Facebook, Instagram, Twitter; chances are that, if you are a fan of the internet, you’ve at least heard these names before. But what are they? Well reader, these are just three of the largest social media sites on the internet right now. And what's social media you may ask? Well, the Merriam-Webster's dictionary definition of social media is, “forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.” It can be used to bring people closer together, even if they’re miles apart.
Now you may be wondering, who’s the king of the castle? The cream of the crop? The very best, most popular social media site that I need to sign up for right this very instant? The answer isn’t all that surprising. According to Statista, the most popular social media site world-wide as of July 2020 is... Facebook.com! Facebook boasts 2.6 billion active users on its site and that number grows substantially every year. What is Facebook? Facebook is the king of the social networking sites. It allows users to connect with friends, family, colleagues and very distant acquaintances all from the comfort of your computer or smartphone. You can share photos, videos, funny memes, political posts (although I would suggest maybe don’t do that one) and so much more. Many people (approximately 67% of users) rely on Facebook to get their news updates. The average age of a user is between 18 and 45 with the majority of users being males between 18 and 34. The mobile app is incredibly popular with over 4.6 billion downloads. Facebook is a world-wide site that is offered in more than 100 languages. It’s inclusivity, ease of use and slight addictiveness are just some of the reasons why this site is so incredibly popular.
Okay, so Facebook is clearly the behemoth but who else made the top 3? Statista reported that YouTube.com is the second most popular social media site. As of May 2019, it is estimated that there are 2 billion active users who log in and use YouTube every single day.YouTube is a massive, video sharing site where users can either watch or upload content to share with the globe. Your cat is playing with its tail and you think it's cute? You likely aren’t alone. Capture the moment and upload it to the site to share with the billions of users ready to say a collective “awww” along with you. YouTube reports that there is one billion hours worth of content watched every day. That is the equivalent of 41666666.6667 days! The average user’s age is between 18-34 and the preferred method of video watching is via mobile device. This could be either a smartphone or a tablet. YouTube is also known to be incredibly inclusive offering service in over 100 countries and in more than 80 languages, much like Facebook.
So, who takes the third place seat at the winners table? An app called “WhatsApp” has been noted as the third most popular social media world wide. Now, many people may be questioning what WhatsApp is (I know I definitely was!) WhatsApp is a text and voice message app that’s been around for nearly 11 years. WhatsApp allows users to send messages and make calls via a WiFi connection to anyone, anywhere in the world. Say your best friend lives in Australia and you’re hoping to avoid those pesky long distance fees that every phone company charges. Do you have a decent internet connection? Do they? Perfect. WhatsApp will get you two connected in no time at all. This works great for people who have to travel for school or work who want to stay connected with their loved ones. The reason this app is so popular is because of the use of it in international countries. Statista reports that there are over 340 million WhatsApp users living in India, making it the leading country in terms of WhatsApp audience size! The runner up is Brazil with nearly 99 million users. The app prides itself on bringing people together and helping them stay connected no matter how far they are.
There are so many social media platforms out there and each of them are incredibly unique in their own way. However, at the base of each one there is a common goal: connection. Western society has become so incredibly distanced despite there being a larger population than ever before and so we have developed these incredible tools to keep in touch with one another. Are these social media giants not your cup of tea? Why not try one of the 75+ others out there. With so many options, there is bound to be one out there that’s perfect for you!
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