The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Slang, Lingo, and Terminology [2023]
Social media has given rise to an entire new vocabulary full of slang terms, acronyms, and jargon. For the uninitiated, this can seem like a foreign language. This guide covers most common social media terms to help you stay fluent in the language of social platforms.
Key Social Media Slang and Lingo
Slay
“Slay” is a term used to express admiration for someone who has done exceptionally well at something. For example: “Her new business launch totally slayed!”
Stanley
“Stan” refers to someone who is an extremely dedicated, loyal and enthusiastic fan of a celebrity, influencer or content creator.
Cheugy
“Cheugy” describes someone or something that is seen as outdated or trying too hard to be trendy.
Vibe Check
Asking for a “vibe check” is a way to check in on someone’s mood or assess the general atmosphere of a situation.
Simp
A “simp” is someone who shows excessive attention towards another person without receiving anything in return, especially on social media.
Sussy Baka
“Sussy baka” is a nonsensical phrase used humorously to express doubt or suspicion about something or someone.
Sheesh
“Sheesh” expresses amazement or awe at something impressive. For example: “This new song slaps, sheesh!”
ICYMI
“ICYMI” stands for “In Case You Missed It” and is used when recapping old information.
Finsta
A “finsta” or fake Instagram account is a secondary, private Instagram account where people share more personal content.
Aesthetic
Describes the intentional styling and visual presentation of content to achieve a certain look and feel.
DM Slide
“Sliding into someone’s DMs” means privately messaging someone, usually on social media.
Big yikes
Expresses disapproval of an embarrassing or disappointing situation.
Sus
Short for “suspicious.” Used to convey doubt or distrust about something.
Bet
Indicates agreement or approval. For example: “Want to grab pizza tonight?” “Bet!”
Common Social Media Acronyms
- IMO — In My Opinion
- ICYMI — In Case You Missed It
- TBT — Throwback Thursday
- FYI — For Your Information
- LMK — Let Me Know
- IRL — In Real Life
- TBH — To Be Honest
- IKR — I Know, Right?
- SMH — Shaking My Head
- BRB — Be Right Back
- Idk — I Don’t Know
- AMA — Ask Me Anything
- TMI — Too Much Information
- ILU or ILY — I Love You
- YOLO — You Only Live Once
- FOMO — Fear Of Missing Out
Social Media Profile Terminology
Handle
Also known as a username, this is the unique name that identifies an account on social media.
Profile Picture
The photo that represents a user’s account. Often abbreviated to “PFP”.
Bio
Short description on a user’s profile summarizing who they are.
Followers
Other users who subscribe to your account to see your content.
Following
Accounts that you subscribe to in order to see their content.
Verification
The blue checkmark badge indicating an account has been confirmed as authentic.
Avatar
Graphic icon or illustration representing a user.
Display Name
How a user’s name appears on their profile. Can be different from username.
Handle Mention
Referring to another user by their @username in a post.
Hashtag
The symbol is used to index keywords and facilitate search.
Content Types and Features
Stories
Ephemeral photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours.
Grid Post
Long-term uploads that appear on a user’s profile.
IGTV
Long-form vertical videos up to 60 minutes on Instagram.
Reels
Short videos with creative tools and music on Instagram and TikTok.
Tweets
Posts of 280 characters or less on Twitter.
Thread
A series of connected tweets on one topic.
Live Stream
Broadcasting video in real time.
Highlight
Collections of stories that are pinned to user profiles.
Link In Bio
Link on bios that leads to external site for more info.
Swipe Up
Feature that allows redirect from IG stories to external sites.
Filter
Graphics effects and tools used to edit photos and videos.
Geotag
Tagging a social media post with a location.
Caption
Text description that accompanies a post.
Hashtag
Metadata tag using to categorize content and facilitate search.
Tag
Identifying another user in a post via their @handle.
Sticker
Graphical overlays that can be added to stories.
GIF
Short animated video clips without sound.
Meme
Images, videos or text that are humorous, often using imagery with overlaid text.
Emoji
Small digital images or icons used to express ideas or emotions.
This covers the most important terminology used on major social platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook. Learning this lingo will help you communicate effectively and understand what other users are talking about!
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