Social Media Hat Tips
What's a hat tip and how do you use it in social media?
In social media, a "hat tip" ( abbreviated as HT, H/T, or ht) is a quick way to acknowledge the source of an idea or resource that you're sharing. It's like a digital version of the old-fashioned gesture of tipping one's hat as a sign of respect or gratitude.
How it Works
Scenario - You find an interesting article on someone's blog and decide to share it with your followers.
What you do - You post the link to the article along with a brief message and a "hat tip" to the blogger. This could look like: "Great article on [topic]! HT [@blogger's username]"
Key Points about Hat Tips
It's a casual way to show appreciation for someone's work.
It's not a substitute for full attribution, especially if you're quoting content directly.
It's most commonly used on platforms like Twitter and blogs.
While "hat tip" is a cute way to acknowledge a source, it's important to also consider these more formal attribution methods…
Tagging the creator - Especially important for visual content like photos and videos.
Including captions with source information.
Quoting or mentioning the author directly in your text.
By rendering a hat tip as the situation calls for it, you ensure you're acknowledging appropriately and building a reputation for being responsible and ethical.
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