Did you know that there are a lot of different types of social media? Not just Facebook or Instagram that you commonly use.
In today’s age of smartphones and the internet, there are various social media platforms that are emerging. These platforms have their unique features and purposes.
Here are the 7 types of social media that I’ll be sharing with you and I wish I had known them earlier when I started to explore the Internet.
1. Social networking sites
Social networking sites are the most popular type of social media because they are widely used by millions of people since their development.
Some of the most popular social networking sites out there are Facebook and Instagram.
We adore social networking sites since they enable us to communicate with individuals all around the world.
Even though they are far away, you may still establish and develop relationships by engaging with them.
If you wish to share your profile with the world, you may add your name, photo, and personal data. After then, you may either accept someone’s friend request or send one to others you may know.
There are a lot of new things you can learn on social networking sites because it helps you discover new things about what other users or pages want to share. From the latest events, music, or even fashion.
2. Media sharing sites
Users can post their photographs or videos to media-sharing websites, another sort of social media.
Both personal and professional goals can be served by these types of websites. The nicest part about these sorts of websites is that they provide a range of content, including brief movies, music, and other user-performed creative expressions.
Media-sharing sites aim to showcase creativity, discover new content, and connect with other people who share the same interests.
If you are a content creator, you can upload a photo or video. The only thing that you need to do is to create your account.
There’s a chance that you’ll get discovered if your content is inspiring or entertaining.
There are several examples of media-sharing sites out there but the one that is dominating the market and is preferred by millions of people is Youtube and Pinterest.
The focus of Youtube is more on videos while Pinterest is more image-based.
When it comes to enhancing your business’s visibility, media-sharing platforms may reach a far larger audience. It implies that your items and services may be simply promoted.
3. Discussion forums
Discussion forums rank third on my list of social media platforms. Similar to a bulletin board, this kind of social media allows users to submit questions or remarks on a certain subject.
They may easily post questions on forums and wait for responses, for instance, if they wish to ask other users how to change their car’s battery.
One thing I’ve noticed about discussion forums is that they are used for niche communities where people can share similar interests or hobbies.
But there are also people out there who discuss a very broad topic such as politics and it’s very interesting to read because they are very serious.
Discussion forums come in a variety of forms, but my favorites are Reddit, Quora, and Stack Overflow.
There are countless users that can assist you with your issues. They are also really courteous and interesting at the same time.
Discussion forums are great since you may learn a lot from numerous professionals, which is one feature I really enjoy.
Doctors, attorneys, and engineers are just a few of the numerous specialists that frequent online forums.
They are ready to assist you with any issue, and on occasion, they will provide a compensated service.
Discussion forum experts frequently have useful materials to provide and can even guide you step-by-step.
4. Blogging sites
The blog you are reading right now is an example of a blogging site, which is also a form of social media.
This functions similarly to a virtual journal or magazine where you may post content. It would be wonderful if you wanted to impart some information in a certain sector because you are an authority on it.
A lot of people are already interested in creating their blogs because it feels great when you express yourself in a creative way.
When people are creating their blog websites, they behave differently and that’s fine. There are no rules on how you want to express your thoughts or opinions.
The best platform where you can start your blog sites is WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr.
There are lots of growth opportunities if you plan to pursue blogging because it can be a great way to showcase or expertise. This is also the best place if you want to advance your career or start your business.
5. Live streaming platforms
Live streaming platforms are the next item on the list; these websites or software programs are in charge of numerous live broadcasts.
Because there are more content producers and they are giving their audience real-time videos, this is growing in popularity.
Twitch, Facebook Live, and Youtube Live are a few examples of live broadcasting websites.
There are a lot of opportunities if you plan to create your video and go live. If you have the talent to showcase something to the public such as playing games, it would be amazing.
You can teach them how to play and build your community if you become popular.
The benefit of live-streaming platforms is that it provides us with real-time engagement. This means that the broadcaster can build a great relationship with their audience.
The usual thing that streamers do is to give some shout-outs to their audience.
It is also great for building your brand if you have a product or service. You can contact known streamers and let them advertise your products or service.
Streamers can easily showcase your business especially if they have huge followers.
6. Social review sites
Another type of social media is social review sites, which encourage users to publish and rate various goods and services.
For instance, someone may use the TripAdvisor app to check reviews and ratings on a certain hotel if they are planning a trip and are seeking lodging.
These review websites are incredibly beneficial since they allow many individuals to read about other people’s experiences at a location and utilize that information to make educated judgments.
Many social review websites exist, including Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google Reviews. It’s simple to register for an account and provide ratings or reviews based on your experiences.
When using social review sites, it’s important to take note that people have different opinions about products or services.
You must thus use discernment while forming your own opinions based on the reviews you’ve read. Everyone has various interests and preferences, so what suits one individual may not suit another.
7. Bookmarking and content creation sites
Websites for creating content and bookmarking come last but not least. These are the social networking platforms that let their users preserve and arrange their material.
Users will also benefit greatly from this if they wish to organize and find fresh material in the future.
I’m not a content creator but I felt the benefit of these types of social media platforms because these sites have allowed me to discover new content and incorporate it into my work.
By bookmarking them, I know that I store something helpful in the future and access them if needed.
Some popular examples of bookmarking and content creation sites that I’ve already used are Pocket and Flipboard.
These two sites are primarily focused on saving and organizing your content. Reddit is also an example and its main purpose is to create and share your content with a community of users.
People have individual goals when using these kinds of websites, from what I’ve noticed some are focused on finding content and others just want to share.
I’ve also seen people promote the content so that it will increase their online presence.
Final Thoughts
So if you think that there’s only one type of social media, you’re mistaken. There are many types of social media and they have unique feature and serves different purpose for users.
It’s a great way to discover the different types of social media because it might be helpful to any activity that you perform in your daily life.
