Social media for Dummies
This article is dedicated to the pre-millennials, the people who don’t like technology because they suck at it, or anyone who is interested in learning something new. I got news for you, social media is here to stay so we might as well attempt to understand what the hype is all about. Lets start with the basic question, what exactly is social media?
Social media is a computer-mediated technology that allows people to create and share information. This enables people to share ideas via virtual communities and networks. There are so many social media options out there it is easy to get lost. Here below you will find 5 of the most popular social media sources and their features.
Facebook Most of us have an idea of what Facebook is even if we were born in the stone ages. Facebook is one of the most popular social media sites out there. Facebook is a popular free social networking website that allows users to create profiles. In their profiles they can upload photos, videos, send messages and keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues. Some people use Facebook for their professional life as well as their personal life. If you are running a business you can even purchase ads from Facebook to attract more customers. These days it is imperative for businesses to have a Facebook account to gain exposure and keep up to date with the latest trends.
Snap chat Snap chat is a messaging app that allows you to send people private messages that are erased as soon as they are opened. Some other features of Snapchat include:
- Disappearing Texts
- Disappearing Pictures
- Disappearing Videos
Snap Chat enables you to set a timer for how long you want the recipient to view your message or video. You can also draw graphics and captions. Take caution, although Snapchat advertises their app as being private and disappearing you can actually take a screenshot, a photo of the message, or use other apps to capture that message. So you might want to think twice about sending a message you may regret later.
Instagram Instagram is an online photo sharing network. Instagram is a network that easily connects to a variety of other social media apps. Some of its features include:
- Take, Edit, and Share Photos
- Take, Share and Edit 15 second Videos
Additionally, It is an app or phone feature that is installed on a smart device. After you take a photo with your device, Instagram gives you the option to upload that photo to Facebook, twitter and a variety of other online networks. Instagram also allows you to add effects, framing, focus to your picture. You can choose to follow friends and family members so you can view each other’s pictures. You can also search specific pictures by posting a hashtag that will search and collect photos with that word in it. For example: #PixelSolutions This will search and find any picture with the word or name Pixel Solutions.
Twitter Twitter has become a huge staple in the social media world. It is much like a newspaper that allows you to get instant information as it occurs in real time. Unlike the newspaper you get to choose what articles appear by following accounts that interest you. For example, say you are watching a professional basketball game, using twitter can give you a whole new perspective on the game. By following accounts like athletes, journalist, or people behind the scenes you can get information you could not get anywhere else. Twitter is a micro blogging site that allows users to posts tweets. The features of Twitter include:
- 140 character messages
- Photos
- Videos
- Links
Pinterest Before the internet if someone was interested in an item they would cut it out of a newspaper or article and create an album of their wish list. Pinterest allows you to collect pictures on any website and create a virtual wish list. You can save and pin pictures to your board. Once you have pinned your pictures you can share them with other people. You can also follow other pinners to get updates on their pins. It is a fun way to share things you like and meet other people with similar interests. Pinterest can also be used to promote stuff, organize events, share recipes, or do-it-yourself projects
To Sum it UP Hopefully now you have a little bit more of an understanding of what social media and the top 5 platforms are all about. You may still not be impressed and choose to continue to live in the stone ages and that's ok too. If you have a business or planning to start a business and you want someone to manage your social media marketing for you, feel free to contact our team at PixelSolutions.biz. Now it’s up to you to decide which one is your favorite and get connected!