Frame

In a social media context, framing refers to the structuring, packaging, and presentation of information, visuals, or narratives to influence how they are perceived by an audience—in short, to make them 'pop. ' When we talk about 'ensuring our message gets across,' this is what we mean. Of course, framing isn't limited to social media; it exists across all forms of human communication.

But since the way we use words, visuals, and narratives is particularly crucial for the kinds of quick, often instinctual first impressions that can happen in a social media context, framing tends to be much more talked-about (and much more reviled, as its boost-to-signal ratio can be quite high) when it comes to the kinds of strategies that businesses, brands, and activists employ. Yet ultimately, the act of framing is neither good nor bad; it's a fundamental part of human communication, with crucial implications for public conversation, and it's intimately tied to the identities and narratives we build for ourselves and others.