Social Media Presence

Social media is something hundreds of millions of people , if not billions use on a daily basis. Most use it to stay in touch with friends and family as well as to upload photos and videos of their life to document online. Whilst social media has its perks there are also a number of downsides to social media and in this article we will look at social media as a whole and how it has changed society as we know it.

What Purpose Does Social Media Serve?

Social media serves a number of different purposes. the main and most commonly used purposes of social media is to communicate with others online to arrange events as well as keep in touch. However there are other uses for social media. One way in which social media is being used which is becoming increasingly popular is social media marketing and promotion. Increasingly businesses are reaching out to prospective audiences on social media through a variety of adverts , campaigns and news articles. This has limited success depending on the market and the product being sold.

The original purpose for social media was to ensure that people could communicate and stay in touch across the globe through an online platform. However since its inception social media has taken on many different forms and is used by tens of millions of us around the world for a variety of different purposes.

Social Media Influencers And Celebrities

One of the latest revelations to come as a result of social media has been the visible rise in social media “influencers” as well as celebrities who started their careers on websites such as you tube , Facebook or Instagram. Due to the large following they receive many of these individuals receive they can progress in their career through social media although some may move to mainstream media eventually.

What has surprised many within media circles is how quickly social media has helped make individuals or groups popular online with some gaining millions of followers and viewers within just a matter of months. Some argue that these social media celebrities are under much less scrutiny than regular media personalities which means as a result they may be less aware of their actions online.

What Impact Has Social Media Had On Society?

Social media has had both positive and negative effects on society overall. One of the most notable effects of social media on society has been sizeable increases in the amount of time younger people are spending online. Studies have shown that young people are increasingly spending longer periods of time online which may be having an effect on their mental health.

There has also been an increase in the number of people receiving help for mental health issues as a result of overuse of social media or bullying online. Overall social media has had both positive and negative effects on society as a whole. What is clear is that more research and education is needed on the overall effects of social media.