character symbol for social media

[zoran]

What is the correct character symbol that is placed before the equivalent social media channel?
I believe that for instagram its the # and for email maybe its @ ... but im not certain what is appropriate for the rest... FaceBook, Email... etc.
If for eg. my website's name is www.blablabla.com, shouldn't i write (for my business card) for instagram #blablabla ?

 

[rm5]

I don't use the @ sign at all, but I think that's just personal taste. But it'd be the @ sign, not the #.

 

[hg.wells]

If I had to I would only use the @ symbol for Twitter, everything else would just be the social media icon like instagram and then the account name.

My personal preference would be nothing before. Social media icon and then account name.

 

[zoran]

But is it just a matter of preference? Aren’t there any standard’s to what goes where?

 

[Nermal]

I've always found it strange that the @ goes on the front: compare with email where the @ goes after your name (literally "this person, at this place/server"). It's even crept into business emails, where I get things that say e.g. "We need to do this, so @Nermal can you take charge of that?" and I just think "My name doesn't have an @ in it..."

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I've always found it strange that the @ goes on the front: compare with email where the @ goes after your name (literally "this person, at this place/server"). It's even crept into business emails, where I get things that say e.g. "We need to do this, so @Nermal can you take charge of that?" and I just think "My name doesn't have an @ in it..."

But on social media platforms, such as this one, placing the "@" in front of someone's name when writing a post means that you have tagged them, presumably to draw their attention to soemthing - perhaps, to thank them, or remark on a post that they have written, or offer a remark on something that you think may be of interest to them, maybe criticise them, etc - as they might not otherwise in the course of their browsing come across a reference to their name if they haven't been tagged.

At least, that is how I use that function here; likewise on Twitter.

Elsewhere, such as for emails, one uses this "@" function as intended, that is, after the name of the person to whom you wish to write.

 

[rm5]

But on social media platforms, such as this one, placing the "@" in front of someone's name when writing a post means that you have tagged them, presumably to draw their attention to soemthing - perhaps, to thank them, or remark on a post that they have written, or offer a remark on something that you think may be of interest to them, maybe criticise them, etc - as they might not otherwise in the course of their browsing come across a reference to their name if they haven't been tagged.

At least, that is how I use that function here; likewise on Twitter.

Elsewhere, such as for emails, one uses this "@" function as intended, that is, after the name of the person to whom you wish to write.

I think there are two distinct things:

1. Email addresses - name@example.com, where the @ sign comes after the name but before the domain
2. Social media handles/usernames where the @ comes before the name, but there isn't a domain to worry about. For example, @rm5

Internet forums are weird because they're sort of like email, but also like "regular old social media."

Soooo.... not to detract from the original question - I think using the @ sign is redundant except in an email address, because you have to specify the domain—icloud.com, gmail.com, aol.com (who uses AOL anymore), etc.

So @zoran I don't think you need the @ sign, but it's your choice.

 

[hg.wells]

But is it just a matter of preference? Aren’t there any standard’s to what goes where?

Personal preference, all down to the designer.

 

[beach bum]

I've always found it strange that the @ goes on the front: compare with email where the @ goes after your name (literally "this person, at this place/server"). It's even crept into business emails, where I get things that say e.g. "We need to do this, so @Nermal can you take charge of that?" and I just think "My name doesn't have an @ in it..."

I found the @ symbol in front of a name strange as well; however, I found out recently that it is used to tag a person and automatically place their name in the To: line when composing emails instead of CC or BCC.

As an example, I may be addressing the main participant in the email but want to pull in another person(s) for either reference or to ask for a particular task to be completed. That @name will also be highlighted within the email to pull attention to what is being asked of that person.

 

[zoran]

So if i don't use the instagram (or FaceBook) icon, placing the # before the name would be ok, people understand im referring to Instagram?

 

[hg.wells]

So if i don't use the instagram (or FaceBook) icon, placing the # before the name would be ok, people understand im referring to Instagram?

I would strongly recommend using the icons. Don’t use the # that only tends to be used to reference a phone number.

Or if you don’t want use icons.

Find us on Facebook - CompanyName

 

[Meuti]

So if i don't use the instagram (or FaceBook) icon, placing the # before the name would be ok, people understand im referring to Instagram?

Not really. If you use # it will often turn the following word into a hashtag. Hashtags are used on several services (i.e. instagram, but also on facebook and others). They can be used to filter posts. For example if you would search for #cutekitty on facebook or instagram it will list postings that are tagged with #cutekitty

edit: Regarding the above I wouldn't use # or @ on a business card at all.

 

[Meuti]

I've always found it strange that the @ goes on the front: compare with email where the @ goes after your name (literally "this person, at this place/server"). It's even crept into business emails, where I get things that say e.g. "We need to do this, so @Nermal can you take charge of that?" and I just think "My name doesn't have an @ in it..."

I have always explained this to myself, that the "@" is used like an actual "at". So basically if I write @Nermal... in a post, it would mean: "(directed) at Nermal: could you check this out, please?"