What Does ISO Mean on Social Media

If you are active on social media websites like Instagram and Facebook, you most probably come across new abbreviations every day. When you try to Google their meaning, the search results usually turn up empty (or something entirely different). That is not the case with the acronym ISO. When you Google the term, thousands of results show up. The ISO definition is very easy to figure out. However, what does ISO mean on social media, and what is its significance? Is it a slang term in SM? Does it really mean as its full form suggests?

Table of Contents

What Does ISO Stand For?

Did you know that ISO isn’t a recently developed acronym? It was commonly used far before the advent of social media. ISO stands for “In Search Of.” Unlike SMT on Instagram, which is an initialism, ISO is more of an acronym. It is used at the beginning of a sentence to denote that you are in search of something. Prior to the turn of the millennium, ISO was a common form of depicting jobs in the classified section of the newspaper. For example, “ISO a structural engineer on a contractual basis.”

Alternatively, the term ISO was used to denote that a person was in search of a particular job. For example, “ISO an editing job at a publishing firm.” Its use in real estate ads was also quite common. For instance, “ISO a house in the New York suburbs.” As you might have guessed, ISO is added to the headline of an ad. The description of the work follows below it. In social media, ISO is used in a number of ways.

Example of ISO Usage in SM

ISO is used in the same way on social media as it is used in real life, with a few interesting additions. While the meaning of ISO remains the same, its use in SM varies. You can find the frequent use of ISO on job portals like Indeed.com or Craigslist. Freelance marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr often start their job descriptions with ISO. It is more popularly used in want ads or buy-sell SM groups.

Let’s assume that you want to buy a used car directly from the seller. You can put out a want ad on a Facebook page where used cars are often sold, something like this, “ISO a used car, preferably a midsize Honda or Toyota.”

ISO is also used, albeit less commonly, on dating apps. As an example, “ISO a male partner passionate about adventure sports.” Another less popular use of the term is seen while looking for reviews or recommendations about a brand or a service. It could be something along the lines of “ISO a detailed review about the Hamilton Beach juicer.”

Other ISO Meanings

ISO may not always mean “in search of” in the literal sense. It may refer to the 2009 movie “InSearchOf” directed by Zeke Zelker. Also, ISO can take many other full forms. The most prominently used, apart from “in search of,” on social networking sites are,

Is Seeking Other: In this case, “other” usually translates to “significant other” or “life partner.” Used in dating websites.

In Support Of: You can use ISO to show your support of one of two (or more) factions in SM.

Incentive Stock Option: Primarily used in the finance sector. It refers to the employee stock option, where the stock is held to receive greater benefits.

Conclusion

In essence, ISO is a commonly used abbreviation on SM that almost always means “in search of”. But what does ISO mean on social media in a different context? It can have one of many other full forms, like “is seeking other” or “in support of.”