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In 1987, the direct precursor to today’s internet came into being when the National Science Foundation launched a more robust, nationwide digital network known as the NSFNET. A decade later, in 1997, the first true social media platform was launched.
Firstly, those aged 18-24 are showing a far stronger tendency than their older peers towards using image-led social media. According to a recent survey by Harvard IOP – How Millennials Use Social Media (2015) – 51% of those aged 18-24 use Instagram, vs. 34% of 25-29-year-olds.
Social media has become and will remain a central contributor to a marketing strategy. It’s encouraged marketers to get creative with their messaging. Having a marketing campaign that is visually appealing will be more likely to be remembered by your target audience and go viral.
The first recognizable social media site, Six Degrees, was created in 1997. It enabled users to upload a profile and make friends with other users.
May 1997: Six Degrees
Six Degrees is widely considered to be the very first social networking site. Founded by Andrew Weinreich in May 1996, the site launched the following year and combined popular features such as profiles, friends lists and school affiliations in one service.
Characteristic | Share of U.S. adults |
---|---|
18-29 | 90% |
30-49 | 82% |
50-64 | 69% |
65+ | 40% |
For instance, 15% of those ages 18 to 29 say social media have a mostly positive effect on the way things are going in the country today, while just 8% of those over age 30 say the same. Americans 18 to 29 are also less likely than those 30 and older to say social media have a mostly negative impact (54% vs. 67%).
Many experts believe that the constant overstimulation of social networking shifts the nervous system into fight-or-flight mode. As a result, this makes disorders such as ADHD, teen depression, oppositional defiant disorder, and teen anxiety worse.
In fact 60 percent of consumers researching products through multiple online sources learned about a specific brand or retailer through social networking sites. Active social media users are more likely to read product reviews online, and 3 out of 5 create their own reviews of products and services.
Social media is no longer merely a platform for social interactions. Rather, it is transforming the way businesses work. Marketers are increasingly leveraging social media to influence customer decision making. … In sum, marketing media will be permanently transformed by social media.
A big positive associated with social media is that it is easier to make a large number of friends within a short time only. Just a few years ago, it wasn’t really easy to connect with many people, until and unless you were extremely outgoing and could make conversations with almost everyone you would just meet.
Emotion. Multiple studies have shown that unlimited use of social media causes stress, bad moods and negative mental health. Many people wake up in the morning and immediately check their Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter.
Being a part of a social media site can increase a person’s quality of life and reduce the risk of health problems. Social media can help improve life satisfaction, stroke recovery, memory retention, and overall well-being by providing users with a large social group…
The one that got away, Myspace is the pre-Facebook social network site that everyone remembers. Founders Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolf learned from Friendster’s mistakes and prioritised Myspace’s scalability in order to avoid the same fate as Friendster.
SOCIAL MEDIA BACKGROUND
Facebook was the first social media in which users could find and connect to their friends, and also friends of friends.
Before Vine was discontinued by its owner, Twitter, in 2016, its short videos became wildly popular, especially among younger users. The app had struggled with competition from apps like Instagram.
In 2010, it’s estimated that 50% of MySpace users simply left and discontinued their use of the site and that continued as the once popular site kept changing ownership and direction every few years.
Study suggests people become susceptible to social influence around age 12. An international team of researchers has found evidence that suggests children begin to become susceptible to social influence when they reach age 12.
The current global average gender split of social media users is 54% men versus 46% women. However, in the US, women are the leading user base; 76% of all female internet users have social network accounts compared with 72% of all men.
Consumption frequency of news from social media in the U.S. 2021, by generation. Gen Z and Millennials are most likely to use social media as a news source, with 43 percent of respondents from each generation reporting daily usage.
Young people spend a lot of time on social media. They’re also more susceptible to peer pressure, low self-esteem and mental ill-health. A number of studies have found associations between increased social media use and depression, anxiety, sleep problems, eating concerns, and suicide risk.
Media can be classified broadly into four historical ages: the ages of newspapers and place, magazines and class, broadcasting and mass, and Internet and space.
Social media can affect teenagers in both positive and negative ways. Research has found that social media use can affect self-esteem, and make typical teenage pressure and bullying worse, but it can also connect isolated teens and help them find supportive networks.
Social Media has many positive effects on education including better communication, timely information, socializing online, learning, enhancing skills, making a career among others. But the same has some negative effects which include identity theft, cyber bullying, and social isolation.
Impact On Health
Such actions make students slow and unambitious to study or even go out and meet people. … Too much use of social media can have adverse effects on students’ minds, and they may also be exposed to bad posture, eye strain, and physical and mental stress.
The negative aspects of social media
However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Social media may promote negative experiences such as: Inadequacy about your life or appearance.
Marketing can ensure they will and can assist sales people with customer communication, freeing up their time to develop new business opportunities by using more personal methods. Use communication channels like newsletters and social media to share updates and company news with your customer champions.
Social media networks are open to all, giving businesses a chance to follow their consumers’ activities or potential buyers. This helps marketers be more informed about their target audience, likes, dislikes, and interests so that they can create a better marketing strategy to attract such customers.