Social Networks – Why we love them.

From Facebook, Twitter and Myspace, to LinkedIn, Foursquare and Google Plus, social networking has exploded into the 21^st Century taking a large group of fans along with it. By how, and why, has this phenomenon become such a large part of our lives?

There are so many varying views as to why social networking is as appealing as it is. While some say that we explore the realms of social networks purely for social reasons, as in keeping in touch with old friend and family. Others say that social media is so attractive as it makes it easier to get information regarding products and services, in blogs and online magazines. Some sources even say that, because social networks are easy to use and access, people are so attracted to them for this reason.

World rankings

There is a huge number of social networks in the world; so many in fact, that we in South Africa haven’t even scratched the surface. Sure we have all of the popular sites which feature at the top of the list of favourites when it comes to statistics. However, according to a study done earlier this year there are over 2000 social networks listed. Facebook seems to be the clear favourite in our humble land of 14 million residents, but it only ranks number two in the USA. (With Twitter following at number seven, and Myspace featuring at number 68. – in China, Myspace is the 1881^st favourite)

South African favourite

Facebook and Twitter featured quite predominantly when asking a handful of South African networkers what social networks they were on. All of them said that they are on Facebook, while a few of them mentioned that they have Twitter accounts as well.  Staying in touch with family and friends the main reason for this as it is an easy way of keeping track of what is happening in their lives. While Facebook has the ‘social’ part of ‘social networking’ covered, Twitter brings us closer to the networking aspect. Twitter lets us follow all sorts of people, from celebrities and friends, to magazines and television broadcasters; twitter allows you to network with people similar to you, even you if you don’t know them.  And it’s free, which makes these networks even more attractive.

Three reasons you should join

According to blogger, Lisa Barone, there are 18 reasons to use social media; three of which are:

• Visibility: it’s easy to see what is happening in the lives of those you love, as well as stay up to date with current affairs.
• Who’s on show: Keeping up with the latest happening in showbiz and what shows are in the pipeline.
• Connect: You may have lost contact with a relative or friend and would like to catch up – chances are you’ll find them if you look hard enough.

Growth

Mark Zuckerburg, the creator of Facebook, initially created Facebook with network with friends at Harvard University. Little did he know that he would become the youngest billionaire at the tender age of 23? This was in 2008, three years later and Facebook has become a worldwide hit with everyone from the ten year old next door, to your grandmother – Social media knows no age. In 2008, it’s said that the amount of Twitter users grew by 959%.

There are far more positive attributes surrounding social media than there are negative, however, caution should always be taken when exploring them. Just remember to balance the amount of time you spend on social networks with the time you spend in actual social interactions.