Different Types of Social Media in 2021 (Volume 1)

When it comes to social media, the curve of popularity continues to grow exponentially. It’s simply a daily tool that every type of person on the planet can find a use for. Thus, it’s hardly going away anytime soon and is, in fact, expanding and evolving every step of the way.

Rather than simply a social network, the concept of social media has expanded far beyond that to involve everything we do online that has a social aspect to it. The simple definition of the platforms is as follows:

so·cial me·di·a

/ˌsōSHəl ˈmēdēə/

noun

1. websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

If you’re wondering what types of technology this entails, read on…

Social Networking

The top platforms:

• Facebook: 6 billion monthly active users
• Twitter: 166 million daily active users
• LinkedIn: 160 million users in the U.S.

This is the most popular and traditional form of social media. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more are often called “social networking” sites because they do just that…allow people to network. However, there is a much broader range of uses for this type of technology.

Activities on Social Networks

Like, comment, review, or share. These are things that a user can do on social networks to express emotion and preference. Easily communicate with an audience using tagging, hashtagging, private messaging, commenting, reacting, sharing, and more!

In addition, social networks have a general newsfeed. This is designed to show off a mix of visuals and text, rather than one type of content or page. A user can “scroll” through the newsfeed for important updates on friends, products, and their favorite brands.

Social Networking for Business Purposes

Long ago, organizations found a variety of ways to make money off of being on social media. If you own a small business, like a restaurant or retail shop, a platform like Facebook is a great place to start for your social marketing strategy.

On social networks, you can build a business page with off-page links to your site and whatever it is you’re selling, like details about your menu or the hottest trends. Use the messaging and comment features to connect with potential prospects and update your audience with daily posts that are relevant to their needs.

Facebook enables users to purchase right through the platform, while places like LinkedIn have entire business centers specifically for networking. Twitter is a great platform to boost audience engagement and direct them to a call to action (CTA).

Business-related tasks on social networking include:

• Create a business page.
• Advertise in the newsfeed.
• Publish updates with posts and messages.
• Like other brands and share their content.
• Engage with the audience in the comment section.
• Post polls, quizzes, games, and other interactive content.
• And so much more…

Photos and Videos on Social Networking

Social networking platforms are a great place for interactive media. After all, people are flocking to these places to do exactly that…interact. With the growth of digital marketing, many sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have launched more advanced features to highlight media. This includes:

• Twitter Live Streams
• Facebook Live
• Instagram Stories

In fact, these platforms heavily encourage native video uploads. Facebook has even adjusted its algorithms to favor live video and image uploads.

Pros of Social Networks

• Social networks are some of the most popular forms of social media.
• Social network sites can integrate with scheduling tools.
• A business can easily advertise on social networks.

Cons of Social Networks

• Posting just links and/or text makes it harder to get engagement.
• Some platforms put individual user posts higher than business posts.
• You have to pay for social advertising to stand a chance advertising.

Coming Up

Stay tuned. In Volume 2 of the Different Types of Social Media in 2021, we’ll explore platforms designed specifically for sharing media.