The Importance Of Social Media
Social media is one of the best things to happen to humanity. It allows us to exist in both the physical world and the virtual world. It has made communication easier, connecting people with friends and family regardless of physical distance. Through it, we can conduct business outside of the office. From ordering food online to family conference calls, we have seen the internet making life much easier. Add several applications that allow live interactions across the globe, and you see how important social media has become in this modern era.
What is social media?
Social media comprises platforms found on the internet that allow business and social interactions between people with common interests. Examples of these are Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and so many more- with more applications being made every year. It allows you to create profiles of yourself or your brand. Each profile creates the impression you want people to have of you without necessarily having to meet them physically.
While its primary use is for social interactions, such as sharing photographs and video calls, it has since become a hub for business. It offers companies the opportunity to advertise their products and services on a larger stage.
During the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic platforms like Zoom conference calls are used to conduct for job interviews, strategic planning, and review meetings, business presentations, masterminds, and seminars. With learners across the globe unable to meet, the introduction of Google Class allowed classes to resume without risking the spread of the virus.
Social media is the fastest growing industry, which and corporates should take advantage of.
Use of social media platforms.
· Social interactions.
Applications such as Facebook allow you to make friends with different people across the globe who have similar interests with you. Such platforms allow you to chat, share photographs, recipes, latest fashion trends, and memes which keep you informed and entertained. People from different ethnicities can interact online, making lasting connections based on common interests. Although many remain skeptical around it, online dating has seen some couples coming together and making it to the altar. In the wake of a global pandemic, there have been concerts, proms, birthday celebrations, and weddings happening online, keeping friends and families connected.
· Advertisement.
The art of advertising has never been easier. Many online platforms are key in reaching a more global customer base. Having walk-in clients has become almost primitive. People across the world are taking advantage of the internet to shop for different services online.
On social media, it takes a single post on your page to market a product across the globe, exposing your brand to an unlimited number of potential customers. Instagram and Facebook are examples of such platforms allowing businesses to advertise their products that range from food and clothing to utilities. All it takes is an advertising fee and the next thing, your business is coming up on the application’s daily feed, attracting many customers to your product. Amazon, eBay, and other online services have since become more popular with the current pandemic that has seen people preferring virtual markets for safety reasons.
· Job creation.
Social media has played a crucial role in reducing unemployment by presenting online job opportunities. The modeling industry has taken advantage of this privilege. Instagram models have become so popular with people without making it to runways and magazine covers. Brand ambassadors for different companies can easily work from the comfort of their homes, marketing products on their profiles on companies’ behalf. Social media influencers even get paid just for having many followers. Artists, dancers, and visual arts performers have also found social media as an efficient way of securing a fan base, allowing them to have followers by showcasing their art. Many new artists in the music and dance industry had their start posting videos on the likes of YouTube and TikTok, and are now record-selling musicians and famous choreographers. Freelance writers and journalists are finding paid employment opportunities online.
· Awareness Campaigns.
Twitter is one of the best platforms for raising awareness on different issues through campaigns. The use of hashtags has become a more popular method of communicating local and global trending issues. One reason people enjoy this platform is that it allows them to exercise their freedom of speech without fear or restriction. It has allowed everyone to take a part in important debates on global issues such as politics, economics, and culture. Social media is a good place to air out your views and even engage in life-changing discussions with people you have never met. This allows us to see things with broader lenses.
· News.
People no longer have to rely on getting the morning paper to keep up with current affairs. Newspaper companies have since created pages on social media platforms, allowing subscribers to read the news any time they want. Blogs are the new magazines, feeding us information on any topic including celebrity news, inspiring stories, and life hacks.
· Education.
Social media has made a difference in the education sector by introducing e-learning. Students can learn and interact with their teachers and classmates through platforms like WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Classroom. They can share learning material through such platforms, making the experience almost similar to that of being in an actual classroom or lecture theatre. Virtual libraries supply even more learning material, which students can easily access.
Social media has been useful to everyone in so many ways. In crisis moments, it has allowed us to communicate with family and friends regardless of distance, ensuring connections remain possible during uncertain times. With the ease it has brought in our lives, social media is a necessity.