16. Publicación en medios/redes sociales o foros

A social media post (una publicación en medios/redes sociales) is a short, attention-grabbing message shared on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or Facebook. It is often informal, visual, and written for a wide or general audience.

Its purpose may be promotional, informative, entertaining, or persuasive. Often used to raise awareness or share experiences/events.

A forum post (una publicación en foros) is a written contribution to an online discussion board on a specific topic. It usually responds to a question or gives an opinion in a more structured, slightly more formal tone, often within an interest-based community.

Its purpose may be problem-solving, seeking/giving advice, sharing experiences in a more detailed way, often responding to a thread.

Model text and key features

Here are two models side by side. What differences can you observe between a social media and a forum post?

Publicaciones en línea

Context Audience Purpose
  • Personal
  • Professional
  • Mass media
  • Section A or B
  • General public
  • In social media, a group of people you know (e.g., family, friends, classmates...)
  • In forums especially, a specific group or community interested in a shared topic (e.g., travelers, gamers, Spanish learners...)
  • Inform
  • Promote
  • Share experiences and opinions
  • Give/request advice

 

Key words

The following key words in the exam may suggest that the appropriate text type is a social media or forum post (publicación en medios/redes sociales o foros).

Español
Inglés
Compartir To share
Informar
To inform
Pedir
To request
Preguntar To ask
Recomendar To recommend
Aconsejar, dar consejos To give advice or tips
Key points at a glance
Format
Message
Language
  • User name
  • Date / Time
  • Title
  • Greeting
  • Body (paragraphs)
  • Closure / Farewell 
  • Online features (optional)
  • Clear
  • Short
  • Cohesive (connected ideas, full sentences)
  • Structured (paragraphs)
  • Informal to semi-informal
  • Depending on the context, audience and purpose it may be informative, persuasive, engaging...
  • The tone must always be polite and respectful
Key features, tips and examples

  • It may be the author's name or, most commonly, a user nickname
  • Often accompanied by a visual, such as a profile picture or avatar

They are important to gauge the time relevance of the post.

Examples: 

  • Publicado hace 4 horas
  • Publicado martes 01/07/25 - 17:34

  • Whereas optional in a social media post, the title is mandatory in a forum post
  • In a forum, you should write the forum's name and include the title in the thread (hilo)
  • Use the word 'tema' rather than 'asunto', to differenciate this text type from the email 
  • The title must be brief and relevant to the message
  • In a social media post it is often an eye-catchy statement

Examples in a social media post:

  • Nuestra luna de miel en Cancún está siendo absolutamente inolvidable
  • Imagina la casa de tus sueños
  • Aprovecha las ofertas de verano

Examples in a forum post:

  • Nuevo tema: Cancún - ¿Cenote a cena romántica?
  • Busco consejos para reformar mi casa
  • ¿Alguien sabe cómo solucionar el error NW-2-5 en Netflix?

  • Although not mandatory, it is recommended to include a greeting to establish that you've identified the audience.
  • The greeting should be informal and plural

Examples:

  • ¡Hola a todos!
  • ¡Hola amigos y seguidores!

  • Organize your text in short paragraphs.
  • Aim to write a separate paragraph for each task.
  • Especially in forums, your message may include direct questions and end with a call to action.

Examples:

  • ¿Podéis recomendarme algún cenote que no sea demasiado turístico?
  • ¿Qué os parece la opción de...?
  • ¿Alguien más ha experimentado este problema con...?

  • The closure may consist of a thank you or a call to action.
  • In a social media post, it may be an encouragement to like, comment or share.
  • In a forum post, it may be an invitation to comment or share an opinion.
  • The signature is optional.

Examples:

  • Muchas gracias por todos vuestros comentarios.
  • Gracias de antemano por vuestros consejos.
  • Muchas gracias por la ayuda.

  • Although not required, it is recommended to add typical online features to make your post more realistic.
  • In a social media post, it is common to include visuals such as pictures (fotos), links (enlaces o vínculos), tags (etiquetas), and emojis (emoticonos).
  • In a forum post, you may want to include a thread (hilo), a button to respond (botón para responder), and a line with the number of responses (respuestas) and views (vistas, visualizaciones o lecturas).
  • You may also use emojis in forum posts, but very sparingly.
 
Test your skills

Escribe entre 70 y 150 palabras.

Estás enviando solicitudes para estudiar en un país hispanohablante el año que viene y dudas entre varias universidades. Escribe un texto para ponerte en contacto con estudiantes de ese país y pedirles su opinión. No olvides indicar qué carrera quieres estudiar y cuáles son tus prioridades.

Blog Correo electrónico Publicación en redes sociales o foros

 

Reflect

  • What would be the second and third best text types for this task?
  • What would you have done differently if you were writing an email instead of a text message?
  • What would you have done differently if you were writing a blog instead of a text message?

Click on the link to read a student sample for this prompt. Analyze it before reading the marking notes.

You can access a plethora of models, exam prompts, marking comments, and more in various areas of this site, particularly in the evaluation booklets at the end of each thematic unit. For quick access to all activities related to this text type, click on the 'PUBLICACIÓN EN LÍNEA' tag on the Home Page.

Download: Printable cheat sheet 

Activities: Duelo de publicaciones (Post duel)

  • Creative individual work:

In pairs, you will randomly draw a topic from your teacher’s hat. One of you will write a social media post. The other will write a forum post. Both texts should be based on the same content, but adapted to suit the specific format and audience. Whereas the content is the same, the format, register and tone are slightly different: 

    • Social media: brief, informal, expressive, with optional emojis or hashtags
    • Forum: structured, polite, more detailed, with a greeting and closing
  • Reflection and peer feedback:
    • Swap your two texts with another group.
    • Read their work and identify which one is the social media post and forum post.
    • Discuss which post fits its format better, and which one communicates the message most effectively.
    • Sit together with the other group. Exchange constructive feedback.
  • Follow-up individual work (optional): 
    • After receiving feedback, revise your original text if necessary. 
    • Post your final version on the class Padlet.
    • At home, read your classmates' posts.

De Profe a Profe

Aquí tienes una lista de situaciones para imprimir y recortar, de modo que cada grupo pueda elegir una al azar.

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