A social networking service (also social networking site or social media) is an online platform

which people use to build social networks or social relationship with other people who share
similar personal or career interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections.

The social network is distributed across various computer networks. The social networks are
inherently computer networks, linking people, organization, and knowledge. Social networking
services vary in format and the number of features. They can incorporate a range of new
information and communication tools, operating on desktops and on laptops, on mobile devices
such as tablet computers and smartphones. They may feature digital photo/video/sharing and
"web logging" diary entries online (blogging).[1] Online community services are sometimes
considered[by whom?] social-network services by programmers and users, though in a broader sense,
a social-network service usually provides an individual-centered service whereas online
community services are group-centered. Defined as "websites that facilitate the building of a
network of contacts in order to exchange various types of content online," social networking sites
provide a space for interaction to continue beyond in person interactions. These computer
mediated interactions link members of various networks and may help to both maintain and
develop new social ties.[2]

Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, digital photos and videos, posts, and to inform
others about online or real-world activities and events with people in their network. While in-
person social networking – such as gathering in a village market to talk about events – has
existed since the earliest development of towns,[citation needed] the web enables people to connect
with others who live in different locations, ranging from across a city to across the world.
Depending on the social media platform, members may be able to contact any other member. In
other cases, members can contact anyone they have a connection to, and subsequently anyone
that contact has a connection to, and so on. The success of social networking services can be
seen in their dominance in society today, with Facebook having a massive 2.13 billion active
monthly users and an average of 1.4 billion daily active users in 2017.[3] LinkedIn, a career-
oriented social-networking service, generally requires that a member personally know another
member in real life before they contact them online. Some services require members to have a
preexisting connection to contact other members.

The main types of social networking services contain category places (such as age or occupation
or religion), means to connect with friends (usually with self-description pages), and a
recommendation system linked to trust. One can categorize social-network services into four
types:[4]

 socializing social network services used primarily for socializing with existing friends
(e.g., Facebook)
 online social networks are decentralized and distributed computer networks where users
communicate with each other through internet services.
 networking social network services used primarily for non-social interpersonal
communication (e.g., LinkedIn, a career- and employment-oriented site)
 social navigation social network services used primarily for helping users to find specific
information or resources (e.g., Goodreads for books)
site in the world[30] in early 2009.[31] Facebook was first introduced as a Harvard social
networking site,[28] expanding to other universities and eventually, anyone. The term social
media was introduced and so 1 – Facebook

This is easily the largest social networking site in the world and one of the most widely used.
And, Facebook was perhaps the first that surpassed the landmark of 1 billion user accounts.

Apart from the ability to network with friends and relatives, you can also access different
Facebook apps to sell online and you can even market or promote your business, brand and
products by using paid Facebook ads.

Recently Facebook has lost the trust of millions of its users by allowing 3rd parties to access
over 87 million users’ personal data. This is a massive breech of trust and has created a feeling of
unrest amongst the social media platform’s audience. So much so that there is now a
#deletefacebook campaign where people are completely removing themselves from Facebook
and using other networks instead. If you’re concerned about what Facebook is doing with your
data, then why not check out my guide on alternatives to Facebook, and see if there’s a better
place for you to interact with family and friends.

Number of active users per month: 1.59 billion approximately

2 – WhatsApp
Despite having been acquired by Facebook in 2014, this instant messaging platform exists as an
independent entity.

It arrived on the scene much later than Facebook, but has been able to capture the imagination of
millions of people across the world by giving them the ability to communicate and share
instantly with individuals and groups. The WhatsApp call feature is just the icing on the cake!

Number of active users per month: 1 billion approximately

7 – Instagram

Instagram was launched as a unique social networking platform that was completely based on
sharing photos and videos. This photo sharing social networking app thus enables you to capture
the best moments of your life, with your phone’s camera or any other camera, and convert them
into works of art.

This is possible because Instagram allows you to apply multiple filters to your photos and you
can easily post them to other popular social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. It is
now part of the Facebook empire. Learn how to grow your Instagram audience.

Read more on Instagram Tools to help you increase social engagement and audience numbers.

Number of active users per month: 400 million approximately

8 – Twitter
This social networking site enables you to post short text messages (called tweets), containing a
limited number of characters (up to 280), to convey your message to the world. With the growing
craze for online shopping, Twitter also makes it possible to promote your businesses and even
shop directly through tweets. Learn how to create the perfect Twitter profile.

Number of active users per month: 320 million approximately

9 – Google+ ( No Longer Available )

Owned by the tech giant Alphabet (Google), this interest-based social networking platform
enables you to stay in touch with people by sharing messages, photos, videos, useful links to
sites and so on. It also extends support for video conferencing through Hangouts and allows
businesses to promote their brands and products through Google+ business pages.

Number of active users: 300 million approximately

11 – Skype
Skype, owned by Microsoft, is one of the most popular communication-based social networking
platforms. It allows you to connect with people through voice calls, video calls (using a webcam)
and text messaging. You can even conduct group conference calls. And, the best part is that
Skype-to-Skype calls are free and can be used to communicate with anyone, located in any part
of the world, over the internet.

Number of active users per month: 300 million approximately

on became widespread.[32]

The popularity of social networking sites has rapidly increased over the past few years. Social
networks provide many kinds of services and benefits to its users like helping them to connect
with new people, share opinions with likeminded people, and stay in touch with old friends and
colleagues. Some of the reasons for the popularity of social networking sites are:

1. Opportunity to Meet New People

Social networking gives people an opportunity to meet new people around the world. Users of
these sites have access to millions of profiles from around the world. Before the advent of social
networking sites, chat rooms were the only way to meet new people on the internet. But, the
main drawback of chat rooms was that you may not know the person with whom you are
interacting with. The introduction of profiles on social networking sites allowed people to know
more information about a person before they interact with them.

2. Social Networking Sites are User-friendly

Popular social networking sites are built in such a way that they are very much user friendly.
Most sites are so easy to navigate that they require very less knowledge of the internet. Infect
they offer a better way of connecting with new people than other internet channels like bulletin
boards and emails. The mobile versions of these social networking sites are even more user
friendly allowing lot more number of people to connect through them.

3. Join Groups that Share your Interests

Most of the popular social networks allow users to create groups. These groups allow likeminded
people to share their interests and hobbies. A group acts just as a club whose membership is open
to anybody who share similar interests.

4. They are Free to Use

Most of the highly popular social networking sites like Facebook and Google+ are free which
made them open to everybody. These sites mostly make their money through advertisements.
Other other ways these sites make money is through extra features like games and other
applications which should be paid by the users.

5. Job Market
Professional social networks help people in establishing their brand online. People can post their
skills, accomplishments, and previous experience on these networks and make themselves
recognized by colleagues, other peer groups, and even potential employers. Many companies
have started recruiting people through social networks like LinkedIn. Users also have the option
to search for jobs on their own through these professional social networks just like any other job
portal. Social media currently has a huge share in the job market.

6. Helps Businesses to Reach Out

Another key important reason for the success of social networking sites is that they help
businesses to reach their potential customers easily. Unlike search engines like Google, social
networks have developed targeted a ad solution using which businesses can reach its potential
customers basing on the profiles of its users. Social networks also have unique access to the most
personal information of its users like their hobbies, interests, places frequently visited, etc. which
help businesses in targeting their advertisements properly.

The internet has opened up communications across the boundaries of the world. And, social
networking has helped people to expand their network, add friends, enhance their careers, make
connections, recruit employees, and find people with scarce skills which summarize the reason
for their popularity.

Social network sites are experts in collecting information about people. A lot of this information
is available to business owners through demographics data tools, such as Facebook Insights.
Using this tool helps you narrow down your demographics, understanding not just potential
customers' basic interests, but their special interests and even buying habits. With the research
tools available, you can create a large demographic target with niche market segments. This
helps you develop more effective marketing strategies.

Sales Leads
The goal of marketing is to drive sales to the company. You can use social networks to help in
this capacity as well. Not only can you get the niche segments, but you can advertise directly to
those segments using Facebook, Instagram or Twitter ads. When your target market is the one
seeing your advertising, you are more likely to get new customers.
Many business owners participate in social network groups as another participant. Being active
and sharing your expertise in large groups where people might find your product of interest helps
build credibility and generate leads. For example, a divorce attorney who provides basic advice
to a custody group could get a lot of business from the group if he is credible, not always in sales
mode and people find his advice helpful.

Customer Groups
Many businesses are now creating groups or pages for their customers to share ideas, give
feedback, and get additional insights and resources. This is great for a business owner, who can
now rely on others to help with customer service needs. Some businesses also create private
groups so members can get exclusive promotions and deals. Inviting all your existing customers
to follow the business page also opens those customers' networks to you. This is a huge benefit
of social network sites.

Social Proof
Referrals are usually the strongest prospects a business can gain. When you are in social network
groups, it becomes easy for your customers to share your business information or invite people to
like your page. You are also able to get customers to rate your business and leave a review. As
people see this, your social proof credibility goes up.

Testimonials and positive ratings are key factors for other online friends inquiring about how
your company can help them. Additionally, many people post online when they are seeking
recommendations for anything and everything. If someone asks for the best roofer in the city, a
list of the best is going to come from that person's network. If you have a social media page, your
customers can link it as part of the recommendation.

Major Social Networking Platforms

There are quite a number of social networking sites where your business can establish a presence
and engage employees, clients and customers. Among the major sites are:

Facebook: The world's largest social networking site. You can establish both a personal profile
as well as a profile and site for your business. Visitors can view the information you post and, if
you choose to allow comments, can also ask questions or provide feedback.

Twitter: Another very popular site, oriented towards very short posts, often on fast-breaking
news and topics of the day.

Instagram: A social networking platform oriented towards images and videos. It can be very
useful for highlighting product styles, especially clothing and technology.

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References (3)

 Forbes: The Top 10 Benefits Of Social Media Marketing

 Hootsuite: 23 Benefits of Social Media for Business

Business News Daily: Social Media for Business: A Marketer's Guide

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Disadvantages of Social Networking: Surprising Insights from Teens

by Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD

Sociability

“Honestly, I sometimes truly wish that ‘tools’ such as the iPhone (or any smartphone), laptops,
iPads, tablets, etc. hadn’t been invented. Sure, they’re great, incredibly useful, and fun time-
killers. But the way teenagers abuse them, and turn them into mini social control rooms is
frankly awful.”

At first glance, you might think this quote came from a parent or grandparent lamenting on the
disadvantages of social networking and how social media has doomed today’s children. But it
was written by a Seattle-area tenth grader as part of an assignment to answer the question, “How
has online social networking influenced your relationships with friends and family?”

This student goes on to write, “The teenage way of life has completely changed from what it was
only twenty years ago. Now, there is a dramatic decrease in face-to-face communication, which
reduces our generation’s ability to interact with others on a speaking level.”

Not coincidentally, this same message was echoed by the young people interviewed in
Tomorrow’s Change Makers: Reclaiming the Power of Citizenship for a New Generation. Youth
engaged in their communities claim that face-to-face interactions is what motivates them to make
a difference in the world.

This is a two-part article gleaned from reviewing the essays of a class of tenth graders, with their
permission, of course. It is meant to generate additional discussion on the benefits and
disadvantages of social networking and its effect on healthy youth development.

Below are the most discussed disadvantages of social networking according to these tenth
graders, including quotes from their essays. In a similar format, you can also read reflections on
the benefits of social networking in my column at Psychology Today.

10 Disadvantages of Social Networking

1. Lacks Emotional Connection

“A couple weeks ago, one of my friends and I got into a fight and she told me all of her feelings
as to why she ignored me for two weeks. Assuming it would have been really hard to say it to
my face, she sent me a text message. The negative side was I didn’t know if she truly felt sorry
because I didn’t hear it from her. The quality of a conversation using social media is awful
because you cannot sense the emotion or enthusiasm from the other person. It makes you wonder
if they actually mean what they say.”

2. Gives People a License to be Hurtful

“I do think it has gotten to an extreme point where you can say things you can’t say or get away
with in person.”

“I’m disappointed whenever I hear about social media being used as a way to hurt people. I
wonder if this happens when the writers forget that there are real people behind the screen.”

3. Decreases Face-to-Face Communication Skills

“Computer reliance could hurt a person’s ability to have a face to face conversation by making it
awkward and unusual to hear something and respond with a thoughtful message through the
spoken word because of one’s dependence on a keyboard to convey a message.”

4. Conveys Inauthentic Expression of Feelings

“Social media conversations today are filled with “haha”, “LOL”, and other exclamations that
are meant to represent laughter. This shorthand has become second nature and is often used when
the sender is not even smiling, much less laughing, in real life. On the occasion that our
“roflcopter” is actually put to use at a funny moment, we are replacing actual laughter with, in
this case, a simple ten-letter acronym. According to Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist
at Oxford, the actual physical act of laughter, and not the abstract idea of something being funny,
is what makes laughing feel so good. If we are so willing to replace the act that, honestly, we all
love, with an artificial, typed representation that doesn’t even bring the same joy, what else
would we be, potentially subconsciously, willing to exchange?”
5. Diminishes Understanding and Thoughtfulness

“Since the inception of social networking, the quality of conversations has dropped. I believe that
people are spending so much time online that they don’t always understand the feeling, emotion
and/or character of the person they are talking to. When you talk to someone through a message
or even a voice, you can’t always fully understand them.”

“Social networking has ruined the thoughtfulness in basically saying hello in person. For
instance, you could say hello to your friend in Germany with Facebook, chat in seconds; but
what if there was no way to communicate via social networking? Well you would have to write
them a letter and that is something very thoughtful.”

6. Causes Face-to-Face Interactions to Feel Disconnected

“When I see my friends on their phones and I am around them, I feel disconnected even though
we are only two feet apart….. Unfortunately, sometimes friends use their phones so much that it
is difficult to have an actual conversation with them. Sometimes friends can get so socially
attached to something such as a blog or gaming console that they lose touch with friends,
creating small gaps and holes in close friendships/relationships.”

7. Facilitates Laziness
“The new socially active era causes laziness because instead of running to your friends you can
message them. Or instead of walking upstairs to notify the family of dinner, I can blog it. Social
networking makes life so convenient that it creates laziness. In my opinion staying fit is
important, but it is difficult to go beyond the newly developed status quo.”

“It’s really easy to spend hours doing nothing….It’s a fantastic way to waste time.”

8. Creates a Skewed Self-Image

“We tell ourselves lies about ourselves and develop something we are not. We post pictures of us
looking perfect and share the good news. We never post pictures of ourselves when our dog dies,
when someone we love leaves, and when we lose a job. We never share the bad news that always
clouds our lives. We all develop this perfect image of ourselves and some of us actually try to
rely on this imaginative thought we have of ourselves instead of staying true to who we are.”

9. Reduces Family Closeness

“Texting, Facebook, Twitter, and Gmail alienate us from our families more than we actually
think it does…. When my family is spending family time together and watching a movie, in
reality my brother and I are on our phones rather than actually watching the movie with our
parents.

10. Causes Distracti

“When I have my phone out, it makes me feel like nothing else is going on
around me. I use social media as a way to feel popular, important, and also just
to fit in. My friends and I always compare ourselves to each other, wondering
who has more Facebook friends or Twitter followers. But what really ends up
happening is I begin to talk less and end up relying on text for a conversation.
Ever since I got a smartphone I have been distracted from everything. I watch
television less, do homewornd even spend less time with my friends and family.”

Addressing the Disadvantages of Social Networking

The disadvantages of social networking and social media will be studied for decades to come.
The 10th-grade essays used for this article are five years old now but they could easily have been
written today.

In the last five years, social media has proven to be a significant source of concern among
privacy advocates, particularly with concerns over how Cambridge Analytica used Facebook
data. Parents have become increasingly worried about their children’s safety online and how to
protect their personal data.
But clearly, the disadvantages of social networking go much deeper than privacy and safety.
These high school students described some of the serious drawbacks to relationships and mental
health — foundations of human development.

In the past several years, more studies have linked social media to poor mental health. According
to a recent Forbes article, several studies have not only shown a correlation but also a causation.
Findings suggest that people who limit social media to 30 minutes daily feel significantly better
than those who use social media for longer periods of time. By reducing time spent, people were
able to reduce depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Recent statistics from the Pew Research Center show that social networking usage has remained
unchanged in the past four years. This may suggest a saturation point has been reached. It may
also be a hopeful sign that people are learning to manage social media in healthier ways; or at
least they don’t show an insatiable appetite for more. In addition, most people don’t trust news
from social networking sites–only 5% of U.S. adults have a lot of trust in this information.

Among Americans from 12-34 years old, Facebook usage declined from 79% in 2017 to 62%
today. The only social network growing among U.S. youth is Instagram, up from 64% to 66% in
the past two years.

Researchers suggest that helping children and teens learn to manage social networking is
paramount to their healthy development. Most experts agree that parents must lead the way by
setting a good example of what healthy computer usage looks like. Family meetings are a great
venue to discuss social networking and computer usage with the whole family and get buy-in for
solutions.

Listed below are some helpful articles that can spark conversations in your family:

 How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers, published by the Child Mind Institute
 Managing Teen Social Media Use, published by the Clark Psychology Group
 Tips on How to Limit Excessive Screen Time, published by BBC Health

—-A special thanks to the students who contributed their voices to this article.
(This article was originally published June 16, 2014. It was updated with new research and
information and republished Sept. 6, 2019.)

Published: September 6, 2019

About the Author

Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD, is founder of Roots of Action and author of Tomorrow's Change
Makers: Reclaiming the Power of Citizenship for a New Generation. A developmental
psychologist and researcher, she writes for Psychology Today and Edutopia on positive youth
development, K-12 education, and family-school-community partnerships.
Website // @DrPriceMitchell // Facebook

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The importance of social media in business is growing at warp speed. With more
and more people joining social media sites and using them regularly/efficiently, the
social media industry is bound to become bigger in the coming years. It’s booming
like never before.

No, the social media wave isn’t ending anytime soon. And your business should
take advantage of it if you want it to survive.

With such amazing growth, every business today needs to leverage proper social
media channels in the best possible way. Not because it’s the “in thing”, and not
because it sounds simple, but because their target audience is hanging around the
popular social networks. And they’re engaging with their favorite brands and
connecting with them on different levels.

By giving your business brand the social media touch, you not only generate more
business but also connect with your customers better and serve them on a higher
level. It actually makes your digital marketing easier.
According an infographic published by Ambassador, 71% of consumers are more
likely to recommend a brand to others if they have a positive experience with it on
social media.

Here are some more social media statistics that prove beyond doubt the importance
of social media in business. Your business needs to leverage sites like Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up with the competition.

 According to 2019 social media statistics, there are now 3.2 billion users
around the globe. That is about 42% of our total present population.
 68% of adults based in the U.S reportedly have a Facebook account.
 Active social media users are composed of 48.2% Baby Boomers, 77.5%
Generation X and 90.4% Millennials.
 An interesting research shows that a user spends an average of 2 hours and
22 minutes in his social media account everyday including messaging.
 73% of online marketers agree that their efforts in implementing a social
media marketing strategy for their business has been effective.
 2 million business today use Facebook advertising for promoting their
products and services.
Let’s now look into the importance of social media in business by analyzing its
advantages.

#1: Leverage Social Advertising

Social media advertising may be the new kid on the block, but it’s growing faster
than imagined. Take Facebook Ads for example. Even though the social network
launched ads in 2005, it managed to reach 9.16B in ad revenue in the first quarter
in 2017. This just goes on to show that social advertising is here to stay — for a
long, long time.
As more and more businesses successfully experiment with digital advertising,
they’re realizing that taking the social media advertising route makes total sense.
Here’s why:
  Lower ad costs: When compared to traditional advertising methods such as
print media, TV and radio advertising, social ads are not only dependable,
but also cheaper. What’s more, you’re allowed to engage on various social
media channels for free before scaling with paid ads. You’re free to grow on
your own, at your own pace.
 Targeted reach: Traditional advertising doesn’t give you the luxury to reach
out to your target audience the way social media ads do. It simply doesn’t
work that way. When you’re doing offline advertising, you’re taking the
blind, shotgun approach where your returns are dismal even if you’re
making big investments. Using social media ads you reach out to targeted
prospects, increase your conversions and ultimately get a higher return on
investment.
 Real-time performance analysis: Knowing if your ad is working or not is
integral in order to improve it. When you’re doing any type offline
advertising, you’re unable to analyze the performance of your ad campaign.
Which cripples massively cripples your efforts. Social media ads on the
other hand allow you to constantly keep track of how well (or how bad) your
ad is performing. You’re able to change your ad on the fly and
instantaneously see the results.

Last but not the least, it’s important for businesses of all types to understand that
social media ads are only getting bigger and smarter. Social media advertising is
where the future is headed. It’s the new wave. The question is, are you a part of it?

#2: Boost Brand Awareness

Social media proves to be a powerful tool when it comes to growing your brand
awareness. There are businesses who dismiss it as a way to build a brand, but by
doing that, they’re leaving an open ground for competitors. On the other hand,
many reputable chief marketing officers agree that social media has a definite
impact on brand awareness.
Increasing your brand awareness via social media isn’t rocket science. Here are a
few tips on how you can do so.

1. Find Your Audience: Before you start focusing on a particular social

platform, find out whether your target audience is on it. You can do this by
searching for relevant conversations about your product or industry. For
example, a B2B company may find their audience on LinkedIn rather than
Facebook. Don’t just assume or follow other brands.
2. Use Visuals: Once you know where your target audience is, it’s time to grab
their attention by using eye-catching visuals with your content. Images and
videos play a big role in helping you grow your brand awareness on social
media channels. Because they not only increase engagement but also boost
social shares.
3. Create Conversations: Social media is all about building conversations. If
you use these social platforms for one-way communication, you’ll only grab
so much attention. Instead, talk and listen. Get involved. Showcase your
personality by conversing, tagging and mentioning others.
4. Measure Your Efforts: Don’t just aim in the dark. Use the tracking tools
provided by the platforms (eg: Facebook Page Insights) along with other
 external tools such as URL shorteners, Google Analytics, etc. to measure
your social media activity. Use the insights you gain to understand what’s
working so that you can optimize your efforts and build a stronger brand
with social media.
5. Build Authority: If you want a higher engagement rate along with better
brand awareness, then work on building your authority by sharing real value.
Along with borrowed content, your content you post should also have
something original, as it adds to your credibility.

Remember, every single step that you take to increase brand awareness with social
media will impact the overall growth of your business in the long run.

#3: Increase Inbound Traffic

Inbound marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate targeted traffic to
your website. It’s the kind of traffic that actually converts because it’s super
relevant. However, if you leave you ignore the importance of social media in
business, you will be limited to your inner circle of customers or the people that
are already familiar with your market or brand.

By putting in more effort in social media promotion, you create a whole new
channel to draw in laser targeted inbound traffic and get more inbound links.
For example, having an active blog makes it easy for you to connect with your
audience with the help of fresh content. But by having them share this content (on
the right time) on Twitter or Facebook increases your reach 10X. You’re suddenly
reaching out to a bigger audience that may like plus share your content, follow
your brand and ultimately become a customer.

Similarly, people that are already actively searching for keywords related to your
product or service are a smaller percentage than those who aren’t. Social media
helps you connect to this larger, untapped segment of the market.

To help you understand, here’s the amount of referral traffic social media
management platform Buffer generates by creating and sharing quality content on
some of the biggest social media networks: 
By using social media, you diversify your marketing efforts in more than one way.
You don’t reach out to just one type of crowd, but connect to a versatile customer
base. Which is crucial to for your brand to make a mark in your niche.

For instance, serious professionals may find your website via LinkedIn while the
younger crowd or the millennials may find you on Instagram. Each piece of social
media content that you create is a new door for new customers to enter. It’s a
different opportunity for you to connect.

Ultimately, it boils down to creating enough high quality content that you can post
on social media sites, and in the process attract high-converting inbound traffic.

#4: Improve Search Engine Optimization