Social Media Citation Generator

Social Media Citation Examples

Tweets, Instagram, Facebook & TikTok

Every social post shares the same core fields — author/handle, post content, platform, date, and URL — but a few details differ by platform:

• X (formerly Twitter). Use the first ~20 words of the post as the title and label it [Post]in APA. APA cites the platform as "X" for posts after the 2023 rebrand; MLA allows "X" or "Twitter."
• Instagram & Facebook. Use the caption (or first words) as the title and add a bracketed description of the medium, such as [Photograph] or [Status update].
• TikTok. Cite by the account name and handle, with the video caption as the title and [Video] as the description, then TikTok as the site and the URL.

How to Cite a Social Media Post

1. 1. Gather the post details. Note the author's real name and/or handle, the first ~20 words of the post, the platform, the date (and time for MLA), and the URL.
2. 2. Enter them & pick a style. The generator above opens on the Social media post source type — fill the fields in and choose APA, MLA, Chicago, IEEE, or any of the 10,832 styles.
3. 3. Cite. We build a full reference with the author/handle, post content, platform, and date. Edit any field, then copy or export it to BibTeX, RIS, CSV, or Word.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I generate a citation for a social media post?

Open the generator above on the Social media post source type, then enter the post content (the first ~20 words, used as the title), the author's real name and/or handle, the platform (e.g., X, Instagram, TikTok), the date posted, and the URL. Pick your citation style and click Generate Citation — CitationEasy formats the reference and you can edit any field before copying or exporting it.

How do I cite a tweet or X post in APA 7?

In APA 7, list the author's real name with the handle in brackets, then the date, the first 20 words of the post as the title (italicized) with a description like [Tweet] or [Post], the site name, and the URL — for example: Last, F. [@handle]. (Year, Month Day). First 20 words of the post [Post]. X. https://… APA now refers to the platform as X (formerly Twitter); use 'X' as the site name for posts made after the rebrand. Enter the name and handle in the author field above and 'X' as the platform.

How do I cite a tweet in MLA 9?

In MLA 9, begin with the account name or handle as the author, then the full text of the post in quotation marks as the title, the platform as the container (MLA accepts 'X' or 'Twitter'), the date and time, and the URL — for example: @handle. "Full text of the post." X, Day Month Year, time, URL. Enter the handle in the author field and the post text in the post-content field above.

Do I use the person's real name or their username?

It depends on the style. APA 7 lists the author's real name first (when known) followed by the handle in square brackets, e.g., Obama, B. [@BarackObama]. If only a username is available, use it without brackets. MLA 9 typically uses the account name or handle as it appears. Put whatever you have — real name, handle, or both — in the author field and the generator formats it for the style you choose.

Should I write Twitter or X?

Twitter was renamed X in 2023. APA's current guidance is to cite the platform by the name in use when you accessed the post, so use 'X (formerly Twitter)' or simply 'X' for recent posts and 'Twitter' for older ones. MLA allows either 'Twitter' or 'X'. Enter the platform name in the Platform field above and the reference uses it as the site/container name.

Which citation styles does the social media generator support?

All 10,832 styles in our library, including APA 7th, MLA 9th, Chicago, IEEE, Harvard, Vancouver, and AMA. Choose your style before or after entering the post details and the reference reformats instantly.

Is the social media citation generator free?

Yes. It is 100% free with no sign-up, no ads, and no limits. Your citations are saved locally in your browser and can be exported to BibTeX, RIS, CSV, or Word.