Video

Text is a multimedia means of engaging users on social media platforms. Used extensively by individuals and businesses alike, text on social media platforms serves many communication purposes, from sharing delightful tidbits about one's day to crafting long-form essays that provide social critique or elaborate on complex ideas and using words to tell stories, give advice, share experiences, and incite action—to get people to do something (buy a product, go to an event, change their political affiliation, etc. ).

Text is the most basic and still the most commonly used means of communication on social media. It is the foundation upon which all the fancy graphical structures we see today on social media have been built. But, of course, because all these new social media platforms are not just text-based but are also very much about visuals, the big question for those wanting to reach the greatest number of people possible using social media is this: What about using images?

And what about using moving images—or video?