Advantages of Social Media by Ann Onwughia

Social media was launched in the mid-1990s with the invention of various platforms such as classmate.com, six-degree.com, etc. Six-degree.com is broadly considered the first social networking site, and it was established in May 1996 by Andrew Weinreih. Social media is associated with interaction among different people and involves creating, sharing and exchanging information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. There are different kinds of social media. Social media is made up of various types of networks for individuals who participate in a variety of diverse pursuits. Marketing and advertising on social media have economic value and are effective in helping people connect with an extensive audience. Studying the popular types of social media could assist individuals in establishing more defined and purposefully targeted marketing organisations. Understanding the differences between various types of social media and how users connect with them can be an advantage for individuals in engaging more effectively with prospective customers; one of the most popular types of social media is social networks. Social Networking sites facilitate a connection between various people and provide various ways for different brands to captivate people. Users could share their ideas from groups based on their interests, create content, upload pictures/videos, and participate in group conversations. Through the help of advertisements, influential individuals with the right metrics. You could reach an extensive and diverse audience. Furthermore, social media platforms provide features such as timelines and news feeds, which allow you to view updates from the pages and people you follow. You can do this to remain current on news, events, and trends. Posts can be liked, commented on, and shared to engage with others and express your opinions or support. The ability to communicate with people via private chats or direct messages is another significant feature of social media. This makes it possible to communicate more directly and personally, whether you're catching up with friends or building relationships with industry professionals. Social media has also become an effective tool for influencers, businesses, and content producers. They can use it to reach a wider audience, promote their products or services, and engage with their customers or fans. Lastly, learning what people post about your brand and Social Media Networks could immensely help create a positive place to create brand awareness—for instance, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.Social media has many major positive impacts on our society, and there are a lot of advantages associated with these types of platforms, such as:

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND STAYING CONNECTED

Making new friends or locating groups of like-minded individuals can be facilitated by social media. Getting involved in a close-knit community can make us feel important and welcomed. Using social media to maintain current ties with distant family members and friends is another simple way to do this. To stay in contact, send messages, make calls, exchange pictures, or start video chats.

FINDING YOUR VOICE

With social media, persons of all ages can make a platform that influences a wider audience than they would in any other setting. This can support people in gaining confidence, acquiring knowledge about new communication techniques, and quickly publicising vital and upbeat messages. Consider TikTok as a case study. Adolescents and young adults have successfully developed immense platforms on which their messages are repeatedly viewed by huge audiences worldwide. (Kubb and Co., 2024).

SHOWING EMPATHY AND KINDNESS

Individuals regularly share personal or problematic information online. When you can connect to someone, you can prove empathy by inspiring and supporting them in messages and comments. Demonstrate to your friends and even to guests that you are aware of their difficulty and that you identify with them.

PROVIDING AID

Social media could be used to back up people who have established their belief in a cause or to disseminate awareness of one that you support. In addition, you can give and receive support for your work, be it publishing books, cinematography, or launching a new company. Make connections with people in your place and impart your knowledge to them.

IMPROVED COMMUNICATION

We all know that social media always brings up new subjects. Even though a lot of discussions or arguments seem excessively contentious and polarising, they can raise significant issues that you should talk about with the ones you trust and care about. Joining groups for interests or professions is another way to interact, pick up knowledge, and develop.

BROADCAST THE NEWS

Through social media, news can go viral almost anywhere in the world. This can keep us informed about significant events, even though it can occasionally be overwhelming. This could be a very helpful advantage if you need to spread the word quickly about something. For instance, a person in a small village could use social media to spread the word if any of your valuables are missing. Everyone nearby could keep a watch and immediately report back with information.

BUILDING A BUSINESS

If you are a startup looking to spread the word about your amazing products, social media can help you develop a following of potential customers. Provide insightful content and develop a brand voice that appeals to your target audience.

ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY

Establishing connections with people and other brands on social media and sharing knowledgeable content will help you begin to establish authority and trust. Word of your fantastic business and content will reach more people.

ENHANCING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Businesses can enhance the customer journey with the aid of social media. To make your followers feel important, respond to comments and questions promptly. You can attract attention and establish credibility by providing exceptional customer service on all of your social media platforms.

ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE

When talking about acquiring learning knowledge, we don't only refer to college and high school students; a student can be anyone. With all the content, free podcasts, and online courses available these days, there's no end for us to acquire knowledge. Students can find training programmers and mentors on social media, which is a great way for them to pick up new skills and move closer to their career goals. Additionally, it's a fantastic platform for companies to promote their goods, services, and initiatives. Different types of platforms can enable you to practice your skills for free by watching incredible tutorials, such as YouTube. The opportunities for online learning are endless in the modern world.

MOTIVATING YOUNG PEOPLE

The number of successful companies, business owners, and influencers on different social media platforms seems never to end. Everyone can find inspiration in this, especially the young professionals and students who have high goals will be the ones who will benefit the most. Influencers often freely share their knowledge to promote growth in others. It can change someone’s life to follow those who motivate you to stick to your principles, have big dreams, and make a difference in the world.

CREATIVITY

Social media is one of the greatest and largest places to share your art if you work in the creative industry or want to start doing so. It has been proved that if someone creates creative content on these platforms, it attracts a lot of people, which will help in the growth of an individual’s platform, meaning that it will also attract some collectives or individuals that will provide candid criticism, which can help the influencer improve. Unfavourable comments could also surface, but social media experts must develop the ability to ignore the haters and focus on their content.

CONCLUSION

Social media is an excellent tool for maintaining connections and building relationships with loved ones, regardless of their location. Even though one of your loved ones is staying or living far away, you can still maintain contact with them by sharing images and messages with them, talking, calling, and even video chatting, making it feel like your loved ones are right there with you. Social media can also help someone not to feel alone or lonely because it enables individuals to have the opportunity to meet new people and connect with groups that have very similar interests as their own. Ultimately, it all comes down to maintaining relationships and creating deep connections.