{"id":15326,"date":"2022-09-06T13:49:45","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T13:49:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginejournal.com\/social-media-networks-types\/463203\/"},"modified":"2022-09-06T13:49:45","modified_gmt":"2022-09-06T13:49:45","slug":"5-types-of-social-media-networks-and-the-benefits-of-each-one-via-sejournal-ingridpadames","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marketingnewsbox.com\/?p=15326","title":{"rendered":"5 Types Of Social Media Networks And The Benefits Of Each One via @sejournal, @IngridPAdames"},"content":{"rendered":"
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People use social media to share pictures and videos, post updates, and connect with family, friends, and brands.<\/p>\n

Likewise, brands use these social media networks to grow their audiences, conduct target market research, and increase platform engagement.<\/p>\n

However, as social media evolves, it can be difficult for brands to determine where to focus their attention. And who has the time to engage on all social media platforms and apps effectively? No one.<\/p>\n

So then, which ones should your brand use to connect with its audience? Well, that depends on a couple of factors.<\/p>\n

Most brands don\u2019t have the resources or, to be honest, the need to be on all social media platforms, sites, and apps.<\/p>\n

In this guide, I\u2019ll discuss the evolution of social media<\/a> and the top social media networks. I\u2019ll also get into the different brand benefits of each network type.<\/p>\n

This will help you strategize where to put your focus, what you want to keep in-house, and areas you might want to outsource.<\/p>\n

Evolution Of Social Media<\/h2>\n

Social media platforms have become an integral part of today\u2019s marketing atmosphere.<\/p>\n

They play a significant role in businesses connecting and engaging with current and potential customers.<\/p>\n

From sharing information to building relationships, these platforms provide endless opportunities.<\/p>\n

When you think of social media, you probably think of the top ones<\/a>, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter \u2013 and you likely lump them together.<\/p>\n

But even among these major social media platforms, there are subtypes.<\/p>\n

Learning each platform\u2019s different features and potential opportunities can help brands create a more effective social media marketing strategy.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s begin with the old-school platforms. LinkedIn and Facebook (originally Facemash, but who remembers that) launched in 2003.<\/p>\n

Twitter followed shortly after that in 2006.<\/p>\n

The second wave brought Instagram and Pinterest in 2010. Pinterest\u2019s growth started slow before gaining more traction \u2013 today, the platform has over 86 million<\/a> followers in the U.S. alone<\/p>\n

Then, what some consider the first iteration of TikTok \u2013 Vine \u2013 launched in 2013.<\/p>\n

Vine\u2019s surge in popularity was short-lived, as the platform shut down in 2017. But that doesn\u2019t mean we didn\u2019t learn about where people\u2019s attention lies: short-form videos.<\/p>\n

Social Media Today<\/h2>\n

As we see today, social media networks have been competing to keep up with each other and adding more features to keep people on their platforms.<\/p>\n

For example, we saw this when Instagram added Instagram Reels<\/a> to keep up with TikTok.<\/p>\n

We also see more platforms, like Twitter, now offering opportunities for its users to go Live.<\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019ve covered how platforms compete to evolve and captivate their user\u2019s attention, let\u2019s get into what I mean by a social network.<\/p>\n

What Is A Social Network?<\/h2>\n

A social network is a category or group of a specific type of social media platform or app. There are many types and sub-types of social networks \u2013 more than you might think.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure you\u2019re familiar with specific platforms we\u2019ve already discussed, such as Facebook and Instagram. But what category do these types fall under? And how can your brand best connect with its audience on each?<\/p>\n

Next, I\u2019ll break down the following types of social networks and the benefits of each:<\/p>\n