Why is Social Networking So Popular?
Why is Social Networking So Popular?
The popularity of social networking sites has rapidly increased over the past few years. Social networks provide many kinds of services and benefits to its users like helping them to connect with new people, share opinions with likeminded people, and stay in touch with old friends and colleagues. Some of the reasons for the popularity of social networking sites are:
Opportunity to meet new people:
Social networking gives people an opportunity to meet new people around the world. Users of these sites have access to millions of profiles from around the world. Before the advent of social networking sites, chat rooms were the only way to meet new people on the internet. But, the main drawback of chat rooms was that you may not know the person with whom you are interacting with. The introduction of profiles on social networking sites allowed people to know more information about a person before they interact with them.
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Social networking sites are user friendly:
Popular social networking sites are built in such a way that they are very much user friendly. Most sites are so easy to navigate that they require very less knowledge of the internet. Infect they offer a better way of connecting with new people than other internet channels like bulletin boards and emails. The mobile versions of these social networking sites are even more user friendly allowing lot more number of people to connect through them.
Join groups to share their interests and hobbies:
Most of the popular social networks allow users to create groups. These groups allow likeminded people to share their interests and hobbies. A group acts just as a club whose membership is open to anybody who share similar interests.
Free for everybody:
Most of the highly popular social networking sites like Facebook and Google+ are free which made them open to everybody. These sites mostly make their money through advertisements. Other other ways these sites make money is through extra features like games and other applications which should be paid by the users.
Job portal:
Professional social networks help people in establishing their brand online. People can post their skills, accomplishments, and previous experience on these networks and make themselves recognized by colleagues, other peer groups, and even potential employers. Many companies have started recruiting people through social networks like LinkedIn. Users also have the option to search for jobs on their own through these professional social networks just like any other job portal. Social media currently has a huge share in the job market.
Helps businesses to reach out:
Another key important reason for the success of social networking sites is that they help businesses to reach their potential customers easily. Unlike search engines like Google, social networks have developed targeted a ad solution using which businesses can reach its potential customers basing on the profiles of its users. Social networks also have unique access to the most personal information of its users like their hobbies, interests, places frequently visited, etc. which help businesses in targeting their advertisements properly.
The internet has opened up communications across the boundaries of the world. And, social networking has helped people to expand their network, add friends, enhance their careers, make connections, recruit employees, and find people with scarce skills which summarize the reason for their popularity.
12 Reasons Why Social Media Are Like a Garden Party:
Social media, it’s the new garden party. No, really. Once upon a time, a garden party was the best source of neighbourhood news and these days all you need to do is turn on your computer or glance at your phone. Not convinced? Take a look.
Gossiping
Oh yes, garden parties are a terrific place to gossip, aren’t they? Any garden gathering will see you surrounded by a group of your nearest and dearest. On the fringes there are so many people to talk about. And even if you don’t have any secret information, there’s always someone’s dress or weight gain to discuss. Comments can be veiled or right out there in the open (depending on how bold you are). Sound like Facebook to you?
Voyeurism
As you circle the lawns at a garden party, you’re likely to be looking at more than just flowers. There are the people you know (and may or may not gossip about later), people you don’t know and everyone in between. Parties are a fabulous place to check them out casually as you hide yourself behind the hedges. And don’t say that you’ve never secretly checked out someone’s online profile before!
Bite-sized
You’re likely to prepare a few short quips to share with people you run into at a garden party. After all, you’ve only got a limited amount of time to convey what’s happening in your life – and you need to let your personality shine through that, don’t you? Whether you want people to think you’re sarcastic, or funny, or that you’re in love with kittens you can do this in a few words (140 seems to be a good number, doesn’t it?)
All About the Weather
A garden party demands lovely weather, and if you run out of things to chat about, the weather is a reliable fall back topic. You can comment on the speed at which winter is approaching or how wonderfully warm it is for the time of year. Sounds like any of the posts you’ve read on Facebook lately?
Best Foot Forward
Before you head out to a garden party, you generally take some time to make yourself look fantastic. And then you think about all the marvellous things you’ve done recently, just hoping that if you drop the right leading phrases someone will ask you all about them. It’s called putting your best foot forward, and that’s exactly how you try to portray yourself online too, no matter which social network you choose.
Garden parties are a fantastic place to catch up with the people you rarely see. If they’re an annual event, you’ll assume that you can catch up with acquaintances and neighbours when they happen. Often, you’ll have a few of your closest friends, or your spouse, with you and then a whole host of people you only know casually. Sounds like the premise for any social medium you know?
Network of Strangers
At any party (unless, of course, you’re the host), you won’t know everyone. In fact, there’s a fair chance that you’ll hardly know anyone. All the same, you’re part of the group, for one reason or another. You’ve got some common ground (even if it’s only the host); you just need to discover what it is. It’s sort of like your Twitter feed; a few people you know and a list of people with no other connection than a few shared interests.
Networking Opportunities
Any social gathering these days is filled with possible business connections. There are plumbers and lawyers and half a dozen other people whose services you need. And it’s always easier to trust them when they come with the recommendation of someone else you know. Sounds a little like LinkedIn, doesn’t it? It even looks like that Facebook post you caught this morning, asking for landscaping references.
Showing Off
Everyone needs a moment to shine. And garden parties are a perfect place to do just that. Typically, you’ll head off to the shops for a new outfit (or accessories) beforehand and you’ll spend a little more time than usual in your grooming routine. If you are the host, you’ll reach new heights in what “preparing a garden party” means, opting for gastronomic extravaganzas or hiring garden furniture to add to your existing 138 chairs… Basically, whether you are attending or organising a garden party, you’ll want to look as stunning as you can for the inevitable photos – which are then posted to every social media network.
Mentioning You
Whether you’re networking, or you’re simply showing off, you want to be mentioned at a garden party. You want someone in the group nearby to say, “do you see so and so? Well, she’s… [insert flattering word here]”. It’s the same thing as being retweeted, tagged or endorsed; and if you’re lucky, it’ll feel like all of those.
Name Dropping
You know you do it, don’t you? Maybe you’re aiming for a new job and you need some impressive names to back you. Or perhaps you’ve met someone that you recognize, but you’re not sure how – you’ll probably throw in a few prominent names along with the obvious ones. It’s easy to do at a garden party - and easier still when you do it over social media.
Ephemeral Experience
No garden party lasts forever. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a whole day out of the experience. They come, they go and you make the most of a lovely afternoon in the sun. All you’ll have afterwards is a couple of pictures and a few new contacts. And that’s rather similar to any social media site – a few pictures, a few memorable comments and a host of people you want to connect with.
The nice thing about social media is that you can participate all year long – no matter what the weather. And you’re not limited to any specific location; you can constantly connect with people from across the world. On the other hand, some people become wildly addicted to social media. They forget to stop and smell the roses every now and again. And although you can sip a cocktail while you sit in front of the computer, it’s a little more fun to wander around a garden party with something refreshing in your hand, isn’t it?
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