What Are Social Networks? Types, Examples And Their Features
Social networks are digital platforms where people can interact with each other. They are part of web 2.0 or social web and are designed to host virtual communities.
Thanks to them, we can connect with people from all over the world and share opinions, experiences, information, videos, photos, or other types of files.
These social networks have represented a revolution in day-to-day communication, with an emphasis on immediacy.
To access them, you only need to create a profile. From that moment on, you can talk to other people, expand your network, share content, and see what others publish.
What Are Social Networks In the World?
One reason social media is so popular is the ease in forming communities of like-minded people .
In addition, they are a space that facilitates the connection between users, companies and organizations, which is why they are useful in both the daily and work spheres.
The first social network was Six Degrees , launched in 1997. However, it was not until the 2000s that these digital platforms would become more important.
At that time, virtual spaces emerged that are still strong today, such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter (now X) or Reddit.
Names Of most popular social networks in the world:
Currently, among the most popular social networks in the world, there are also:
- TikTok
- Sina Weibo
- Telegram
- snapchat
- Quora
- Discord
- Twitch
- Tumblr
What are The Types OF SOCIAL Networks?
Social networks come in various forms, catering to different interests, purposes, and demographics. Here are some types of social networks:
Types of Social Network:
Horizontal or generic
Horizontal social networks do not have a predefined theme . That is why they are also called generic, since the communities talk about any topic, and share files of all types.
Each person is free to publish different content, create groups focused on different topics and give their opinion. On this type of social media, it is common to see a mix of written posts, videos and images, although there may be limitations.
Two examples are Facebook and Twitter / X, platforms where people share posts of all kinds, and others can comment and exchange opinions.
Vertical or thematic
Social media can be considered vertical for two reasons. The first is to be niche, focused on a single topic . It is common for these social networks to be closed circles, linked to a website or company.
The second reason is to focus on one type of functionality or dynamics . For example, YouTube is a social network whose purpose is to publish videos and comment on them. Although you can do other things, such as contact other users, the entire social network is developed around videos.
Another example of a vertical social network is Quora, as it is a space to share educational information, ask questions and answer doubts.
Relationship social networks
Relationship social networks focus on instant messaging and communication between people . They are useful for contacting other people, sending messages and even calling them. They may offer other services such as making payments or creating groups, but the main functionality is communication between two people.
In this sense, WhatsApp, Telegram and WeChat are popular social networks that fall into this category.
Entertainment social networks
Entertainment social networks have the main objective of entertaining the user with videos and images . For example, YouTube and TikTok are two social networks that emphasize the creation and dissemination of videos. On the other hand, Instagram is designed as a space to share photographs and short videos.
This type also includes social networks such as Twitch, focused on live streaming of video games or other hobbies.
Professional social networks
Finally, professional social networks focus on the work area . They are ideal platforms to find a job, publicize your resume, disseminate information about your company or cement your personal brand.
In this case, LinkedIn is the greatest exponent.
For what are the social network good for?
Social networks have many applications in people’s daily and work lives. Among other things, they serve to:
- Talk to friends and family, and make new friends, no matter the distance.
- Connect with people who have common interests and hobbies.
- Share information, videos, images and other files.
- Publish your creations and exchange opinions and advice to improve in the discipline.
- Make professional contacts and look for work.
- Expand your personal brand and/or publicize your company.
- Create a bridge between potential customers and your web pages, products, services, digital stores, blogs, vlogs, etc.
- Find out the latest news and updates, whether in the world of entertainment, sports or social issues.
Features And Benefits of Social Networks:
- They connect people from all over the world.
- They allow an almost instantaneous exchange of messages, cheaper than with SMS.
- They are very useful, versatile and widespread communication and information dissemination tools.
- They are a phenomenon of the third millennium that has changed the way we communicate.
- They are committed to simplicity and ease in both the installation of applications and their use.
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