On Thursday at an event sponsored by the College of Science, a trio of social media experts offered advice to students about the do’s and don’ts of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms. Here are five takeaways from the experts— Jeff Cutler, Lisa van der Pool, and Todd Van Hoosear.

1. It’s not just for food and cats: Social media channels serve as amazing news sources—and have even started revolutions. It’s a smart platform for leveraging your personal brand or organization.
2. You are a brand: Think carefully about the one you want to create and make sure to keep up with it. Set expectations accordingly by maintaining an up-to-date biography so friends/followers know what to expect when tuning into your social media channel.
3. The rule of thirds: Keep your content one-third self-promotional, one-third interactive, and one-third informational. Make sure your social media presence has a nice mix of content and isn’t dominated by just one of these areas.
4. Know the platform: You need to have a different philosophy and approach for each social media platform. For the most part, Facebook is used to keep in touch, LinkedIn is used to network, and Twitter is used to be in the know.
5. Nothing is private: Even after a social media account is deleted, the photos and information you shared can be cached. Be sure to think before you tweet, and realize that everything you put online is forever.