What is social networking?
Social networking is the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, or to find people with similar interests to oneself. Essentially, it's the usage of social media, not at all just media in itself. For example, one may have many friends on Facebook, that would be your social network. To make contact with these people, say, for the purpose of promoting an event or product, would be social networking.
Its presence is apparent in the modern world of today, with so many who use social networking to earn a living, promoting their businesses and products.
Kinds of Social Media
According to Digital Vidya, there are eight distinctive types of social media. Here they are as follows:
1. Social Networks
Social network is the term used to describe types of social media that primarily involve interaction, open communication and the sharing of information, typically personal information, between users of the network. Examples of this are Twitter and Facebook.
2. Media Sharing Networks
While media sharing networks have the capacity for being used as social networks are, it can be distinguished based on its primary usage. As the name suggests, that primary usage is media sharing. The media in question being shared mostly refers to pictures and video. Pictures and Video being considered, popular examples are Instagram and YouTube, but if you wanna count books and audio, you could even consider Wattpad and Soundcloud.
3. Discussion Forums
Discussion forums, while heavily similar to social networks in a sense that there is open communication and interaction, we can distinguish discussion forums as being closer to a formal debate. Users give their share of opinion and is gets discussed in a formal matter. Examples include: Reddit and Quora
4. Bookmarking and Content Curation Networks
On bookmarking and content curation networks, users curate their own "collections" of already-made content. This content can range from anything to art, project ideas, recipes and many more. Among these type of networks are Pinterest and WeHeartIt.
4. Consumer Review Networks
In this kind of social media, theres is little interaction done. Similar to discussion forums in a sense that users' opinions on certain things are expressed, but there is little discussion involved. Among these are Yelp and Zomato.
5. Blogging and Publishing Networks
On sites such as right here on Blogger, users publish their personal input on different topics on blogs. Here, we see a distinction between blogging networks and the previous ones. Content creators publish on their blogs while an "audience" consumes the content. Whatever interaction there is, it typically involves the audience reacting to whatever content the "blogger" puts out and nothing much else. Sites that host such content include Tumblr and WordPress.
6. Social Shopping Networks
Social shopping networks are the home to the online market, where "merchants" of every kind are just a click away. Commonly, merchandising in social shopping networks are run by the site's themselves (Sephora, Zalora, Polyvore) but other sites allow other users to sell to other users (Shoppee, Carousel, eBay)
7. Interest-Based Networks
Interest-based networks are sort of like the "special cases" in social media. They're sites that aren't meant for everyone, like Goodreads and Houzz. These sites cater to specific people with specific interests.
The Relevance of Social Media in Today's Society
There is no doubt that Social Media is ever-present and apparent in today's society. With the world being inhabited by more and more people who don't remember a world without technology, there's no slowing social media now. It can only evolve into something greater from here.
