Social Media is interactive computer mediated technologies which facilitate the generation or sharing of ideas, professions, hobbies, life interests, and various other types of expression through virtual communities and networks. It is an increasingly important tool for many businesses and professionals, since it permits users to interact with each other and share ideas and information. The Internet has made it very easy for people to connect and share information regarding common interest, hobbies, favorite activities, knowledge, opinions and insights. Social media allows them to easily discuss and share their thoughts and feelings. In the past, social media were mostly used for personal and interpersonal communication but the ease of access and use of the Internet technologies has made them a part of every business entity and profession.
Influencers are people who use social networking platforms to promote brands or products. A good influencer will be able to attract attention and create awareness about their product, service or brand in an engaging way. There are various different ways in which Influencers promote brands and products. One method is to write an open diary, commonly known as an online journal, on specific topics that relate to the brand or product. Other Influencers may also join forums, comment on blogs, or participate in various online discussions.
The second most commonly used way in which businesses use social media is by utilizing video calls. This enables the user to present their ideas or thoughts in a visual format. The platform for video calls is provided by popular apps such as Slide, Facebook and Skype. The third most commonly used method is through Vine, a form of real-time video sharing that permits users to create short clips, usually no more than 5 seconds long, which can then be publicly viewed by a large number of viewers.
Instagram is another popular form of social media platform, which enable users to post pictures, and receive updates on their whereabouts through their smartphones. It is estimated that there are over 150 million individuals using the Instagram application on a daily basis. Facebook has recently announced an official version of its popular platform, which will allow users to share pictures on their mobile devices. While it is difficult to estimate the exact impact that these new applications will have on the number of active users per month, it is clear that they will continue to grow in popularity.
Pinterest is another popular social networking platform, which enables users to pin any image they choose onto their homes, walls or even on the web. The application allows users to save a range of different types of images and pin them on various locations. A Pinterest account is free to join and offers numerous benefits, which include saving photos and pinning them up on the website. Pinterest is one of the most popular ways in which people are sharing images and content with others.
The last social networking platform, we will discuss is Instagram. The Instagram application enables users to post pictures and update their Facebook status as well. Instagram uses a unique photo sharing feature where users can upload images from their digital camera and instantly share them with the millions of users online. The Instagram photo sharing feature enables users to find friends, interact with them and add new contacts. Currently, Instagram has over 300 million users and it is believed that this number is only growing substantially in the future.
