Have you ever felt stumped by a social media site? Most likely everyone has had that feeling at some point.

One of the challenges with social media sites, especially Facebook, is that the format and the terminology seem to change fairly regularly. True, these changes don’t happen overnight, but the occasional user can become very frustrated when the site looks different each time they sign in.

A case in point is when Facebook moved its privacy section. I ended up having to go to the help center to find out where the privacy settings could be found so I could make adjustments to those settings for my Facebook account. In case you’re wondering, you have to click on the cog wheel icon (or drop down arrow) at the top right of the page and choose the Settings option in the drop down menu.

 

Ways to Find Help When You’re Stumped

To help you keep from going into melt-down mode when you feel stumped by social media, here are some tips:

Make Use of the Help Center Feature

Every social media site has a help center. Type your question into the search box and see if the answer appears. Sometimes you have to rephrase the question several times before an answer you can use appears, so be persistent. This is where I find answers to the majority of my questions.

Research Your Question on Google and/or Other Search Engines

What on earth did we do before Google and its counterparts? Turn to these search engines when you need help with a social site. It’s quite likely that there is someone out there who has posted something that addresses exactly what you are trying to learn. Again, be persistent, as you might not find the answer right away.

Post Your Question on the Site that Stumped You

Humble yourself. It’s OK to let your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, etc., know that you need some help with whatever is stumping you. Just put your question into a post and ask your community on that site if anyone knows the answer. Chances are someone does.

 

How About You?

What is your approach when you feel stumped by one of your social media sites? Do you tend to be public about your challenge and ask your connections to help you via a public post? Or do you prefer to use the site’s help center or a search engine to research the answer privately? I am always curious to know what others do when they are stumped.

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 50 and up, to become more comfortable using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter.

She works with business owners, nonprofit organizations, retired people, consultants, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.