Social networks - What they are, types, uses, advantages and risks

A social networking service, also known as social media or simply as a social network, is a digital platform that allows people to establish contact with other people through a website or other computer application. It is made up of a set of computers, servers, programs, drivers, transmitters, receivers, and above all, people who share a relationship, mainly friendship, and who have common interests and activities or are interested in exploring the interests and activities of other users.

Generally, social networks are used to communicate with people regardless of the country they are from and without the conventional limitations of email or phone calls and video conferences, in which although there are services that allow group conversations, they do not provide the time, space or certain tools that social networking services have.

Social networking services are frequently used through technology such as smart devices and can be grouped into categories according to the purpose for which they are used.

Social media are websites and applications that are designed to allow people to share content quickly, efficiently, and in real-time. While many people access social media through smartphone apps, this communication tool began with computers. So, social media – what is it? Social media can refer to any Internet communication tool that allows users to share content broadly and interact with the public.

The ability to share photos, opinions, and events in real-time has transformed the way we live and the way we do business. Here are the basics of understanding social media and how it can be used to help promote your business.

Social media is any digital tool that allows users to quickly create and share content with the community or audience. Social media encompasses a wide range of websites and applications. Some, like Twitter, specialize in sharing links and short written messages. Others, like Instagram and TikTok, are designed to streamline the sharing of photos and videos.

What makes social media unique is that it is broad and relatively uncensored. While many social media companies impose some limitations, such as removing images that depict violence or nudity, there are far fewer limitations on what someone can share than other forms of mass communication, such as newspapers, radio stations, and television channels.

Anyone with internet access can sign up for a social media account. They can use that account to share content of their choosing, and the content they share reaches anyone who visits their page or profile.

The use of hashtags on social media groups content by topic, allowing users to connect with strangers who share content related to a topic of interest.

Since social networks cover many different types of websites and applications, the function of these tools also varies. However, most social networks begin with a user creating a profile, usually by providing a name and email address.

Once a profile has been created, users can create and share content. For example, an Instagram user with a new account can take a photo and share it on their profile with a caption. In addition to creating content for their profile, social network users can find other users whose content they want to follow or comment on. Depending on the type of social network, a user can "follow" another user, add them as a "friend," or can "subscribe" to another user's page.

Social networks often use "feeds" that allow users to scroll through content. Social media companies use algorithms, based on a user's profile data, to determine what content appears and the order in which it appears. The feed will include content from "followed" users as well as from entities that pay to promote their content.

There are many different types of social networks, and many services could fit into multiple categories. Here are some of the main types, along with some examples.

Social networks specialize in connecting and exchanging thoughts, ideas, and content with other users, often with users who share tastes and interests. Facebook and Twitter are examples of social networks. Additionally, and although it is more professional than others, LinkedIn is also considered a social network.

Unlike social networks, which specialize in allowing users to share and exchange thoughts, ideas, and opinions, media networks specialize in distributing content such as photographs and videos. Instagram and YouTube are examples of this. A YouTube user, for example, will upload a video they have created, and other users can click “like,” “dislike,” or comment on the video. If they enjoy the video enough, a user can choose to “subscribe” to the creator, so that new videos from that creator appear in their feed.

Discussion networks like Reddit are the ideal medium for posts that can spark in-depth discussion among users. Users can leave detailed responses in the comments section, and other users can respond directly to those comments, allowing conversations to grow and develop organically.

Blogging sites like WordPress can also fall into the discussion network category, although some would consider blogging its own type of social media.

“Review” networks like Yelp and TripAdvisor add social media aspects to user reviews of products and services. Users can interact directly with those leaving reviews, as can the businesses being reviewed.

While anyone can sign up for social media, social media platforms have become an important part of marketing for businesses of all sizes. The key to being successful on social media is to not treat it as an extra appendage, but to treat it with the same care, respect, and attention as the rest of your marketing efforts.

Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic. This involves posting great content on your social media profiles, listening to and engaging your followers, analyzing your results, and running ads on these social networks.

The top social media platforms (right now) are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.

There are also a variety of social media management tools that help businesses make the most of the social media platforms mentioned above. For example, Buffer is a platform of social media management tools, which can help you achieve success with your social media marketing. Whether you're looking to build a brand or grow your business.

Social media marketing started with advertising. Businesses would share their content on social media to drive traffic to their web pages and hopefully also generate sales. But social media has matured far beyond just being a place to broadcast content.

Today, businesses use social media in many different ways. For example, a business that is concerned about what people are saying about its brand would monitor conversations on social media and respond to relevant mentions (social media listening and engagement). A business that wants to understand how it is performing on social media would analyze its social media reach, engagement, and sales with an analytics tool (social media analytics). A business that wants to reach a specific audience group on a large scale will run highly targeted social media ads (social media advertising).

In general, they are often also referred to as social media management.

Types of social networks

Social networks can be classified into two types:

Vertical social networks.

These are social networks that do not have a specific theme, but rather are aimed at all types of users. These networks function as means of communication, information or entertainment. They are very numerous and popular, for example: Facebook or Twitter.

Vertical social networks.

These are social networks that connect people with specific common interests, such as music, hobbies, sports. For example: Flickr, a social network whose theme is photography. Within these networks are the professional vertical networks, such as LinkedIn, which involves individuals who share the work environment or who seek to expand their work boundaries.

Advantages of social networks

Social networks have a number of advantages or benefits, which have allowed them to establish themselves as one of the undisputed protagonists within the web.

They are immediate. Social networks work in real time. The information, videos, images and opinions that are shared on the networks are usually made public and can be known by any user of the network in almost any point of the globe immediately. On some platforms such as Twitter, social, cultural, political or economic events, regional or global, are known by all its users instantly.
They are massive. Social networks have broken down cultural and age barriers since they reach a large portion of the population.
They shorten distances. Social networks allow communication with friends, family and any user of the network regardless of the geographical distance.
They increase the visibility of brands. In recent years, advertising and the creation of corporate and brand profiles have made social networks a new market. They allow buyers and sellers from all over the world to connect. They facilitate customer service.
They function as a channel for learning, entertainment and information. Social networks function as a means to make certain information go viral. Depending on the content that the user is interested in, they can learn, be entertained or be informed.
They allow information to be shared. Networks allow for instant and easy file sharing: documents, music, photographs, videos.

They provide job opportunities. There are networks that allow users to make their job profiles known. Some, such as LinkedIn, were created with the specific objective of forming communities of professionals. There, companies create profiles from which job opportunities are offered to which interested users can apply.

Negative aspects of social networks

Social networks have some negative aspects that every user must fight against:

Cyberbullying. This is one of the main risks of social networks and occurs when an individual or group of individuals harasses or bullies another through social networks. This can happen through insults, viralization of private information, among other ways. Children must be educated so that they know the physical and psychological consequences that this type of practice can cause.
Grooming. This is one of the greatest dangers within cyberbullying. Also called “pedophile deception”, it consists of the harassment of minors by adults through social networks. Grooming is a criminal offense and must be reported.
Fake news. This is false or unverified information that circulates thanks to the excess of information on the Internet. This can generate confusion in users and difficulty in understanding events.
Indiscriminate access to sensitive content. There is sexual or violent content on the networks, which is often inappropriate, especially for vulnerable social groups such as children.
Abuse in the use of social networks. Excessive use of social networks can lead to loss of contact with the tangible world and cause addiction.

Viralization of information. This is the mass reproduction of information. It can be a positive aspect when the information that goes viral is pleasing to the individual, but it can be negative when confidential information goes viral or harms an individual in some way by losing their privacy.