There is a greater sense of being run by the community rather than other social media networks, which has made Reddit popular with niche groups that want a safe place to convene online. However, Reddit has recently come under fire for charging for access to its API. Perhaps the most well-known social networking app of the modern age — with an average of 2 billion daily active users — Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg in his Harvard dorm room. Originally only available to Harvard students and then those with an American college address, Facebook quickly expanded and was the third-most visited website of 2022, after Google.com and YouTube.com. The definition of social media may evolve as the platforms themselves do, but the central component of community engagement should endure. Increasingly, social platforms are facilitating new mediums, such as live video streams or digital retail.
You feel pressure to post regular content about yourself, get comments or likes on your posts, or respond quickly and enthusiastically to friends’ posts. While many of us enjoy staying connected on social media, excessive use can fuel feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation. After all, social media is the perfect playground for pushing creativity further, a place where even the most buttoned-up brands can have a little fun.
AI Trends
Teens who are more extraverted, open to experience, and lower in neuroticism reported more creative activity online (Pérez-Fuentes et al., 2019). Research among adults suggests that using social media for authentic self-expression, rather than for presenting a curated persona, predicts greater life satisfaction and well-being; the same may be true for adolescents (Bailey et al., 2020). A 2016 Pew Research survey found that 60 percent of parents check their children’s social media profiles and about the same percentage check their browsing history (Anderson, 2016). A more recent Pew survey found that only 28 percent friend or follow their child on social media (Auxier et al., 2020). But young people can still seek out privacy and a separate space to experiment with identity online.
The Top 10 Social Media Sites & Platforms
If Pinterest is a key part of your marketing strategy, Tailwind is hard to beat—and its compatibility with Meta platforms makes it an even more well-rounded tool for any visual-first brand. Our easy-to-use platform can help you find the perfect social media consultant to help take your marketing efforts to the next level, with proven experience in your niche and the right social media skills for your marketing strategy. Social media is a powerful marketing tool that can help you connect with your customers on a deeper level, build brand loyalty, and grow your business. LinkedIn is a professional social networking platform known for its focus on career development, job searching, recruitment, and professional networking.
By offering a means to connect with people in the same position, social media can reduce stigma and be a venue for sharing coping strategies. In my own company’s case, we initially hesitated to deploy more resources into our social media marketing because we were a bootstrapped, resource-constrained small business. We hesitated because we were not sure if these efforts would make a dent in our bottom line or not. When we started seeing the returns, we realized it was time to hire a dedicated social media person. As of February 2025, 5.56 billion individuals worldwide were internet users, which amounted to 67.9 percent of the global population. Of this total, 5.24 billion, or 63.9 percent of the world’s population, were social media users.
- A social media site encompasses a variety of platforms, including social media sites, media-sharing networks, community-based networks, and review board networks.
- YouTube viewers say they’re two times more likely to buy something they saw on YouTube, and four times more likely to use the platform to find information about a brand, product, or service compared to other social networks.
- With the “who” of social media clearly mapped out, let’s dive into the “how” — exploring how users are engaging with platforms in their daily routines and what that means for marketers.
It is especially damaging for growing youths who are still creating their sense of self. Social media can be a source of heavy stress and anxiety, especially when individuals feel the pressure to remain active online and respond quickly to messages. Furthermore, employers can use social media to manipulate or intimidate their employees into performing certain actions. A major risk of using social media is the possibility of experiencing an attack that will leak our information to others.
We believe Tailwind is an excellent option for visual brands on Instagram and Pinterest, but different tools might be a better fit if you run social media campaigns on other channels. This guide covers the strengths and opportunities of the top 16 social media platforms to help you decide which suits your business needs best. Ultimately, however, the best platforms for you will depend on your specific audience’s needs and goals. Instagram is one of the most widely used social techleash media platforms for sharing photos and videos with followers. And it’s not enough to invest in proper social media management, you also have to use the right platforms.
