By Kasi Detmer, Account Associate

With so much social media in everyone’s lives, the pressure is on to not get hidden from your friends’ timelines, or have your tweet skipped over. And we’re all a little tired of reading the same repetitive posts all of the time. Oh it’s raining outside? Bring on the 400 tweets about bad drivers. Here’s some advice to help you post responsibly and avoid becoming a cliché:

1. Your food. You want to let everyone know that you’re at that hip new restaurant downtown so you snap a pic of your plate. That restaurant is popular for a reason, we’ve all been there and we know what the food looks like. How about sharing something we may not all know, like if a band will be performing there next week or if they offer half price wine nights?
2. The vaguebook poster. This is my personal pet peeve and will get you hidden or unfollowed at lightning speed. “I just got the worst news.” “I’m the luckiest person in the world.” If you have something to share, share it. Don’t fish for people to ask you what you’re talking about. It gets old. Fast. If you follow this up after an inquiry with “I’ll PM you,” you’re done. DONE. If you don’t want anyone to know, why post in the first place?
3. The Timehop reminiscer. This app tells you what you posted this day on Facebook any number of years ago, with the ability to easily share again with the Timehop logo stamped across the pic or post. I am guilty of this one, because I just think I’m so entertaining, even the second time around. Chances are no one else does. Keep your posts current and relevant. Seeing your boyfriend in a pic from four years ago may mean something to you, but probably not to your friends. Instead, share something unexpected from your past, like your junior high trip to Washington D.C., or the night you got engaged (but you’re now celebrating your 10^th anniversary).
4. Weather. We all know it’s snowing outside. We’re aware we got six inches of snow last night. Seeing posts of snowy trees from 800 people on your timeline is more than cliché, it’s just boring.
5. The countdowner. You’re getting married in 1,237.36 days. Start the daily countdown now! Nothing is more irritating than seeing this countdown day after day. Especially to your single friends. You’re excited, and your friends are excited for you, but we probably don’t need the countdown.
6. Share if you love your…We all love our mother/father/dog/third neighbor on the left, but we don’t want to see a shared 1.2k times, generic, cheesy pic of said object of our love. We get it. Say you care in a less cliché way, like maybe making brunch for him or her and keeping it personal.
7. The amateur photographer. Instagram was made for artsy shots. With all of those fun filters and editing options you just can’t help but take a picture of a tree’s branches while you’re lying underneath right? Wrong. Instagram has come a long way and it’s not for photographer wannabes anymore. Everyone is tired of seeing your filtered coffee foam art. Look for new and personal things to share, and be judicious in your selections.

Avoid these posting clichés and it will lead to a happy network of friends and followers. Or post whatever you want because you love your dog and you’re going to tell the world through a viral gif, and let the haters hate.