Have you ever heard about how social media came about and the incredible relevance it has in the world we live in today? Yes, it has a lot of relevance, even though most people only know about its recreational use to keep in touch with family and friends, and in this article, I am going to tell you the truth about social media.
How did social media emerge?
Now I will tell you the origin of the social networks for periods in time spanning from the 1990s to the 2020s, we will now proceed:
The Origin of Social Networks
Social media emerged as a result of the evolution of technology such as the Internet and digital communication tools, and although the concept of social media has existed for many centuries in non-digital forms, the rise of online social media can be researched and differentiated into specific events by year:
90s
The First Steps: In the 1990s, websites began to be created that allowed people to create personal profiles and connect with other users. These sites, such as SixDegrees, are considered the initial precursors of social networks.
2000s
The Social Media Boom: In the early 2000s, social platforms like Friendster and MySpace gained popularity by allowing users to create profiles, share content, and connect with friends online. MySpace, in particular, was a cultural phenomenon at the time.
The Late 2000s
The Birth of the Great Facebook Giant: In the year 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and his classmates at Harvard University launched Facebook, a platform that revolutionized social media by focusing on real identity, connectivity, and privacy.
2010s
Variety in Platforms: As Facebook expanded, other social networks emerged, such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.Each of these social platforms had their own focus and target audience in mind when these platforms were created.
2020 Years (To Date)
In today's world, social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, as well as Tiktok, are some of the most popular platforms and the ones that seem like they will stay at the top for a long time due to their constant updates.
Although something that should be noted is that all these social networks today try to create the maximum possible attention and interactions in the shortest possible time.
The Relevance of Social Networks in Today's World:
Social media is something fundamental (for the most part) in today's society in which we currently live, and its relevance can be justified through several subtopics:
Global Communication:
Social networks allow instant communication and interaction across the globe, without borders and connecting thousands of people, regardless of the distance between them.
Marketing and Business:
Social media platforms are essential tools for online marketing strategies and for promoting physical and online businesses that seek to generate specific objectives, mostly commercial.
Social media facilitates interaction with customers and the promotion of products and services.
The Dissemination of Information:
Social media is one of the main digital tools used to share news and information, which can also influence public opinion and decision-making in many cases.
Social Change and Activism:
Social media has played a crucial and very important role in some of the most well-known social and activism movements today, such as the Arab Spring or the Black Lives Matter movement.
Personal Connectivity:
Social media keeps people connected with their friends and family, allowing them to share everyday moments that happen to us.
Technological Innovation:
The development of social media has driven innovation in technology, such as artificial intelligence. GPT Chat, this artificial intelligence is changing the world more and more today, although it will probably have small limitations.
Privacy and Security:
Data protection and privacy in the online digital world have become key issues with the ever-growing growth of social media.
A Change in Consumer Behavior:
Social media influences consumer purchasing behavior and decisions, as previously mentioned, and is very helpful when it comes to marketing for companies' strategies and objectives.
I hope this article has been of great help to you and that you now have a clear understanding of when social media emerged and the relevance it has today in communications and other taboo aspects of everyday life.
Digital marketing expert Juan Plamen
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