When they first started, social network sites were a place to have fun, gain new followers, make friends, and post pictures. However, this scenario has changed drastically today. We have seen a lot of movement on the top social media platforms in the past few years.
Today, businesses leverage social media platforms to get in touch with their audiences or target potential customers. For instance, online UK bookmakers often use social media handles to give out news, gifts, etc. This is because most of their audiences are very active on these platforms. As a matter of fact, social media is the best possible way to elevate a brand’s awareness, especially when it comes to gaming sites.
In this article, we will talk about some of the most popular social media platforms today.
What are the Best Social Network Sites Today?
According to the top social network analysis, some of the best social media platforms include:
1. Facebook
Founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, Facebook is considered one of the largest social network apps today. It has more than 2.85 billion users (in July 2021) from different parts of the world. Apart from helping you network and stay in touch with your family and friends, Facebook also allows you to promote your products, brand, and business. You will find more than 65 billion Facebook pages of various companies or individuals, with approximately six million ads being promoted on the site. On average, a user tends to spend 58 minutes on Facebook each day.
2. YouTube
In social network history, there is no other video-hosting platform that has done as well as YouTube. It was formed by three former PayPal employees Steve Chen, Jawed Karim, and Chad Hurley, in 2005. The platform allows users to upload and share videos, view them, and share, like, and comment on them. YouTube is accessible around the globe, and you can even create your own channels to upload any video you like. It has been estimated that 500 hours of videos are uploaded every minute on YouTube (as of 2019).
3. WhatsApp
WhatsApp is a free messaging app that was intended for smartphones. It was founded by Jan Koum and Brian Acton in 2009. This app allows users to communicate with one another by sending text messages. Later updates also allowed the users to send photos, videos, voice messages, etc. Facebook acquired the platform for $19 billion in 2014, but the messaging app is kept separate from Facebook and its dedicated messaging Messenger app.
4. Instagram
Instagram has been hailed as one of the best social network examples today. This app has proved to be quite useful for coaches, influencers, and product-based businesses. It was primarily launched as a platform to share photos and videos. Later, the app also allowed users to send messages to one another, similar to the WhatsApp platform. Instagram was founded by Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom in 2010 and quickly registered a million users within two months.
It currently boasts 1 billion users (as of July 2021)
5. Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is the dedicated messaging app by Facebook. First developed in 2008, the app saw a lot of updates and was revamped in 2011. Messenger can be accessed on Facebook. For mobile devices, you will need to download the Messenger app separately. The Messenger app has quite an impressive social network rating and allows you to chat and exchange files, photos, and videos. New updates allow you to send money and now include games you can play with your friends.
6. Tumblr
Tumblr is a microblogging platform where you can post photos, videos, text, links, etc. The platform quickly became popular among teens and younger adults. Tumblr is very similar to Instagram in that you can follow other bloggers and interact with them. Unlike Instagram, where you need to upload a photo or video, you can simply upload a text on Tumblr or a combination of text and photo/video. Tumblr was founded in 2007 by David Karp.
Tumblr boasts 496 million registered accounts as of July 2021.
7. Google+
You don’t need a social network review to know more about Google+ which is the fourth iteration of Google’s social networking services, following Google Buzz, Google Friend Connect, and Orkut. The platform was very similar to Facebook, allowing you to post videos, photos, and statuses to your stream (or feed). Additionally, you could also have private chats with family and friends. The service was first launched in 2011 by Bradley Horowitz and Vic Gundotra but was discontinued in 2019.
8. Twitter
If you are looking for a platform that allows for the best social network marketing, then Twitter should be your top choice. You can post 280-character messages called Tweets and interact with other users. The platform is available for both mobile and desktop devices. Like Instagram and Tumblr, users can post content that appears on their followers’ feeds and vice versa. You can also accompany your Tweets with hyperlinks, gifs, videos, and images. Twitter was founded by Evan Williams, Biz Stone, Noah Glass, and Jack Dorsey in 2006 and has become one of the most important online news sources today.
Twitter boasts 186 daily million users as of July 2021.
9. Skype
Skype is a social networking platform offering voice and video chats with others via your mobile devices, tablets, and computers. It was founded by Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrӧm in 2003. Apart from sending simple text messages, you can also send and receive digital documents, videos, and images. According to statistics, approximately three billion minutes are spent on the platform. More than two trillion minutes have been used on video calls alone up to 2017.
According to Microsoft, Skype boasts 300 million daily users as of July 2021.
Final Thoughts
The above-mentioned platforms are some of the best social networking platforms today. It is important to first understand the significance of social networks. Only then can these platforms be used for the benefit of your company or brand.
