Before giving a thorough explanation of what we consider “Social Media,” we have to acknowledge the history of the word “media.” Leading up to the 21st century, our conception of “media” has evolved dramatically. It all starts with the newspapers, transmitting information via the format of small bulletins. After that came the magazine, the commercial setup of the newspaper. Going to the digital age, the birth of broadcasting and the internet facilitated the information to be transmitted.
But what about “Social Media”? According to Investopedia, the literal meaning of the term “Social Media” is put into words as: “…refers to a computer-based technology that facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts, and information through virtual networks and communities”. That description, being mostly pragmatic, barely touches the tip of the iceberg. After the much-needed revolution, the digital age has become our reality, living in a post-industrial age.
However, how does “Social Media” fit into our reality? It has pretty much become the only way communication exists. We can find many types of communication being done through different types of social media. Let’s take a look at those variables.
What Are Social Media Types?
Seek, and you shall find. Being a virtual space, the internet offers anyone any type of social media that they want to consume. Let’s start with the first type of social media, which we call social networks. These vastly popular types of social media are the ones with profile customization, allowing you to present yourself with photos or videos.
Building relationships and networking with people you find interesting is the goal of these sites. You can look at it as a confined bubble in a virtual space in which you can expand the bubble’s width with the relationships you build online. We can also find social media related to blog posts and discussion forums. These sites offer individuals to share their opinions on subjects that resonate with other people. Consequently, this makes way for community building via websites.
One of the most popular formats of individualized content-sharing is through video blogs, which can be considered another type of social media that allows people to create, edit and post their videos online. Listing all the types of social media would not be possible since most of these websites rely on personalized networks that cover content from economics to publishing and gaming. Therefore, tailored content is the primary goal of social media.
What Are The Benefits Of Social Media?
As we’ve explained previously, social media relies heavily on community-building. Instant communication is one of the benefits of social media. Having the ability to interact with someone on the other side of the planet has become the norm. You can find people that have the same interests as you do is so much easier with this fast communication. Consequently, making friends online can cure loneliness for some people.
Another benefit of social media is the creation of newer jobs. One of the top jobs on the internet is video blogging and publishing content. These content creators can work from home and produce content either for themselves or for corporations that seek content online. Making money from your own home is consequently one of the benefits for individuals seeking to establish a steady income via social media networks.
These companies and corporations seek brand recognition in the virtual space. Achieving that is much easier than in the past, were building an image for your company and gathering loyal customers took some time. This virtual space lets companies establish a greater level of traffic for their products.
Sharing and receiving instant information is paramount concerning the benefits of social media. Being connected to the whole wide world offers individuals to stay in touch with monumental events happening anywhere.
What are the Most Used Social Media Sites?
According to research done in 2022, the most used social media sites are as follows:
With a staggering 2,9 billion users worldwide, Facebook will be the leading social media site in 2022. The site allows you to find anyone in the world and connect with them.
With a close number of 2,5 billion users worldwide, Youtube has become one of the most popular social media sites for any generation. The vlogging format has taken over the blogging sites in the early 2010s.
Messaging applications like Whatsapp (2 billion users) and Facebook Messenger (988 million users) also demonstrate a high number of users. Instant messaging apps mostly dominate the field.
Instagram (1,4 billion users), being bought by Facebook, is also one of the most used social media applications in which you can share photos and videos in your customized profile.
Twitter (436 million users) and Reddit (430 million users) are social media sites in which you can build a community out of shared interest—as a result, being one of the most used social media sites online.
TikTok (1 billion users) has also taken off with the younger generation. Creating short videos on applications is one of the most popular types of social media among the younger generation.
What are Social Media Tools?
Social Media Tools are usually utilized by brands looking to analyze their site’s data and traffic using various locations and applications. Gathering all the data to conceptualize a strategy plan for their brand is the goal. These brands can vary from publishing sites to vloggers. These tools allow the brands to have one interface that collects the data used in multiple social media sites and applications.
In addition, not only do brands use social media tools but also individuals. Having this many sites on so many platforms can cause you to lose track of yourself. Organizing your space that is scattered online into one single platform comes in handy when things start overwhelming you. You can find many online tools to help you establish a brand image located in a single social media tool. These tools also give you the possibility to increase your productivity.
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