The Platform Landscape & the Language of Social
Every major platform, what it's for, and the vocabulary — feeds, Stories, Reels, DMs, hashtags, engagement — decoded properly.
6 lessons · about 0.9 hours
Read it instead
Every platform has a job. Most people never learn what it is. Module 1 sorts that out.
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, X, and the specialists. Each one has its own culture, its own formats, its own words. Get the map right, and every decision after this gets easier.
You start with how social media actually works: the feed, the attention, the currency. Then a proper tour of the big three, followed by YouTube, LinkedIn and X. Lesson 4 covers the specialists: Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit, WhatsApp and Threads. The last two lessons decode the language, from handles and Stories to reach, impressions and the For You page.
Take the maximum video length on TikTok. It's on screen now, with the date we last checked it. Every spec in this module is checked weekly, against the platform's own documentation. When one moves, the lesson moves with it.
By the end, you can say what each platform is for, pick the right ones for a business, and follow any conversation about social without nodding along.
6 lessons. About 55 minutes. Level 1, module 1. Start with How Social Media Actually Works.
What’s inside
- 01How Social Media Actually Works
What social platforms really are, why the feed is the centre of everything, and how attention became the currency. · 8 min
- 02Instagram, TikTok and Facebook: The Big Three
A proper tour of the three biggest consumer platforms — their cultures, formats and who they are right for. · 10 min
- 03YouTube, LinkedIn and X: Video, Careers and Conversation
Three platforms with very different jobs — the world's video library, the professional network, and the live conversation. · 9 min
- 04Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit, WhatsApp and Threads: The Specialists
Five platforms with narrower jobs — and why the right specialist can beat a giant for certain businesses. · 9 min
- 05The Language of Social, Part 1: Profiles, Posts and Places
Handles, bios, feeds, Stories, Reels, DMs, tagging and hashtags — the core vocabulary, properly decoded. · 9 min
- 06The Language of Social, Part 2: Engagement, Algorithms and Culture
Engagement, reach, impressions, FYP, UGC, virality and the rest of the working vocabulary professionals use daily. · 9 min
