team lateraled eight times to score a game-winning touchdown.

SMH
Acronym for “shaking my head.” Typically used by me when our iPhone gimbal does not work properly.

social media manager
A lifestyle, not a job title.

spectacles 
These elusive Snapchat Spectacles are a pink elephant, a unicorn, an urban legend (unless you’re West Virginia University and know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a guy). These pricey sunglasses feature a video camera with a 115-degree lens to record snaps. It’s like a GoPro for your face… that is, if you’re lucky enough to find a roving Spectacle Bot vending machine.

squad goals
This.

slay 
Something Beyonce does every day. Alternate definition; the act of doing something exceptionally well.

TL;DR
Acronym for “too long; didn’t read.” You don’t ever want to see this. Keep your text simple.

troll
Fan(s) from your University’s rival school who have nothing better to do than follow you and comment about how dumb your posts are. Or call your Ram mascot a Goat. Well, the joke’s on the trolls, our mascot, CAM the Ram, actually IS the #GOAT.

So there you have it. You’re on your way to becoming a social media lingo Ninja.

Read our 2021 edition of social media terms you should know.

So now what? Ready to up your social media game even more? CLICK HERE to #CSUSocial’s blog for the latest tips, best practices, fails, and follies in higher ed social media.

temple1jimmy falloncrowdsourcing

goat
GOAT
ramily
RAMILY
trolls
TROLL