Mindless scrolling, endless cat content, and never-ending reels can keep you occupied for hours. If you’ve been wondering whether your social media habits are hindering or helping your social skills, we hope to shine some light on how you can use these apps for your benefit.

Social media is often labeled an addictive procrastination tool, but not everything about it has to necessarily be bad. It could have some positive aspects when it comes to improving your social skills.

On the one hand, it does what it was designed to do—encourage people to connect. It depends on how you use it and what you’re using it for that makes all the difference. Let’s consider the good side of social media and how it could help you with your social skills.

1. Using Social Media as a Conversation Starter

No matter if you’re in the same city or on another continent, social media encourages connections between people in different time zones. If you're feeling disconnected, sending a message to someone can already feel like you're not alone.

When you are in the loop with what your sister is doing next Saturday or where your friends are headed to on the weekend, you are more likely to start conversations.

2. Staying Friends No Matter Where You Are

Most people who have moved to a new city will know that it’s not easy to make friends. Settling down in a new place, and finding fresh haunts and hang-out locations takes time. This is why social networks can be great for connecting with new people.

Whether it’s through groups, communities, interests and hobbies, or via gatherings (both on and offline), there is something for even the loneliest soul out there. In a matter of minutes, and with just a few clicks, the world opens up and so does your potential to socialize.

3. Getting You Out of Your Bubble

If you’ve ever felt like your interests and hobbies are so unique that nobody would ever understand them, groups and communities on social media will prove you wrong. With so many ways to connect with like-minded individuals, you can use social media to get out of your comfort bubble.

By exchanging ideas with others who have the same interests, people all over the world can discuss, share, and offer new insights and fresh perspectives.

4. Helping You Form Romantic Connections

Whether you’ve met your life partner online or you know of somebody who has, internet dating apps are the matchmakers of our times. Even if you haven’t forged great friendships or relationships on the apps, there’s a chance that you’ve learned a thing or two about connecting with strangers online.

If you’ve never tapped into it and are a complete beginner, make sure you're familiar with the tips that all online daters should know before embarking on that adventure.

5. Finding Events Happening Near You

You can use apps to boost your social life and make new friends, such as Meetup or Wink. Many of these apps have suggestions for in-person or online events which could be of interest to you. By finding out where and when something is happening, you are in the loop for activities which could build your social interactions.

Attending events, exploring new things, as well as signing up for things that excite you, will help you feel connected to your community.

6. Boosting Self-Confidence

Social media is also a tool for anyone who wants to advertise their skills and services. If you’re using it as a platform to showcase your talents and achievements, you want people to interact with your content.

When you're posting messages and spreading content that excites, entertains, or educates your viewers, you’re likely to get a boost of confidence. TikTok is a great example of that. Teens and young adults have used it to spread messages, engage people, and grow their social networks.

7. Giving and Receiving Support

People have been using social media to tell their network about important life events such as births, marriages, and even break-ups. By sharing personal information online, people are likely to experience feelings of connectedness, especially when they’re met with kindness and empathy.

Sharing news, talking about situations, or just venting allows others to join in on discussions and show support. When you feel supported, your desire to open up enhances. And opening up is better than clamming up!

8. Getting Inspired and Staying Motivated

Social media has been a source of inspiration for people wanting to start businesses, share content, or showcase talent. Some famous people, influencers, and entrepreneurs use it to get others in on ideas or spread news.

Everything in your news feed has relevance to you, so selecting what you want to see and what you don’t want to see impacts how you feel. If you’re seeing positive posts, you’re most likely getting motivated to start new projects, finish things you left on the back-burner, or connect with others who are in the same boat as you.

9. Shining a Light on Your Unique Talents

Social media is a platform to share what you’re passionate about. If you’re in any way creative, crafty, or you would just like to show your followers how well you can tie a figure-eight knot, you’re "opening up" to others. The moment you post something, you are saying to the world that you’re open to feedback and that takes courage.

10. Learning How to Break the Ice

Shy people and introverts can have a fulfilling social life on social media because they can choose when to socialize and who to socialize with. Meeting someone online first is also said to take the pressure off meeting them in person.

From choosing whether you want to participate in online discussions to having those extra few moments to think before you speak, socializing online has a lot of benefits for people who have a difficult time breaking the ice.

Using Social Media to Get Better at Socializing Online and Offline

Social media doesn’t have to be a time thief. You could use it to gain better social skills or get more engaged with your community and friendship circles. You could also use it to connect with others in your city, meet new people, or motivate yourself.

By choosing how you spend your time on social media and moderating your activity online, you could gain new insights. That means focusing on the things you care about when you’re online instead of looking for ways to escape from your daily grind.