Social media: What’s good about it?
Social media showed up in our world as a result of a few very bored, very intelligent teenagers wanting to reach out to their peers so they could discuss that week’s issue of Batman. These sites took the world by storm! Some were thrilled, others said it was just another fad that would go away in a year or two- like hammer pants. Fortunately for the former, social media is still around, growing and are not showing any signs of slowing down. Here are some of our favorite things about this media revolution:
- Social media sites spread information faster than any other form of media.
- It’s a great way to check in with your friends and maybe make some new ones!
- It builds community
- It’s great for small businesses
- It provides for a great learning and teaching platform
Okay, you probably already knew this. However, given that just 20 years ago the only instantaneous mode of communication openly available to the public were telephones that could only carry voice communications, we thought the leap we’ve made up to being able to communicate text, video, voice, documentation and a host of media was worth a mention. Today even TV reporters communicate over web based platforms to keep the information flow smooth. Information travels over social media in a matter of seconds and the information spread is multiplied by the number of people sharing the information. It’s a pretty useful feature, if you think about it! On the flipside, that picture of you trying on your sister’s shoes would spread like wildfire if it gets on there. So, be careful!
Yes, I know mommy told you there are creeps on the internet. The corollary is that there are also a lot of very interesting people. A good way to filter out the good from the bad would be to just see if someone you know and trust are friends with your new friend and ask around. As long as you’re not on some shady underground site, chances are you’ll meet some very interesting people. And of course, I’m sure we don’t need to tell you how important it is to be in touch with your friends and family.
We all are fans and followers of some sport, sports team, brand, band, show or celebrity. Social media has the ability to bring the people who like what you like closer together so you and your peers are given a collective voice and an open forum for discussion. If you’re a sports fan you can talk to people who support your team and share ideas. If you’re a fashionista you can talk to other fashionistas out there about Gucci’s new summer wear lineup. It’s not just entertainment that you can be bound by. Many religious, spiritual and support groups use social media for this same purpose. Oh and intellectuals like scientists and scholars have been using their own forms of social media to share information, long before it hit the mainstream.
Small businesses don’t usually have the kind of budget that could facilitate TV and radio adverts. Even newspaper advertising needs to be done consistently in order to be effective and becomes excessively expensive as a result. The odds are stacked against the little guy in the business world even if what he sells is better than the other products out there. Social media bridges this gap effortlessly! Anyone can advertise online by filling a few simple forms for very affordable and tailored advertising. The business can customize the target audience on a many, many of parameters, making every displayed ad count. Some sites even offer pay-per-click advertising, where the person advertising only needs to pay if the displayed ad is clicked on. Pretty cool, don’t you think?
With the increasing demand for information and education from an increasingly curious populous, either there just aren’t enough people to teach the ones wanting to learn, or the teacher is too far away for the student to reach. Social media has been used to solve both of these problems. Today many major universities and learning institutions communicate with their students over a number of social media platforms. Study materials, extra material and even entire lessons are delivered online. In fact, some courses are conducted online entirely!
Whatever your reason is to like social media, or dislike it- that’s okay too!- you have to admit, it offers so many benefits and makes life a lot more interesting. Now that we’ve told you why we like social media, why don’t you check out our social media links at the bottom of this page and tell us what you think about social media? Don’t forget to like, follow and subscribe when you get there!