What is Social Media?
In simple words, social media is the computer-based platform that assists its users in creating or sharing ideas, information, videos, images, and many more forms of expressions in online communities.
Sixdegrees.com- The very first social media site developed in 1997. You could set up a profile page, create your list of connections, and send them messages. Sixdegrees.com had over 1 million user base and was finally bought out for $125 million before being shut down in 2000. Although, it did try to make a modest comeback later.
Types:
1) Social Networking (Facebook, LinkedIn, Whatsapp, Tinder, etc.)
2) Photography Sharing (Instagram, Behance, Snapchat, Pinterest, etc.)
3) Videography Sharing (YouTube, Facebook Live/Watch, IGTV, Vimeo, etc.)
4) Blogging/Microblogging (Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, HubSpot, etc.)
According to some rumors, Hot or Not (AmIHotorNot.com), the influencer behind the creation of Facebook and YouTube, nurtured over 384 million users worldwide. This site invited users to submit their own photos so other audiences could rate their attractiveness. After it was sold, its owners tried making it into a “game” in 2014.
Uses
People worldwide are using social media for a lot of different reasons and in many different ways. Of which, some use it as entertainment and some for productivity. Some uses are:
Communication- The most common usage of social media is to use it as a mode of communication. Users on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, and LinkedIn; connect to other users. This also helps in creating new relationships between users.
Sharing- Platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Behance, and many others are used by people to share their photos, videos, music, etc.
Entertainment- You live for playing games and wish to connect with others with the same life motto as yourself? Well, what do you know? Your dream has come true. There are many platforms catering to your needs. Some of those are Steam and Discord.
Paid Advertisement- People are adopting the idea of online shopping and this has not gone unnoticed. Social Media channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, etc. allow you to post paid-ads on their site. The biggest advantage of this is the enormous user base it offers.
In the above pie chart, we can see Facebook leading the competition with flying colors against all the giants of Social Media. This also shows us Facebook’s popularity in contrast to its other major competitors.
Benefits
I) Messaging– People used Post offices to send and receive information through handwritten letters. As a result of which, they had to wait for at least 2-3 days to receive a letter that their relatives sent from another state or even more if they resided in another country altogether. This was very inconvenient for situations where the message was very urgent. Networking sites such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, etc. has eliminated this long-term process.
II) Direct Connection- It is now possible for every individual to be in direct contact with their loved ones through features such as ‘video calls’ and ‘status’ from any corner of the world. This also helps people to deepen their relationship with their connection.
III) Free to use- You can join a social network for free with only an internet connection in your mobile handset or laptop/desktop. This allows even people who are of a humble background.
IV) Latest Updates- With the help of social media, you can always be updated with the latest news and trends in the market.
V) Business- For people who have business ideas but not the fund of renting a place to open their shop/office, social media provides the best place to do their business. It can also be used as a paid advertising platform for big businesses. You can use our services for your social media marketing campaign here.
Demographics
Demographics of Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or any other networking sites show their market share in terms of usage and popularity. With over 69% of US adults using Facebook, it ranks the second most used networking website after YouTube.
63% of Instagram users log in at least once a day while 74% of Facebook users log in daily.
The figure on the right is indicating the age groups in US that use Facebook daily. Values are in percentage format for the respective age group.