How to cite social media posts in APA 7
Learn how to create the reference and in-text citations for social media posts, profiles, and pages.
Updated July 29, 2026
By Andrés Rivas
On this page
- References and in-text citations for social media
- Post structure
- Post with an image example
- Changing profiles and pages
- Examples for each social platform
- X post
- X profile
- Facebook post
- Facebook page
- Instagram highlight
- TikTok video
- Threads post
- Bluesky post
- Pinterest pin
- LinkedIn post
- Reddit post
- Tumblr post
- How to check the reference
References and in-text citations for social media
This guide shows how to create the APA reference and in-text citations for social media posts, profiles, and pages. Use this format when the original social content is the source you consulted.
This category includes posts, photographs, videos, profiles, pages, and forum messages. The reference should lead to the specific post whenever possible.
Post structure
Author or Account [@username]. (Year, Month Day). First 20 words of the post [Content description] [Post type]. Platform. URL
Use up to the first 20 words as the title. Preserve the spelling, capitalization, hashtags, links, and emojis in the original content. Add descriptions such as [Image attached] or [Video] when they help identify the post.
Post with an image example
The name, username, text, and address are illustrative.
Reference
Central Library [@centrallibrary]. (2024, May 8). Today we opened a new room for silent reading and individual work [Image attached] [Instagram post]. Instagram. https://example.com/post/reading
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024).
(Central Library, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024).
Central Library (2024)
Changing profiles and pages
For a profile, page, or highlight that changes over time, use n.d. when no date is available and add a retrieval date before the URL. An individual post with a fixed date normally does not need a retrieval date.
When a real name and username are displayed, include both in the author position. If only the username is known, preserve it as shown on the platform.
Examples for each social platform
All account names, post text, and addresses are illustrative.
X post
Reference
Writing Center [@WritingCenter]. (2024, June 3). A complete reference helps other people find the work you used [Post]. X. https://example.com/x/reference
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Writing Center, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Writing Center (2024)
X profile
Reference
Writing Center [@WritingCenter]. (n.d.). Posts [X profile]. X. Retrieved August 4, 2026, from https://example.com/x/writingcenter
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Writing Center, n.d.)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Writing Center (n.d.)
Facebook post
Reference
Campus Library. (2024, April 22). This week we are extending the reading room hours [Image attached] [Facebook post]. Facebook. https://example.com/facebook/hours
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Campus Library, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Campus Library (2024)
Facebook page
Reference
Campus Library. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved August 4, 2026, from https://example.com/facebook/library
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Campus Library, n.d.)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Campus Library (n.d.)
Instagram highlight
Reference
Central Library [@centrallibrary]. (n.d.). Reading workshops [Highlight]. Instagram. Retrieved August 4, 2026, from https://example.com/instagram/highlight
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Central Library, n.d.)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Central Library (n.d.)
TikTok video
Reference
Reading Lab [@readinglab]. (2024, August 1). Three questions to ask before using a source in your paper [Video] [TikTok post]. TikTok. https://example.com/tiktok/three-questions
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Reading Lab, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Reading Lab (2024)
Threads post
Reference
Open Classroom [@openclassroom]. (2024, July 25). Reading the complete source helps you understand an idea's context before citing it [Threads post]. Threads. https://example.com/threads/context
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Open Classroom, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Open Classroom (2024)
Bluesky post
Reference
Academic Archive [@academicarchive.bsky.social]. (2024, June 14). Our digital collection of student journals published between 1980 and 2000 is now available [Post]. Bluesky. https://example.com/bluesky/collection
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Academic Archive, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Academic Archive (2024)
Pinterest pin
Reference
Writing Center. (2024, May 30). Parts of an academic reference [Infographic] [Pin]. Pinterest. https://example.com/pinterest/reference-parts
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Writing Center, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Writing Center (2024)
LinkedIn post
Reference
Institute for Open Research. (2024, July 11). We are sharing a guide for organizing data before beginning an analysis [Post]. LinkedIn. https://example.com/linkedin/data-guide
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Institute for Open Research, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Institute for Open Research (2024)
Reddit post
Reference
clearnotes. (2024, March 18). How do you organize readings for a long project? [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://example.com/reddit/organize-readings
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (clearnotes, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). clearnotes (2024)
Tumblr post
Reference
Student Archive. (2024, February 2). Photographs of university notebooks and libraries from the 1990s [Image set] [Post]. Tumblr. https://example.com/tumblr/archive
The source is identified in parentheses, normally with the author and year: (Perez, 2024). (Student Archive, 2024)
The author is part of the sentence and the year appears in parentheses: Perez (2024). Student Archive (2024)
How to check the reference
- The social post is the original source you used.
- You included up to the first 20 words without changing the content.
- You described important images, videos, or other attachments.
- You added the platform and a direct URL.
- You used a retrieval date only for changing profiles or pages.
- The citation uses the author or account name and year.
See the other APA reference types.
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