Top 10 Types of Online Social Networks and Media Impact factor in Digital Communication
Have you ever wondered why there is so much Growing Demand for Social Media in Digital Communication? How has social media been so effective and highly recommended in digital marketing? If yes, then this article is for you. In this article, we’ll focus mainly on the different types of social media networks, popular social media networks and their impact (positive and negative) on digital Communication, the importance of social media on Digital Communication, and how social media has emerged as a powerful tool for digital Communication.
Over the years, Social media has become a powerful tool that has grown from one stage to another to be what it is today. Moreover, social media has remained one of the key communication tools in digital marketing or other areas in this digital age.
But before we go to the importance of social media in Digital communication, let’s see what Communication, social media, and social media communication are. Also, we’d like to list and explain the outstanding features of social media that are the enabling factors in enhancing the use of social media for digital Communication.
Checkout: How To Use Facebook Friends Mapper Extension App Download
Communication?
Communication is a process in which information, ideas, beliefs, etc., is shared or exchanged by individuals. It can be verbal, written, or a system of signs, symbols, and behaviors.
What is Social Media?
Social media are online mediums that foster sharing, creating, and connecting personal messages, ideas, thoughts, information, interests, and other contents (such as videos and audio) through virtual networks by clientele. Social media are computer-based networks (ICT – Information Communication Technology).
What is Social Media Communication?
Social Media Communication is the online and computer-based medium that facilitates sharing and creating information, current events, ideas, and other content. It is an internet-based channel that allows users to have conversations.
Features of Social Media
Here are the four major features of social media:
- Social media is made up of Web 2.0 internet-based applications. Web 2.0 is the second generation website where users can communicate and work through social media discussion as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community.
- One of the most outstanding features of social media is its User-generated content. So, users can create data and information.
- Social media allows users to build services and specific profiles for the site or app, which the company designs and maintains.
- By integrating a user’s profile with that of other individuals or groups, social media facilitates the formation of online social networks.
10 Types of Social Media Networks
This section will take you through the differences between the types of social media and how users interact with them.
Here are some of the most prominent social media available in the world today.
- Social Networks – Chat and connect with people
- Video hosting platforms – Create and share videos
- Blogging and publishing networks – Publishing information.
- Image sharing Websites – Share images and related content
- Bookmarking networks – Save and share contents or for reference
- Consumer review networks – Customers’ feedback
- Sharing economy networks – Trading of goods and services
- Social shopping networks – Shop online
- Discussion forums – Answers questions
- Interest-based networks – Explore areas of hobbies and interests.
Social Networks
Social Networks are one of the most famous types of social media today. People are acquainted with it because it allows and aids users to connect virtually. Social networking sites certify and bid various strategies for different brands to attract clientele.
Sharing of thoughts, forming interest groups and participating in them, uploading images and videos, and creating content are characteristics of social networking sites.
Communication is another important aspect of social networks. Here users interact with loved ones, friends, and families through chatting, audio, and video calls.
Brand builders also use social networking sites to catch up with vast and various audiences worldwide. They achieve this through advertisement and promotion.
Here, you can persuade your followers with the right targeted brands. Connections are also built between your brand and the social network users about your company or career.
Through social networking sites, you can also learn about the views of your audience concerning your brand, either positive or negative. Knowing how people regard your business can help you build a better brand and boost awareness.
Examples of Social Networking Platforms:
- Facebook (Facebook Messenger and Facebook Lite)
- Telegram
Video Hosting Platforms
Video hosting platforms allow users to create and share videos. It also gives filmmakers, content creators, skit makers, journalists, information Scientists a means for their targeted audience to gain access to videos effortlessly and promptly.
Communication is also enhanced through video hosting platforms. Government can also send information across to the masses through video hosting platforms. Security alerts, news, and current affairs are also sent through this medium.
Brands can create awareness by creating videos to suit their products. Brands can use paid ads to attain a wide, targeted, and new audience.
They can also pay Influencers to talk about their products on their video hosting platforms. Brands can film and create video content for their products or services.
Examples of Video hosting platforms:
- YouTube
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- Vimeo
- VidMate
Blogging and publishing networks
Blogging and publishing networks are some social media networks that allow you to publish information. Information such as personal thoughts, ideas, job opportunities, hobbies, current events, and others can be penned down on these platforms.
Communication is intensified through these networks. You can communicate to or with the world by publishing content related to people’s interests.
Some blogging and publishing platforms write on a particular niche, while others write on general knowledge. However, most blogs are based on a niche. Users find niche blogs easier and more reliable to locate information.
Examples of blogging and publishing networks:
- Medium
- WordPress
- Tumblr
- Blogger
- Blog
- TypePad Micro
- Jux
- Posterous Spaces
- Blogetery
- Weebly
- LiveJournal
Image Sharing Websites
Image-sharing webs allow clientele to post and share images and related content. They give room for discussions and encourage brand and product creativity.
They also offer to make products more enchanting and give room for customers’ feedback, thereby improving customer service and making way for improvement.
Examples of image sharing networks:
- Unsplash
- Flickr
- Photo bucket
- Google Photos
- SmugMug
- Imgur
- Ipernity
Bookmarking Networks
Bookmarking networks are forums that allow users to save or keep articles, ideas, or information for future use. Contents also are bookmarked for reference. It is also used as a medium for sharing links to weblogs.
The essence of these networks is to find new information and review trends based on mutual interests. By providing information to bookmark, you may use social networks to bring visitors to your website and engage with and influence their views.
Examples of bookmarking networks:
- Feedly
- StumbleUpon
- Digg
- Slashdot
- Scoopit
- Dribble
Consumer Review Networks
Consumer review networks make room for clients’ feedback or evaluation about businesses. It makes users aware of the goods and services offered and the satisfaction rate.
Problems and complaints shared by people through consumer reviews make you boost their ordeals. Positive reviews should be promoted, while bad reviews are to be avoided. Consequently, this will increase your company’s popularity and brand awareness.
Examples of consumer review networks:
- TripAdvisor
- Yellow pages
- Yelp
- Manta
- OpenTable
- Angie’s List
- Google My Business
- Foursquare
- Amazon
- BBB (Better Business Bureau)
Sharing Economy Networks
Sharing economy networks encourage people by giving them access to share and promote their goods and services.
Examples of sharing economy networks:
- Lending Club
- Reselling and Trading
- Couchsurfing
- Coworking
- Eatwith
- Peer-to-Peer Lending
- Knowledge and Talent-Sharing
- Crowdfunding
- Ridesharing and Carsharing
- Niche Sharing
Social Shopping Networks
Social shopping networks help the users get the latest brands and products, search and find products, and make purchases. Users can also follow their favorite brands to see what they have in stock for their customers. Their main focus is e-commerce which makes the networks engaging and captivating.
Social shopping sites are used to create awareness about your brands. It also promotes selling to a wider and larger audience. Through these sites, users can have access to your brands easily and quickly.
Most of them allow business owners and brand builders to sell their products and services. Sellers can reach buyers who require their goods or services. Sellers can sell products to family members, friends, followers, and interested buyers.
Through social shopping websites, you can sell your products to buyers across the globe. You can buy a product, and it will be shipped to you if it is not from a nearby place. In some cases, escrows are used.
Examples of social shopping networks:
- Posh mark
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- Verint
- Etsy8
- Fiverr
Discussion Forums
In discussion forums, people answer each other’s questions. Questions asked are answered, ideas are shared, and news is communicated. These social media sites, such as Quora, prioritized asking questions and supplicating answers.
Answers to these questions accurately and correctly heightened your plausibility on the platform. The plausibility can drive increased visits to your business or blogs.
You can do market research by asking people to rate your brand or product to gain an insight on how to improve your brand.
Examples of discussion forums:
- Stack Overflow
- Digg
- GameSpot
- Quora
- XDA-Developers
- Clubhouse
Interest-based networks
Interest-based networks are platforms that allow you to share your area of interest with others. Although most social media make room for a wide variety of topics, interest-based networks focus specifically on a single area of interest.
Areas of interest may be hobbies, music, favorite books, movies, house design, and lots more. Interest-based platforms might help you target the right audience with a highly specific niche. You can also share sites and apps related to your niche.
For example, Goodreads is a fantastic resource if you are a publisher. Authors and devoted readers fuel the content on Goodreads. You can search for, read, rate, and review books in various genres.
You can see your friends reading what they want to read and commenting by adding them as friends.
You can access numerous books by searching for a category, rating them, or clicking on what to read, which is then shared on your profile for your friends to comment on or leave a review.
Examples of interest-based networks:
- Strava
- Peanut
- Good reads
- Meetup
- Behance
- Letterboxd
- Thumb
- Foodspotting
- Fitocracy
One of the important things to note about social media is that some perform or serve two or more functions. For example, Facebook is used as a social networking forum and a social shopping platform (Facebook Marketplace).
15 Most Popular Social Networks
Social networking platforms are the most famous types of social media today. The most popular social networks are often in numerous languages and allow users to connect with friends or people from all over the world, regardless of geography, politics, or economics.
Currently, social networking sites have over 4.5 billion users – about 57% of the global population. These numbers are expected to rise as mobile device usage, and mobile social networks gain popularity in previously underserved countries.
Here are the most popular social networking sites you need to know:
- Facebook – 2.74 Billion Active Users
- YouTube – 2.291 Billion Active Users
- WhatsApp – 2.0 Billion Active Users
- Facebook Messenger – 1.3 Billion Active Users
- Instagram – 1.221 Billion Active Users
- Weixin/WeChat – 1.213 Billion Active Users
- TikTok – 689 Million Active Users
- Q.Q. – 617 Million Active Users
- Douyin – 600 Million Active Users
- Sina Weibo – 511 Million Active Users
- Telegram – 500 Million Active Users
- Snap chat – 498 Million Active Users
- Kuaishou – 481 Million Active Users
- Pinterest – 442 Million Active Users
- Reddit – 430 Million Active Users
Facebook – 2.74 Billion Active Users
Facebook is one of the popular, if not the most prominent social networking platforms in the world today. The ultimate king of social media websites is Facebook because it has helped promote human interaction.
The largest users of Facebook are Indians, with about 350 million users. The United States has the second-largest user base, with about 193.9 million users, followed by Indonesia with 142.5 million.
YouTube – 2.291 Billion Active Users
YouTube is the second-most popular social media platform on our list. YouTube is a video streaming platform founded in 2005 by the Alphabet Company in the U.S.
YouTube has a whopping number of about 2.291 billion registered members and more than 50 million content providers who share 500 hours of video content per minute.
However, because anybody may watch YouTube videos whether or not they are a registered member, this figure may not be the most accurate reflection of the platform’s actual popularity.
When it comes to national demographics, only three nations account for more than 30% of all YouTube traffic. The United States is the largest contributor, with 16.4 percent. India is seconded with 9.2 percent, while Japan is in third place with 4.8 percent.
WhatsApp – 2.0 Billion Active Users
Facebook isn’t the only leading social media platform in Meta’s network. WhatsApp is Meta’s second-largest platform, with over 2 billion MAUs, and the third-largest social network globally.
With about 390 million users, India has many WhatsApp users, similar to Facebook. With 108 million people, Brazil has a sizable WhatsApp audience.
Facebook Messenger – 1.3 Billion Active Users
Facebook boasts that over 40 million active businesses use Messenger to communicate with potential clients, with over 20 billion messages sent between businesses and regular users each month.
Interestingly, while Messenger currently trails WhatsApp in terms of total global active users, it is the more popular option among users in the United States.
Instagram – 1.221 Billion Active Users
With 1.22 billion active users worldwide, the world’s most popular photo-sharing app ranks fifth.
Instagram was founded in 2009 by Kevin Systrom, a former Google employee, due to meticulous social media research.
In April 2012, Facebook acquired it for $1 Billion. By then, Instagram had an increased user base of about 35 million. Three months later, it grew to 80 million, and as of June 2016, Instagram reached 500 million users.
With 140 million users apiece, the United States and India are the platform’s two most populous countries. Brazil (99 million people) is second, Indonesia (88 million) is third, and Russia (56 million) is last on the list.
Weixin / WeChat – 1.213 Billion Active Users
Weixin/WeChat took after Facebook was banned in 2009 in China by its government for not adhering to censorship rules. The WeChat app has a vividly wide range of functions for its users.
They range from sending text messages, making and receiving video calls, digital processing payments, and playing video games.
Despite vigorously disseminating users’ confidential data with the Chinese government, the platform is one of the most popular social networks.
Even though it shares users’ information with the government, We Chat has become a daily activity in Chinese homes. Even the older generation seems to embrace the platform.
As of 2008, between 50 to 80 of 93.5% of Chinese mobile users became registered WeChat users. Moreover, 60% of those over 60 WeChat users used more than half of their mobile data on the app.
U.S. Social Media marketers can consider WeChat as a medium of marketing. Because about 23% of America’s internet users between the ages of 18 and 24 are registered members.
TikTok – 689 Million Active Users
The video-sharing platform was founded in 2017 and has been popular internationally. TikTok made the top five of the world’s most downloaded apps after two years of emerging. It took over the first position a year later.
By an incredible 250 million downloads, the fast-rising social network surpassed its nearest competitor, WhatsApp. TikTok still has a long way to go to catch up to its competitors in terms of demographic reach. Forty-seven percent of the platform’s users are between the ages of 10 and 29 in the United States.
Q.Q. – 617 Million Active Users
Q.Q. is another Chinese-owned company that has been for ages. In 1999, Q.Q. was a downloaded instant messaging service under OICQ.
The website swiftly became China’s most popular digital interaction medium and played a key role in emails in the world’s most populous country. Q.Q. The app is also a business communication platform where companies can get to their clients.
However, even with its general use in China, Q.Q. is yet to impact the rest of the world. The platform’s international versions were not integrated with many valuable Q.Q. Goods, making it essentially useless outside of its home country.
Douyin – 600 Million Active Users
To put it simply, Douyin is a Chinese version of TikTok. The two platforms have the same parent firm and essential functionality, but they are two separate apps aimed at two distinct audiences.
Douyin is one of the most prominent marketing mediums for brands in China.
One of its most outstanding features is that it provides content creators with more tangible means of generating income from streaming their videos. Also, Douyin is user-monetized, and this is possible by integrating with well-known Chinese e-commerce sites like Taobao.
Sina Weibo – 511 Million Active Users
Sina Weibo is China’s third-largest social network that started as a microblogging website. It is a platform owned by the Chinese government.
Sina Weibo focuses on the innovation, delivery, and consumption of user-generated content. It is an information-generated platform. Weibo allows users such as businesses, journalists, brand influencers, etc., to share information.
Also, as a marketing platform, international brands and companies have access to the Chinese digital market. Tourism Australia, the most successful, won Weibo’s “most promising and popular outbound destination award” at a Chinese influencer summit in 2019.
However, Sina Weibo is subjected to strict government scrutiny and censorship. Even with this, foreign brands still want to build an audience in China’s third-largest social network.
Telegram – 500 Million Active Users
Nikolai Duvor and Pavel Duvor founded a telegram in March 2013 in London, United Kingdom. It was the world’s most downloaded app in January 2021.
Telegram is an I.M. (Instant Messaging) app. Its features include end-to-end encrypted audio and text messages, make audio and video calls, optional secret chats, and file sharing (2 G.B. per file).
Snap chat – 498 Million Active Users
Snap chat was founded in September 2011 by Evans Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown. Snapchat is an American multimedia instant messaging software and service.
One of the most prominent characteristics of Snapchat is that photographs and messages are typically only viewable for a short duration before they are deleted.
Snapchat is best known for its “snaps,” which are multimedia messages made up of a photo or a short video that may be enhanced with filters, effects, text captions, and drawing.
According to statistics:
- Snapchat is used by 59 percent of all U.S. internet users aged 13 to 24.
- Snapchat has been the most popular social media platform among teenagers and young adults since 2016.
Kuaishou – 481 Million Active Users
Kuaishou is China’s second-largest video-sharing social network. It offers similar functions as Douyin, but there are vital distinctions such as the kinds of content created by the two networks and how it is regulated and displayed.
- Kuaishou is more famous than Douyin in terms of live streaming. It doubles the figures of live streams in its local content creation.
- Kuaishou’s approach to content suggestion is more relationship-driven. A user’s feed contains about half of the content from accounts they already follow.
- The great bulk of content displayed on a Douyin user’s feed (up to 90%) comes from accounts that have earned popularity among other users.
Pinterest – 442 Million Active Users
Pinterest was founded in December 2009 by Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra, and Evan Sharp. Its headquarters is located in San Francisco, California, U.S.
Pinterest is a social media and image-sharing platform that allows users to save and find information (particularly “ideas”) on the internet. Pin Boards are used to display photographs and animated GIFs, and films on a smaller scale.
Pinterest provides a unique opportunity for businesses of all sizes to market themselves – as a visual search engine, Pinterest is ideal for exposing your brand to new potential customers.
Most Pinterest users find new ideas through pins, so you can use Pinterest pins to increase your brand visibility. They want to try new things, learn new ideas, uncover delicious recipes, and be motivated a purchase more often than not.
Pinterest helps businesses and brands reach a large audience. Brands that need promotion on Pinterest should note that the platform is just beginning to get popular outside the United States.
Reddit – 430 Million Active Users
Reddit was founded on 23rd June 2005 by Steve Huffman, Aaron Swartz, and Alexis Ohanian. Its headquarters is located in San Francisco, California, U.S.
Reddit is a social website that allows user-generated content such as images, videos, text, links, posts to be viewed and shared. You can find niches that fit your interests and passions.
According to Alexa Internet, Reddit is the 19th most-visited website globally and the 7th most visited website in the United States as of September 2021.
The United States accounts for 42 – 49.3 percent of its user base, followed by the United Kingdom at 7.9 – 8.2 percent and Canada at 5.2 – 7.8 percent.
Reddit is used by 22% of 18 – 29 year-olds in the United States and 14% of 30 – 49 year-olds in the United States regularly.
Impact of social media on digital Communication
Social media has evolved from being just a tool for reaching out to family and loved ones only to being used in many ways to impact society. Social media has influenced the world today greatly.
Social media has created a lot of positive impacts. However, we won’t fail to mention that there are also some negative effects on society.
Positive Impact of Social Media
We have taken the time to select the most important benefits of social media, and we are convinced you’ll find it helpful. Go through our list:
- Growing business, brands, and careers
- Building and fostering relationships
- Sharing expertise
- Educating yourself
- Increase visibility
- Knowledge sharing
- Can assist in the generation of income
- Foster help-seeking
- Enable people to build communities
Growing Businesses, Brands, and Careers
You can grow your business, brands, and careers with social media by communicating with the audience. You can reach a large audience with social media, thereby marketing your business.
You can also reach out to the public by advertising either by paying or on your blog. Social media also offers platforms where the audience sells and buys goods.
Building and fostering relationships
From a professional point of view, engaging with colleagues, mentors, role models, and other professionals can help you greatly expand your professional network.
You’ll have a whole new network to tap into whether you’re seeking chances or professional advice if you build those relationships.
Sharing expertise
You can talk about what you know and want to be recognized for social media. You can attract potential professionals and personal connections through the knowledge you share.
You’ll have more opportunities to interact with like-minded people if you learn to communicate your professional expertise, achievements, and results.
If you live your brand and your behaviors reflect your online presence, it reinforces your ability to be trusted, making the relationships you develop that much more genuine and important.
Educating yourself
One of the positive impacts of social media is educating yourself. You can gain awareness about the things you wouldn’t know ordinary.
With social media, you can get acquainted with current happenings and events in society. Moreover, it will help you know what is happening near you and even far away. You can also read about your interests and passions.
Social media increase visibility
You can substantially raise your visibility and perhaps become a thought-leader in your field if you invest time improving your knowledge and constantly managing your social channels. If you continually post quality content, the more people who share it, the more people will see it.
Knowledge sharing
Social media gives a forum to share your knowledge and establish a reputation in your field. You can also gain knowledge and insights from individuals who have been where you are now or have performed comparative research by joining an online group.
Can assist in the generation of income
It is an era in which people are encouraged to build their jobs and possibly help others do the same. Due to the high unemployment rates worldwide, young individuals have discovered ways to make ends meet by offering their knowledge online on a freelance basis.
Thanks to social media, they can make enough money doing things like graphic design, article writing, content creation, game design, copywriting, and other things.
Social media Foster help-seeking
Social media assists people that are looking for support. More and more young people are turning to the internet for aid in times of hardship.
People can seek support easily and securely on social media networks, allowing them to avoid revealing their true identity.
Adults and married people have used these social media platforms to aid their marital problems, not only teens. People who use the internet can provide you with a great deal of assistance.
You should be aware that social media attracts many people, so don’t be surprised if you receive free professional assistance.
Enable people to build communities
The internet has played a critical role in bringing individuals from all walks of life together through social media. Lonely people can now make friends and participate in social media communities.
Most individuals build these groups on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, and others to help with this.
Negative Impact of Social Media
If you’re a frequent user of social media, you should consider the negative effects on you and your peers.
You might be startled to hear that social media has both physical and mental consequences. They have the power to alter your perspective of the world and yourself.
If you can’t fathom your life without social media, you’ve most likely succumbed to social networking sites’ tremendous hold on the public. You’ve probably witnessed some of the bad effects of social media on people as well.
While social media has some positive benefits and many great social media narratives, it also has many cons. Let’s take a look at the shortcomings of social networking.
- Unrealistic Expectations
- Cyberbullying
- Depression and Anxiety
- Unhealthy sleep patterns
- FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
- Negative Body Image
- General addiction
Unrealistic Expectations
As most people know, social media instills unrealistic expectations of life and friendships. The majority of social media platforms suffer from a severe lack of online authenticity.
People use Snapchat to document their amazing travels, brag on Facebook about how much they adore their significant other, and fill their Instagram feed with heavily contrived photographs.
However, you have no way of knowing whether or if this is all fake. While it may appear to be a good situation on the surface, that individual may be deeply in debt, estranged from their significant other, and desperate for Instagram likes as a kind of affirmation.
Everyone should stop lying on social media as a simple way out of this issue. That isn’t going to happen anytime soon in the age of Instagram influencers and YouTubers who make millions by being fake.
Remember an essential adage: you should not compare your daily life to the highlights of another’s.
Cyberbullying
Bullying used to be done physically until the advent of social media. People can now bully others online, whether anonymously or not.
Everyone now understands what cyberbullying is, and most of us have witnessed what it can do to a person. While social media makes it easy to meet new people and create friends, it also allows nasty people to tear others down easily.
Bullying perpetrators might make use of the anonymity provided by social media to earn people’s trust before terrorizing them in front of their peers. For example, they might fake profiles and befriend a classmate, only to betray and shame them later online.
These internet attacks often leave profound psychological scars and, in some circumstances, cause victims to harm themselves or commit suicide.
Cyberbullying, it turns out, isn’t simply a problem for kids. Adults can also be victims of cyberbullying. Because screens cover our faces, we can unintentionally become jerks on social media and other platforms.
If you’re having trouble with this, learn to hide your social network profiles.
Depression and Anxiety
Do you spend a significant amount of time on social media each day? Spending too much time on social networking sites can hurt your mood.
On the other hand, chronic social users are more likely to report poor mental health, including anxiety and depression. It doesn’t take much thought to figure out why this is the case.
You can see the carefully selected greatest portions of everyone else’s lives on social media, which you can then compare to the terrible aspects of your own life.
Comparing oneself to others is a sure-fire way to anxiety and depression, and social media has made it a lot simpler to do. So, what’s the best way to use social media without giving yourself mental distress?
According to the same research (and common sense), the suggested amount spent on social media each day is roughly half an hour. It’s all about moderation, as it is with many other possible diseases in life.
Consider the networks you use and the people you follow if you’re irritated after a social media session. After reading political debates and apocalyptic predictions, you’re considerably more likely to feel uneasy than you are after checking in on your favorite performers.
Unhealthy sleep patterns
Aside from increased anxiety and sadness, another drawback of social media is that spending too much time on it might result in poor sleep.
Increasing your use of social media has been shown in numerous studies to hurt your sleep quality.
Reduce the amount of time you spend on social media if you notice that your sleep habits have become erratic, resulting in decreased productivity.
It’s all too easy to tell yourself you’ll check your Facebook alerts in five minutes, only to discover an hour later that you’ve been idly scrolling through some rubbish on Twitter you don’t care about.
Don’t let social media algorithms steal your sleep. They’re designed to keep your attention for as long as possible. It’s a risky combo to get less sleep while also getting lower-quality sleep.
FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a phenomenon that arose simultaneously with the rise of social media. It’s one of the most well-known negative effects of social media on society, which is unsurprising.
FOMO stands for “fear of missing out,” and it’s a type of anxiety that you feel when you’re afraid of missing out on a good time that someone else is having.
For example, you might spend the entire day checking your messages to see if anyone has invited you out, or you might spend the entire day checking your Instagram feed to ensure that no one is doing anything exciting without you.
You may also see images of something exciting that your friends could do and feel left out because you could not attend due to another commitment.
What you see on social media serves as ongoing fuel for this worry. With more people using social media, you’ll have a better chance of seeing someone having more fun than you are right now.
Negative Body Image
When it comes to Instagram celebrities, you’ll find stunningly attractive people wearing costly outfits on their wonderfully formed bodies if you look at popular Instagram accounts.
Body image is now a concern for practically everyone, which is no surprise. Of course, regularly seeing so many purportedly perfect people (by society’s standards) makes you aware of how different you appear compared to those images.
In this situation, not everyone comes to a healthy conclusion. It’s critical to remember that everyone is a human being.
No one wakes up looking like a supermodel every day, and while many people who appear athletic have gone to great efforts to develop their bodies, this is not the case for everyone.
Many people have undoubtedly gone down unhealthy paths to appear more appealing in their quest for social media stardom.
You won’t have to worry about fake Instagram beauty if you surround yourself with people who adore you for who you are.
General addiction
Social media may be more addicting than cigarettes or alcohol. It has a powerful draw for many people, which causes them to check it often without realizing it.
If you’re not sure if you’re addicted to social media, think about the last time you went a whole day without checking your accounts.
When someone unfollows you, do you feel rejected? Would the lack of your favorite social networks make you feel empty and melancholy if they vanished tomorrow?
Social networking sites want you to scroll for as long as possible so they can show you as many adverts as possible and earn more money. These sites require your attention for as long as possible due to the attention economics.
Just because you’ve been using social media excessively doesn’t mean you have to delete all of your social networking accounts. However, resigning isn’t a bad option if you believe it is the ultimate solution.
How has social media influenced Digital Communication?
We cannot underrate the importance of social media in digital Communication because social media contributes more than 50% of digital communication success. We’d like to focus on the following areas to show how social media has been so effective in this digital age.
- Social justice
- Disaster management
- Online healthcare
- Enhanced civic awareness
- Online payments
- Basic business strategy
Social justice
Thanks to social media, people have been brought to face humanitarian challenges. Many social service organizations, such as animal welfare and fundraising groups, use social media to raise societal issues.
It brings activists together, allows people to speak out against injustice, and assists people in banding together for social concerns.
For example, social media have provided the latest news and updates on the war between Russia and Ukraine. People can contribute their views and speak about justice.
Disaster management
Global warming has impacted our globe that natural disasters now make the news every other day. With the impact of global warming, social media has proven to be a lifesaver, allowing relief donations, information, and support to be sent and accessible more easily.
For example, Facebook’s safety check tool allows you to designate yourself safe in disaster zones, letting your friends and family know that you are okay if there is no other way to contact you.
Online healthcare
The way healthcare is delivered is altered as a result of social media. Instead of physically visiting a doctor, you can now communicate with a virtual doctor who will prescribe drugs depending on your symptoms.
Some doctors even conduct Skype consultations with patients to better understand their ailments. While this is a huge benefit for people who don’t want to go to the clinic, it comes with its own set of hazards.
Unqualified people will likely pose as doctors. Furthermore, judging a doctor’s reliability only based on their web profile is challenging. However, if used correctly, this can be a valuable resource for people worldwide.
Enhanced civic awareness
Social media has altered how we are governed by making the process more visible. Many world leaders have used social media to express their views and prioritize topics.
They provide citizens with a greater understanding of the government they have chosen. It has also curtailed political stakeholders’ power over what information should reach the public.
Traditional media and the government were the only sources of information before social media’s arrival into the digital era. Since the introduction of social media networks, very few people have relied on the former for information. However, The disadvantage is that certain organizations abuse social media’s potential to affect individuals negatively.
Online payments
While there was a time when online payments just meant online banking, the world has shifted.
WhatsApp Payments is a feature within the WhatsApp application that allows you to send money to other people without these new payment systems. The only issue s have ensured that security criteria are met. While this is a simple way to pay money digitally, WhatsApp must control security standards to ensure that users won’t lose their money.
Basic business strategy
Everything is just a tap away, including everything from news to grocery shopping. Social media’s ease of use has superseded conventional purchasing methods, reading the news, and even studying.
Forums and social media chat rooms have been used to boost student interaction, host webinars, and advertise events and courses.
Social media is an important part of digital marketing since it allows companies to reach out across demographic and geographic borders.
How has social media emerged as a powerful tool for Digital communication?
The business world, advertising world, and education world have all been engulfed by social media. It has had a long-term impact on how people communicate and is now an essential component of their daily lives.
WhatsApp, for example, has revolutionized the culture of I.M.s (instant messaging) and elevated it to new heights. As long as you have an internet connection, you can text anyone on the planet today.
WhatsApp and Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram contributed to this transition. The value of social media in Communication is a recurring topic of debate.
People and audiences who previously were inaccessible have gained access to knowledge thanks to online Communication. It has raised public awareness of what is happening in other world regions.
The Amazon Rainforest fire spread story is a fantastic example of social media’s reach. It began with a single post and quickly spread to everyone’s newsfeed on social media networks.
Because of the rise in social media users, all movements, ads, and items are disseminated on social media platforms. Businesses nowadays use social media to raise brand awareness, promote, and sell their products.
It enables businesses to reach out to clients regardless of their location. The internet has provided humanity with a resource with unimaginable reach and benefits.
2 thoughts on “Top 10 Types of Online Social Networks and Media Impact factor in Digital Communication”