InfoGuides: LEAD 301 Social Media Communication and Leadership: APA Social Media Citation Guide

Last Updated: Apr 23, 2024 4:01 PM

APA Social Media Citations

This section shows examples of social media citations using the American Psychological Association or APA (7th ed).style.

Examples include postings, highlights, moments, and profile pages of blogs, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), streaming video (Hulu, Netflix, TikTok, YouTube, and web videos), live and recorded chats, email, text or Snapchat message, and Google documents.

Email, Text, Personal Interviews, Phone Conversations, Live or Recorded Chat, or Snapchat message
These types of material are unpublished personal communications and are not included in the reference list because they do not contain recoverable data. Cite personal communications in the text only. When using that information, mention the author/person who said the information, quote that information, and then include the month, day, and year in an in-text citation. When writing about it, mention where the communication took place.

Example: As Dr. G. Drobek noted in an online chat, "Ethical decisions made in business rival the importance of financial decisions" (December 5, 2013). Use only initials for first and middle names along with the surname. Date of the communication appears in parentheses at the end of the quotation or summary.

Example: Professor Visser gave his reasons in an email for closing the laboratory, which were "......" (October 1, 2022).

Example: Dr. A.C. Miller stated in a text that .. (February 12, 2017).

Tips for citing social media in APA 7th edition (p. 348-350).

If possible, cite only original information in social media posts; for example, if a post shares a link to an article or another website, share the original website or link instead of the "re-shared" content.
Social media posts can have just text, photographs or videos, website links, or a combination of any of these mediums. When creating a title for the social media post, use the first 20 words of text shared or the name of the photograph or video.
After creating the text title, brackets indicate the type of additional shared content: Photograph, Video, Tweet, Online Forum Post (Reddit), etc.
Social media posts often contain nonstandard words, #hashtags, :) Emojis and links. Do not change or alter any part of the language used. If possible, add any emojis (or describe them), and include them in the title if they are within the first 20 words of the text.
Authors are listed by last name, first initial if known, and then the username or @username is included in brackets. The username can be used alone if no known name or organization exists.
Replicate emojis. If you cannot replicate the emoji, provide the CLDR Short Name (from the Unicode Website) in square brackets e.g. is noted in-text as [Locked with key emoji] in the text where the emoji is located. Note that people sometimes use emojis for their appearance, not their "intended" meaning. Still, when rendering a message in text, you should give the name of the actual emoji used, wherever possible, just as you should retain their spelling when replicating their text.

APA Social Media Citation Examples

Author(s) of blog post. (Date of publication). Title of the blog post. Blog title. URL

Reference List Examples
A blog post with one author from a popular digital platform. Please note that the second line should be indented five spaces.

Miller, S. (2018, December 11). Google's Change the Game initiative is turning girls into game developers. Hello Giggles. https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/google-play-change-the-game-girls-gaming/

Parenthetical In-text citation at the end of a sentence:: (Author's Last Name, Year). Example: (Miller, 2018)
Narrative in-text citation within a sentence: Author (year). Example: Miller (2018)

In-text quote (Author's Last Name, Year, Section Heading section if given) Example: (Miller, 2018, para. 2)
Note: This blog post has no section headings; only a paragraph number is given in the citation.

Blog Comment Format. Author, A. (Date). Title or first sentence – not italicized [Comment “article or post title”]. Blog name. URL.

Example: Worthington, T. (2019, August 19). The positive aspect of AI in education is that it will force us to be more transparent in what we do and challenge our own assumptions and biases. [Comment on the post “Artificial intelligence in Schools: An ethical storm is brewing”]. EduResearch Matters. https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=4325

Entire blog--- put it in parentheses within your text.
Example: I learned a lot from the Psych Learning Curve blog (http://psychlearningcurve.org).

Different from other online sources, a Facebook page entry in APA style should include a retrieval date. Since Facebook pages may change over time (different titles, content, etc.), a retrieval date helps the reader identify the point in time to which it was referred. Note: Private page citation: Because content from private or friends-only Facebook pages or profiles is not retrievable by everyone, if you cite it, it should be treated as personal communication.

Author	Facebook Page Title	Retrieval Date	URL
Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to 20 authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For 21 or more authors, include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.	Give the italicized page title, e.g. Timeline, Home, About. nclude the notation "Facebook page" in square brackets.	Give the date you retrieved the page in the form "Month Day, Year".	Give the full URL of the web page, including the protocol (http:// or https://).

Basic format: Author(s) of the Facebook page. (n.d.). Title of the Facebook page [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved Date, from,URL

Reference List Example-Please note that if there is a second line, it should be indented 5 spaces.
Obama, B. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved June 6, 2019, from https://www.facebook.com/barackobama/

Parenthetical in-text citation at the end of the sentence: (Author, year). Example: (Obama, n.d.)
Narrative in-text citation within the sentence: Author (year). Example: Obama (n.d.)

Facebook Post format: Author, A. [Screen name if applicable]. (Date). Title – italicized. [Audiovisual description – if applicable] [Type]. Social media site. URL.
If the author's full name is not listed, use their screen name without brackets. If the author is a group or a company, do not use a full stop between the author's name and the screen name.

Example: James Cook University Library [JCU Library]. (2019, November 7). Be mindful of others in the Silent Zones of the Library. There are plenty of areas in the Library to suit. [Image attached] [Status update]. Facebook. https://bit.ly/2CGLYwU

Facebook Comment format: Author, A. (Date). Title – italicized [Comment “article or post title”]. Social media site. Retrieved date, from URL

Example: Gordon, C. (2019, October 21). The muddle-headed wombat by Ruth Park - the original and the best! [Comment on the post “It’s Wombat Day in Australia. What’s your favorite story?”]. Facebook. Retrieved 2019, October 25, from https://www.facebook.com/JCULibrary/

Facebook fan page, group page, info tab, boxes tab, etc. format: Username or Group Name. (n.d. or ca year or date). In Facebook [Page type}. Retrieved date, from URL.

Example: Nonja. (n.d.). In Facebook [Fan page}. Retrieved March 17, 2010, from http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nonja/190010092116

Example: When I was your age, Pluto was a planet. (ca. 2009). In Facebook [Group page]. Retrieved December 16, 2009, from http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2207893888

Instagram Profile format: Author, A. [Screen name} (n.d.) Posts [Instagram profile}. Retrieved date, from URL.
Because profile pages are not dated, use "n.d." in the reference. Use “Posts” as the title.

Example: APA Style [@officialapastyle]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Retrieved December 10, 2018, from https://www.instagram.com/officialapastyle

In-text parenthetical citation at end of the sentence: (APA Style, n.d.)
in-text narrative citation in a sentence. APA Style (n.d.)

Instagram Post format: Author, A. [Screen name]. (Date). Title- italicized [Type of post). Instagram. URL.
If the author's full name is not listed, use their screen name without brackets. If the author is a group or a company, do not use a full stop between the author's name and the screen name.

Example: Lady Gaga [@ladygaga]. (2019, July 16). To the launch of #HAUSLABORATORIES. Cheers to a wonderful day1 🥂 [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz9q87wlxGl/

In-text parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence: (Lady Gaga, 2019).
In-text narrative citation in a sentence: Lady Gaga (2019)

Instagram Comment format: Author, A. (Date). Title – italicized [Comment “article or post title”]. Instagram. Retrieved date from URL.

Example: Hoopsby4. (2019, May 22). Awesome! [Comment on post “Put children together with alpacas and maracas and you’ve got FUN!]. Instagram. Retrieved January 3, 2020, from https://www.instagram.com/p/BxvyuWPJW37

In-text parenthetical citation at end of the sentence: (Hoopsby4, 2019).
In-text narrative citation in a sentence: Hoopsby4 (2019)

Instagram HIghlight format: Author, A. [screen name] (n.d.). Instagram title [Instagram highlight]. Retrieved date, from URL

Example: APA Style [@officialapastyle]. (n.d.). FAQs [Instagram highlight]. Retrieved December 10, 2018, from https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTc2ODkwNTk5MTc5MTY1/

In-text parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence: (APA Style, n.d.)
in-text narrative citation in a sentence: APA Style (n.d.)

LinkedIn Learning format: Author. (Year). Title of the video. [Video file]. LinkedIn. URL.
Example: Thomas, N. (2023). Designing your creator brand with Canva. [Video file]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/designing-your-creator-brand-with-canva/what-is-canva?autoSkip=true&resume=false&u=42272537

LinkedIn Post format: Author. (Date). Post title [Resource type] [Post]. LinkedIn. URL.

Use the name associated with the account as the name in the reference.
LinkedIn does not provide exact post dates; rather, it tells users how long the post was made. Use the date information provided on the post to infer as specific a date as possible for the reference.
Provide the first 20 words of the post as the title. Count a URL or other link, a hashtag, or an emoji as one word each, and include them in the reference if they fall within the first 20 words. Do not italicize emojis.
If a post includes images, videos, thumbnail links to outside sources, or content from another post (such as when sharing a link), indicate that in square brackets after the title.
Describe the post type (e.g., “[Post],” “[Video]”) in square brackets after any description of the attached content.
Credit LinkedIn as the site name in the source element and then provide the URL.

Example: American Psychological Association. (2019, December 9). Last month, APA joined more than 40 national and international psychology organizations to explore ways to collaborate and use psychological [Thumbnail with link attached] [Post]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/american-psychological-association_how-psychologists-are-combating-climate-change-activity-6609801161937612800-GvdC

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence: (American Psychological Association, 2019)
Narrative citations within the sentence: American Psychological Association (2019)

Linkedin Profile format: Author. (Date). Home [Linkedin page]. LinkedIn. Retrieved date, from URL.

Use the page title in the reference (e.g., “Home,” “About,” “Jobs”).
Include the notation “[LinkedIn page]” in square brackets after the title.
Provide a retrieval date because the content is designed to change over time and is not archived

Example: John Tyler Community College. (n.d.). Home [LinkedIn page]. LinkedIn. Retrieved January 9, 2020, from https://www.linkedin.com/school/john-tyler-community-college/

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence: (John Tyler Community College, n.d.)
Narrative citations within the sentence: John Tyler Community College (n.d.)

Tweet Post format: Author last name, First initial. Second initial if given [@X/Twitter user name]. (Year tweet was posted, Month Day). Text of post up to the first twenty words [Tweet]. Twitter. URL

Note: Write out the actual text of the post in the citation and keep spelling, capitalization, and grammar the same as in the original, even if there are errors. Include any emojis that are present. If there is multimedia content, note it in square brackets after the post (e.g. [Video]).

Example: Giridharadas, A. [@AnandWrites]. (2020, January 17). The fallacy of our age is that we can lift up those down below without interfering with those standing [Tweet]. X/Twitter. https://twitter.com/AnandWrites/status/1218203291982749697

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence::(Giridharadas, 2020)
Narrative citations within the sentence: Giridharadas (2020)

X/Twitter Moment format: Author last name, First initial. Second initial if given [@X/Twitter user name]. (Year tweet was posted, Month Day). Text of post up to the first twenty words [Moment]. X/Twitter. Retrieved date, from URL

A X/Twitter moment is a curated set of stories from Twitter.
The moment is subject to change (users can add or remove tweets from the moment), even though the date shown for the moment’s page remains static, so the retrieval date is always needed in the reference.

Example: APA Style [@APA_Style]. (2019, December 17). What’s new in the #7thEdition of #APAStyle [Moment]. X/Twitter. Retrieved January 19, 2020, from https://twitter.com/i/moments/1181218317408837633

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence (APA Style, 2019)
Narrative citations within the sentence: APA Style (2019)

X/Twitter Profile format: Author last name, First initial. Second initial if given [@X/Twitter user name]. (Year tweet was posted, Month Day or n.d.). Tweets [X/Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved date, from URL

X/Twitter profiles begin on the “Tweets” tab by default. If you want to cite one of the other tabs (e.g., “Tweets & Replies,” “Media,” “Likes”), use the name of that tab rather than “Tweets” in the title element of the reference.
Include the notation “[X/Twitter profile]” in square brackets.
Provide a retrieval date because the content is not archived and is designed to change over time.
Provide the URL of the page.

Example: APA Style [@APA_Style]. (n.d.). Tweets [X/Twitter profile]. Twitter. Retrieved January 15, 2020, from https://twitter.com/APA_Style

Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Subscription Streaming Video format: Last name, first initial of producer (Producer(s). (Year of release). Title of the video [Video format-TV series, Movie]. Video website. URL

Examples: Bay, M. (Producer). (2018). A quiet place [Movie]. Hulu. https://www.hulu.com/welcome

Allen, T., et. al. (Producers). (2017). The story of Diana [Video]. Netflix. http://www.netflix.com

Because the timestamp serves the same purpose in a video as page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, you include it in the in-text citation. Include only the beginning timestamp.

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence: (Allen, et. al., 2017, 6:45)
Narrative citations within the sentence::(Allen, et. al. (2017)

YouTube, TikTok Streaming Video format: Author(s) of the YouTube video. [User name] (Date of publication). Title of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

Examples:

A YouTube video where the creator's real name is not provided

AsapSCIENCE. (2017, September 28). How to learn faster [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9SptdjpJBQ

Note: The person's real name is unavailable; the user name is used instead.

A YouTube video where the creator's real name is available

Bialik, M. (2019, June 13). The life changing magic of detective Pikachu [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97KJhK-9yvc

A TIkTok video where both the creator's real name and the user name are available

Washington Post [@washingtonpost]. (2019, December 3). News is all around us #frozen #newsroom #newspaper [Video]. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@washingtonpost/video/6765886712896818437

TikTok Notes:

Present the name of the individual or group author the same as you would for any other reference. Then provide the TikTok handle (beginning with the @ sign) in square brackets, followed by a period.
Provide the specific date of the post.
Provide the first 20 words of the caption as the title. Count a URL or other link, a hashtag, or an emoji as one word each, and include them in the reference if they fall within the first 20 words. Do not italicize emojis.
Include the description “[Video]” in square brackets after the title.
Credit TikTok as the site name in the source element and then provide the video's URL.
The format used for TikTok is also used for Instagram and Twitter.

Because the timestamp serves the same purpose in a video as page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, you include it in the in-text citation. Include only the beginning timestamp.

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence (AsapSCIENCE, 2017, 0:55)
Narrative citations within the sentence: AsapSCIENCE (2019)

TikTok Profile format: Last name, first initial. [screen name]. (n.d.). Title (1st 20 words in the description) [TikTok profile]. Retrieved date, from URL.

Unlike other social media profile pages, the TikTok page has no “Home” or other tabs. For the title in the reference, use the first 20 words of the description (in the example, the title is “CEO of #RockTok”). Include the notation “[TikTok profile]” in square brackets.
If the profile page has no description in the bio, include only the bracketed description “[TikTok profile]” in the title element of the reference.
Provide a retrieval date because the content is not archived and is designed to change over time.
Provide the URL of the page.

Example: The Rock. [@therock]. (n.d.). CEO of #RockTok [TikTok profile]. TikTok. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://tiktok.com/@therock

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence (The Rock, n.d., 0:07)
Narrative citations within the sentence: The Rock (n.d.)

Streaming video from a library database format: Name of Company/Organization that Provided Content or Creator's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial. if known. (Year video was created, Month Day if known). Title of video [Video]. Database Name.

Example: Film Platform. (2008). Voices from El Sayed [Video]. Alexander Street.

Because the timestamp serves the same purpose in a video as page numbers, paragraph numbers or section headings, you include it in the in-text citation. Include only the beginning timestamp.

Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence: (Film Platform, 2008, 9:12)
Narrative citations within the sentence::Film Platform (2008)