Human nature by default has been planned to be socially active to a definite extent. Some people are much active, while others are less so.
However, people have always been looking for methods to connect and network with each other. And, in today’s era of digitization, people have found ways to be socially active on the internet, which is achievable with the advent of the numerous social networking platforms and apps.
The world’s most admired social networking sites definitely have changed over the years, and they’ll undoubtedly keep on change as time moves forward. Previous social networks will die, popular ones will stick around as they’re forced to evolve, and brand new ones will appear.
We’ve moved on from the days of My Space to a social media era now dominated by Facebook and all sorts of other social mobile apps. A lot of kids even admit to using Snapchat the most, suggesting that it could be the future of where social networking is headed. SO, what’s everyone using right now? Have a look through the updated list of social networking websites that are currently the trendiest.
1. Facebook
This is simply the largest social networking site in the world and one of the most widely used. And, Facebook may be the first that surpassed the landmark of 1 billion user accounts.
Apart from the feature to connect with friends and relatives, you can access different Facebook apps to sell online and you can even market or promote your business, brand, and products by using paid Facebook ads.
Pros:
• Massive Community.
• Easy to find long-lost friends.
• Integrated messenger.
• Join interesting groups and pages.
Cons:
• Highly addictive.
• Difficult to keep up with updates.
• Complicated to adjust privacy settings.
2. WhatsApp
Instead of being acquired by Facebook in 2014, this instant messaging platform exists as an independent entity.
It inwardly on the scene much later than Facebook, but has been able to capture the imagination of millions of people across the world by giving them the ability to communicate and share instantly with individuals and groups. The WhatsApp call trait is just the icing on the cake.
Pros:
• Supports audio and video calls.
• Send your location.
• Messages are encrypted.
• Ad-free.
Cons:
• Complicated to find past messages.
• Voice calls aren’t available in all countries.
• File transfers are limited to 100 MB.
3. Tumblr
Having been owned by Yahoo since 2013, Tumblr serves as a social media cum microblogging platform that can be used to find and follow things you like. You can also utilize it to post anything, including multimedia, to a short-form blog. Moreover, it gives you the elasticity to modify almost everything. Reblogging and liking posts is a trendy way to interact.
Pros:
• Large variety of content.
• Focused on writing and reading microblogs.
• Easy to set up and customize.
• Large user base.
Cons:
• It generates heated debates.
• Loaded with misinformation.
4. Instagram
Instagram was launched as an exclusive social networking platform that was completely based on sharing photos and videos. This photo-sharing social networking app thus enables you to capture the best moments of your life, with your phone’s camera, and convert them into works of art.
Pros:
• More interesting than most of the social networks.
• Useful filtering feature.
• See into the lives of others.
Cons:
• It strictly enforces policies.
• Ads can be a nuisance.
• Many photos are over-edited.
5. Twitter
This social networking site enables you to post short text messages, containing a limited number of characters, to convey your message to the world. With the growing craze for online shopping, Twitter also makes it possible to promote your business and even shop directly through tweets.
Pros:
• Very large community.
• Easy to use.
• Get updates from major brands.
• Integrates with third party services.
Cons:
• I can feel disorganized.
• Not easy to find specific people.
• Difficult to develop followers.
6. Snapchat
Snapchat is a social networking app that thrives on direct messaging and is totally mobile-based. It’s one of the fastest-growing apps out there, building its popularity on the idea of self-destructing “snaps”.
Pros:
• Very easy to use.
• Millions of users.
• Editing and filtering features.
• More personal and intimate than other platforms.
Cons:
• Small demographics of users.
• Content disappears every day.
• Lots of useless content.
7. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social networking sites or apps and is available in over 20 languages. It is used across the sphere by all kinds of professionals and serves as an ideal platform to connect with different businesses, locate and hire ideal candidates, and more.
Pros:
• Easy to make new conditions.
• Simple to find people you know.
• Well-organized website.
Cons:
• Too much information at times.
• Frequent messages from marketers.
8. Reddit
This social media platform allows you to submit content and later vote for the content. The voting determines whether the content moves up or down, which is ultimately organized based on the areas of interest.
Pros:
• Massive user base.
• Wide range of perspectives.
• Subreddits organize content well.
Cons:
• Occasional inappropriate content.
• Confusing to find Subreddits.
• Unmoderated content.
9. Youtube
Youtube is the world’s major video-sharing social networking site that enables users to upload and share videos, view them, comment on them and like them. This social set-up is accessible across the globe and even enables users to create a Youtube channel where you can upload all your personally recorded videos to showcase to their friends and followers.
Pros:
• Many hours of entertainment.
• Interact with communities of followers.
• Active comment areas.
• Find others with common interests.
Cons:
• Less personal than other social sites.
• Overwhelming volume of information.
10. Flickr
Flickr is Yahoo’s popular photo-sharing network, which existed long before other popular competing networks like Pinterest and Instagram entered the social photo-sharing game.
Pros:
• Unlimited storage for premium accounts.
• Very Affordable.
• Attract a large audience for your photography.
• Active comment area for photos.
Cons:
• The website can be difficult to use.
• Free accounts include ads.
• I can’t customize a profile page.
Conclusion:
Social networking apps are going to rise even bigger as people adopt them into their everyday lives. As smartphone adoption continues, the share of the desktop use of the social media platform will fail.