What is social media?
Introduction to social media
June 7, 2022
8 minute reading
Social media is any digital website, app, or platform that allows users to create, share, and view content. People use social media to connect with friends, families, or online communities, and for businesses when used properly, social media can be a valuable addition to their overall marketing strategy to attract customers, build brand awareness, and increase market reach.
Some platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok prioritize visual content like images and videos, while others like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn share content, ideas, resources, and links.
Social media is an extremely popular industry, and as a matter of fact, referring to the Digital 2021 October Global Statshot Report, social media active users reached 4.55 billion in October 2021.
Understanding Social Media
1. Social media explained
While each social media site is unique when it comes to the details, the basic function is primarily the same. Users create an account on the profile and can connect with other users through conversation, sharing content, and discovering content. Some platforms like Reddit allow for anonymous profiles, while others like LinkedIn and Facebook are tied to your legal name.
Users may be able to send friend requests or follow accounts, depending on the type of social media site in question. Either way, subscribers and friends will see content appear in their feeds as the platform's algorithm dictates. Their feeds are customized for them based on a combination of who they're friends with, who they subscribe to, and the types of content they've interacted with in the past. On many platforms, it also includes paid ad content.
Most social media sites also allow businesses to create profiles, and may even have designated business accounts for brands who wish to do this. In some cases, business accounts may come with additional features like being able to add a link to your profile, connecting your profile to your site or CMS, accessing advanced analytics, or running ads through the native ad platform.
2. What is social media used for?
Social media can be used for many different purposes. Individuals use social media applications to stay connected with friends and family or to find work opportunities, while businesses use social media to share news and information, promote products or services, boost brand awareness, or find potential customers or employees. But that's not all, many celebrities and public figures use social media platforms as well to connect with their fans and influence opinions.
3. Business applications of social media
Social media has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes. It provides a way to connect with customers and build relationships. It can also be used to generate leads, drive sales, promote brand awareness, and easily monitor customer satisfaction levels by analyzing customer feedback and conversations. Social media can also be used for market research purposes helping businesses gain insights into customer needs and preferences, understand what customers want, and uncover new business opportunities.
4. What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing is the process of using social networks such as Facebook or Twitter to promote your company's products or services, by running highly-targeted social media campaigns, using brand advocates and influencers, or creating a community around your brand by asking your customers questions, and gathering their opinions on certain matters.
5. Types of social media
As you can already tell, social media sites are many and diverse. Let's take a look at the most common types of social media platforms that are popular today.
- Social networks. The emphasis here is entirely on connecting with others and sharing thoughts and content with each other. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are all great examples, and they all have different approaches to the same goal; sharing interesting content with an engaged audience and discussing it.
- Media-sharing networks. These platforms prioritize distributing content first and foremost. Think Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest. The primary goal is the sharing of the media, and while interaction is still a main aspect of the platform, it is not the most essential part.
- Community-based networks. Platforms like Reddit go all-in on facilitating in-depth discussion amongst users. People can and often do leave extremely detailed responses because the entire point is the discussion and wanting other users' opinions. Conversations can grow and develop organically here, and the most interesting discussions are given the best visibility.
- Crowd-sourced review sites. While some may not consider them to be a true social media site, review sites do actually meet the criteria. These networks include sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp, where user reviews are the entire point of the platform, while users can also interact with others who are leaving reviews alongside the business itself.
- Community-driven question-and-answer networks. Yahoo Answers and Quora fall under this category, where users come to the site exclusively to ask questions and receive qualified, in-depth answers. While the quality of the answers can vary significantly, they'll almost undoubtedly come pouring in from people who want to share and discuss their hopefully relevant experiences.
6. Benefits of social media
There are so many benefits that can come from using social media for your marketing, and it's important to consider which benefits are most crucial to you when choosing which platforms to engage on.
The most significant advantages for businesses using social media include the following:
- Increased reach and discoverability. Your content will be seen more regularly both by users who do follow you and those who don't with the right strategies in place. This means you more easily stay in touch with users who are already connected to you and be discovered by members of your target audience who don't.
- It's invaluable for relationship building. Social media is a great place for brands to show off their "authentic" selves and to not only stand out but to really connect with their audience. Have meaningful discussions, reach out to extend extra service, and show off the personality of the brand that you want your audience to see.
- It's a customer service must-have. Right now, almost a quarter of users will take to a brand's Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to send a private message if they have a customer service concern. Sometimes they'll comment directly on public posts or send a public Tweet. This is because it feels more immediate and more accessible. You want the opportunity to engage on these platforms.
- It's a great communication tool. Many brands don't update their websites often, but they do update social media regularly. This is an excellent place (alongside email marketing) to keep users up to date with any changes, special events, or news, especially since some users who may be interested aren't subscribed to your email.
- You can engage in social listening. Customers may not always say exactly how they feel about your brand, but they'll definitely say it about you. Tracking what customers are saying about your brand on social media (even if you aren't tagged) can give you an abundance of information that you can use to shift your strategy, hone your brand, and make any changes as needed. This can also help you identify PR crises fast.
- Build trust. There are so many ways to establish trust and credibility on social media, especially if you start using it as an extension of your content marketing strategy. Share relevant, quality information that your audience is looking for, and you'll be looked at as an authority figure who is worthy of trust (and purchases!).
7. Examples of social media
With 2.74 billion active users as of February 2021, Facebook is by far the most known and used social media platform out there, but obviously, it's not the only one. Here below we have listed the top 10 social media sites of 2022, including their biggest advantages, user-base niches, and more to help you choose which to invest time in for your business.
- Facebook
- YouTube
- WhatsApp
- Facebook Messenger
- Instagram
- WeChat
- TikTok
- QQ
- Doyuin
- Sina Weibo
Facebook wasn't the first social media site on the scene when it was created in 2004 in the US, but it's perhaps the most well-known platform today. It has more users than any other social platform, with over 2.74 billion active users as of February 2021, and with user bases that span most demographics and locations (though it's most popular with users 12-34 years old). It's an invaluable platform for businesses due to its overwhelming number of business features, including Pages, business-centered Groups, events, direct messaging, and an unbelievably powerful ad platform. You can use this site to connect with your leads, collect reviews, and build relationships no matter who your audience is.
Facebook overview
- Founded in 2004 in the United States
- Has 2.74 billion active users as of February 2021
- Most popular amongst users aged between 12 and 34 years, though all demographics worldwide use Facebook
- Extensive business and collaboration features, including Pages, Groups, Events, direct messaging, and a powerful ad platform; this is alongside strong personal features to keep users engaged
- Has also acquired Instagram and WhatsApp
YouTube
YouTube is the second-most popular social media marketing site, and it's the second-most popular search engine in the world (trailing closely behind Google). Created in the US in 2005, this video-sharing platform has nearly 2.3 billion users who watch a combined one billion hours of video every day. Like Facebook, it has a large and diverse audience. That being said, it's most effective at reaching very young audiences under the age of 11 with 80% of parents saying their children watch YouTube videos regularly. And since it's a powerful search engine, YouTube presents a valuable opportunity for brands to connect with audience members who are actively seeking out long-form educational content.
YouTube overview
- Founded in 2005 in the United States
- Has 2.3 billion active users
- Second most popular search engine after Google
- Excels in the long-form videos, including videos on educational topics
- Has a large and diverse audience, though it's unique in reaching young audiences under the age of 11
- A highly engaged audience watches one billion hours of video daily combined
WhatsApp was created in 2009 in California just like many of the other social media sites on this list. Originally created to show statuses next to user names, it morphed into an instant messaging, live-chat platform that gained attention largely thanks to its priority on security through end-to-end encryption. Most popular amongst users 26-35, it currently has two billion active users that send a combined 100 billion messages a day, and was acquired by Facebook in 2014. Businesses are able to chat securely with customers through WhatsApp, offering another line of communication for their customers.
WhatsApp overview
- Created in 2009 in the United States
- Has approximately two billion monthly active users as of 2021
- Offers secure live messaging with end-to-end encryption for both personal and business accounts
- Acquired by Facebook in 2014, but is still treated as a standalone app apart from their Messenger app
- Most popular amongst users aged 26-35
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger trails behind WhatsApp with 1.3 billion active users. Messenger is Facebook's messaging app, which integrates heavily with the platform while still having its own individual app for download. Launched in 2008 as "Facebook Chat," it was originally a basic IM feature that has been expanded significantly. Businesses can now take advantage of automated responses, canned replies, chatbot functions, and even processing payments through Messenger when working with customers.
It's also a common way for customers to reach out for help with customer service concerns, though there are limits requiring customers to get in touch with businesses first to prevent spam (outside of the ad network). Messenger is more commonly used than WhatsApp in the US (used by 56.8% of users in the US compared to 12.1% on WhatsApp), and it's most popular amongst users ages 25-44.
It's also a common way for customers to reach out for help with customer service concerns, though there are limits requiring customers to get in touch with businesses first to prevent spam (outside of the ad network). Messenger is more commonly used than WhatsApp in the US (used by 56.8% of users in the US compared to 12.1% on WhatsApp), and it's most popular amongst users ages 25-44.
Facebook Messenger overview
- Created in 2008 in the United States as "Facebook Chat" and rebranded in 2014
- Has 1.3 billion active users
- Most popular amongst users ages 25-44, but also includes ages 13-65+ in smaller margins
- Expansive business features available to improve customer service, including accepting payments, automated responses, and chatbot functionality
- Often used by businesses to offer enhanced customer service
Even though it's not just a photo-sharing app anymore, Instagram is the world's most popular app with an emphasis on photo sharing with 1.22 billion active users around the world. Launched in 2010, the app was created in the United States after intense analysis of social media use at the time. Within two years, it was acquired by Facebook, though it still functions as a standalone app with in-feed posts and feeds, Stories, Reels, private messaging features, shoppable content, and an exceptional "Explore" section where users can discover new content. It also takes advantage of Facebook's incredible ad system.
Over 70% of users are under the age of 35, making it a popular app among younger generations, and it's known for having an exceptionally high engagement rate. It's also most popular in the United States and in India.
Instagram overview
- Launched in 2010 in the United States
- Has 1.22 billion active users
- Most popular in users under the age of 35, and is most popular in the United States and India
- Image and video sharing through in-feed content, disappearing Stories, TikTok-styled Reels, and Explore section
- Can create shoppable content to drive immediate sales
- Strong ad platform tied to Facebook
- Direct messaging features
- High engagement rates
WeChat was launched in China in 2011, though it started gaining some popularity in other countries several years ago and now has 1.213 billion users. It likely inspired some Messenger features thanks to its wide range of functions, including processing digital payments and featuring games to play in addition to its primary chat functions.
There is a catch here, however; the platform actively shares users' private information with the Chinese government as part of their mass surveillance and censorship efforts. As of 2018, 98.5% of Chinese mobile users between the ages of 50 to 80 were WeChat users, and currently, 23% of American mobile users between 18-24 are registered on the app.
WeChat overview
- Launched in 2011 in China
- Has 1.213 billion active users
- Most common amongst Chinese users, though 23% of American users have at least registered on the app
- Most popular amongst older Chinese users ages 50+
- Offers private chat features alongside functions like processing digital payments and offering in-app video games
- Has lost popularity and usage worldwide due to data sharing with the Chinese government
TikTok
Launched in China in 2017, there are few social media growth stories as impressive as TikTok. It had nearly overnight success, and the video-sharing platform became one of the world's top five downloaded apps within just two years (and became number one a year later). TikTok allows users to create and edit short videos, mash them up to song choices, and share them with their followers. It's a "fun" app that's exploded in popularity, and you can frequently see TikTok videos shared cross-platform.
TikTok currently has over 1.677 billion active users and the app is extremely popular all over the world. It's also exceptionally effective at reaching a young audience, as 47% of the platform's user base in the US is aged 10-29.
TikTok overview
- Launched in China in 2017
- Has 732 million active users
- Most common with users aged 10-29
- Allows users to create, film, and edit short videos and add music soundtracks to the background
- Some initial concern about Chinese surveillance has been largely ignored due to the app's popularity
- Content is often shared cross-platform, expanding its potential reach
QQ was launched by the Chinese conglomerate Tencent in 1999 as OICQ as a downloadable instant messaging service. It quickly dominated communication and even dramatically reduced email usage at the time. It currently has 617 million active users, partially thanks to its early arrival to the market that practically required companies to use the tool for file transfers since all of their partners and clients were using it.
While extremely popular in China, QQ has not really expanded beyond its home of origin since international versions of the app weren't integrated with other valuable QQ products that made it so useful in China. There are too many other valuable solutions on the market today for international brands and users.
QQ overview
- Launched in China in 1999
- Has 617 million active users
- Once very popular, it's now utilized almost exclusively by Chinese users
- Offered early features like file transfers that were advanced at the time
- Integrates with other valuable QQ products in China, but not for most international versions of the platform
Doyuin
Doyuin was founded in China in 2016 and currently has 600 million monthly active users. It's essentially TikTok made exclusively for a Chinese audience, and it even comes from the same parent company. It's just marketed toward Chinese users, and it's become incredibly popular as a marketing channel for luxury brands. It does feature user-monetization to directly compensate creators thanks to integrations with Chinese eCommerce platforms.
Doyuin overview
- Founded in 2006 in China by the creators of TikTok
- Has 600 million monthly active users
- Similar to TikTok, but more popular when marketing luxury brands
- Offers direct monetization to creators through Chinese eCommerce integrations
Sina Weibo
Launched in China in 2009, this micro-blogging site (think Twitter) has become China's third most popular social media site. The focus is entirely on user-generated content, acting as an information center that's adopted by professionals, influencers, companies, and standard everyday users. It has 511 million active users, but it is still heavily censored by the Chinese government. If you want to reach a third of China's population, this is an app to consider.
Sina Weibo overview
- Launched in China in 2009
- Has 511 million active users
- Micro-blogging site prioritizing UGC and micro-blogging
- Has a diverse audience, including journalists, professionals, influencers, companies, and standard users
- Has an entirely Chinese audience due to censorship
8. Social media best practices
When you're using social media marketing for your business, there are a few things that you absolutely must consider in order to be successful. All businesses should keep the following five considerations in mind:
- Be consistently active on all your existing profiles. You do not have to open up accounts on every social media profile, and in reality, you shouldn't. But the profiles you do create should be maintained consistently with regular postings, frequent interactions, and near-constant supervision. Stay active and engaged with your audience and with on-trend posts, or the profiles will look empty and neglected, which can actually work against you.
- Focus on the customer. Remember that you don't just want to sell to people; creating content that your target audience will enjoy at all stages of the digital sales funnel is the way to go. Sharing a funny meme may not drive immediate sales, but it can help with relationship nurturing. Engage authentically and transparently whenever possible, having customer service and social media team members paying close attention to your channels.
- Use visuals. Some platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube don't even allow you to post without images, but even those that do (such as Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter) see more shares on content with images or videos attached. Engagement rates, impressions, and clicks also go up. Put time and attention into choosing relevant images and videos, including memes, infographics, product, and branded images, UGC, and graphic designs.
- Social media marketing doesn't offer permanent benefits. Social media is focused largely on grabbing customers' attention quickly and creating "thumb-stopping" content that will capture them while they scroll through feeds mindlessly. This means that it's a high competition space, so any post that you share will likely have a fleeting impact on individual users. What has a more substantial impact is using that content to generate conversations and nurture relationships, so use engagement-boosting tactics to drive more interaction.
The bottom line: social media is everywhere
Social media marketing offers an abundance of benefits that can help you connect with your audience in new and more meaningful ways. Whether you just want to stay more connected with your followers through in-feed posts, increase discoverability, or use it to solidify and promote your brand, there are so many significant benefits and potential options.
Remember to take time to consider which platforms are right for you, and which you can regularly engage on. If you absolutely love the idea of YouTube but you have no interest in getting a nice home or office set up and you absolutely know you will not realistically edit videos, it might not be the right platform at this moment unless you can outsource.
It's a good idea for most brands to join Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Twitter is also often a safe bet if you'll update it regularly. Again, though, it all comes down to your brand and goals and what you want to accomplish. That's the beauty of social media; there are so many options, all available for brands who are ready to take them.
