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What are the Impact of Social Media?

What are the impact of social media

What is the Impact of Social Media on Commerce, Business & Society?

With the emergence of social media, we have seen a considerable amount of change in information and communication technology. Social media has played a key role in this transformation.

Let us have a look at some of the stats that demonstrate the power of Social Media:

  • From the 4.2 billion users, Social Media has 3.03 billion active users
  • More than 90% of the global brands use at least 2 Social Media Accounts
  • Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are responsible for handling around 60 billion messages every day

 

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The process of change is not over yet and we are still witnessing ongoing changes in this sector.

The impact of social media has witnessed heavy growth with the advancement of mobile technology. People spent a large share of their time on mobile devices. Mobile devices provide you with ease to connect with anyone at anywhere and at any time.

This has been a prime reason behind the great upsurge in the use of Social Media. Let us have a look at the number of users that different Social Media platforms have-

Number of Social Media Users

Number of social media users
Number of social media users
  • Facebook: 2.072 billion users
  • YouTube: 1.5 billion users
  • Instagram: 1bn users
  • Flickr: 90 million users
  • Google+: 111 million users
  • LinkedIn: 562 million users
  • MySpace: 15 million users
  • Periscope: 10 million users
  • Pinterest: 200 million users
  • Reddit: 542 million users
  • 4Chan: 27.7 million
  • Airbnb: 150 million users
  • Snapchat: 186 million daily users
  • Twitter: 326 million users
  • Wechat: 1.12 billion users
  • Weibo: 600 million users
  • WhatsApp: 900 million users
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So seeing such an enormous user base, have you ever wondered how social media puts an impact on our lives, let us understand that in a few ways:

1. Impact of Social Media on Commerce

Impact of social media-source- slideshare
Impact of social media on commerce

Since the rise of social media organizations and businesses use this platform to connect with their customers and it has become really popular among them. You will hardly find any organization that doesn’t use social media to establish a connection with its users.

The impact of social media on business is no doubt huge. Organizations understand the essence of social media in building the brand and increasing the overall revenue.

Organizations can use this platform to create offerings for targeted groups and generate insights at the same time. Hence social media plays a major role in the commerce sector.

It has been proven that knowledge sharing can be marginally improved with the usage of social media in the workplace. Full usage of social media at the workplace is recommended by experts as well because it helps in reducing the boundaries, and disparities and helps in creating skills as well as knowledgeable workers.

There is also a negative side of this when lesser social shares can degrade the overall business credibility by leading it to negative social proof.

The use of social media in businesses is very common these days. Unlike in the past, such usage of social media in businesses is no more an exception. Whereas a few companies when experiencing the negative side of social media in their business develop a kind of insecurity with it and tend to remove the sharing button on their website.

Taloon.com from Finland is an e-commerce retailer, and a study has shown that their overall conversion rate witnessed a rise of 11.9% when they removed the sharing button.

Hence the impact of social media on your business can be both positive as well as negative. If you are able to develop trust among your users through social media your overall conversion rates would go high, whereas if the trust of users shook, it can be detrimental for your business and you may experience heavy loss.

2. Positive Impact of Social Media on the Professionals

Positive impact of social media on the professionals
Positive impact of social media on the professionals

Social media affects the recruitment and hiring sector heavily. The phase of this sector has completely changed after the emergence of social media.

Now your resume is not enough to decide your selection but your social media account also plays a very important role in deciding your fate with the hiring company.

The impact of social media on this sector is heavy and this can be estimated by the fact that around 19% of the hiring managers tend to check the social media of the interviewee before making their decision. And the social media profile of that person can become a deciding factor as well.

Another study suggests that more than 60 percent of employers took the help of social media to research job candidates. This is another positive impact of social media as it becomes a medium between hiring authorities and the candidates searching for jobs.

LinkedIn is a really popular platform when it comes to job search. Candidates use this platform to search for various job opportunities whereas companies post their requirements on this platform and for this, you will have to create your own profile on the platform.

3. The Impact of Social Media on Training and Development

Impact of social media on training and development
Impact of social media on training and development

 

Companies these days look for candidates who hold skills in social media as well. If your resume speaks about your professional skills and advanced social media techniques then you become more employable.

Social media has emerged as a learning platform as well. According to various reports, the use of social media has considerably increased in recent years when it comes to using it as a learning platform.

In an interview, more than half of the educators agreed that social media plays a major role in encouraging interactions and creating an environment for learning. Hence we can say that the impact of social media on learning is huge.

These days long-distance learning is possible because of social media platforms. Wiki, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc are various platforms that are most commonly used for learning purposes these days. There are certainly some flaws in these platforms like privacy concerns.

However many users have faced different issues due to these issues but the popularity of the platform has been the same as always. These platforms are still used in the field of education.

A few precautions can help you to save your data from getting stolen on these platforms and you can reduce the privacy issues to a minimum. Use social media to educate yourself.

4. Impact of Social Media on Business

Impact of social media on business
Impact of social media on business

Social media is highly beneficial for your business, if you are not using it then you are missing out on a great opportunity to increase your business. Let us understand what are the major benefits of Social media for any business:

(i) Increasing Brand Awareness

More than half of the world is active on social media hence it becomes the right platform to target potential customers.

As per a report, more than 60 percent of the people say that they discover new products on Instagram hence you can now understand the essence of social media for your business.

Companies have earned profits by promoting their business through social media marketing and you can also do that because it is the only platform that can make you reach a huge number of potential customers in no time.

(ii) Staying in Mind

Studies have shown that most social media users login to their account at least once in a day whereas a majority of people do this multiple times a day. Hence you can use this opportunity to stay on top of their mind.

You can use this platform to interact/connect with your potential customers each and every time they log in to their accounts.

The only thing that you need to take care of is that keep your posts interesting and engaging. Your content should meet the requirements of your users and you need to ensure that you are posting informative content.

You need to make sure that users are happy after reading your content and that they are satisfied at the same time. If you are posting satisfactory content then you will stay on the top of their mind and this can help in growing your business.

(iii) Showing the Human Side of your Brand

Studies have reported that the majority of people only trust the brand that shows a human side of their brand which means that they want to know if the brand is actually meeting the expectations in the real world or not. They want to know if the brand is keeping its promises.

In order to increase your business, you will have to show the human side of your business with the help of social media. You will have to answer the basic questions that every customer asks before making any purchase;

  • If your product really works?
  • What are its merits and demerits of it?
  • What are your brand values?

And so on.

Until and unless you answer these questions, you are not going to get good conversions.

Hence social media platforms can be best used to humanize your brand and answer all the obvious questions of users.

(iv) Increasing the Website Traffic

Increase website traffic
Increase website traffic

You want to increase the traffic on your website and social media platforms can be best used to help out this process. With the help of different types of social media posts and ads, you can drive traffic to your website.

If you are writing good content/blogs on your website then you can share them on your social media account in order to let the users know you have published something and in this way you can increase the traffic to your website.

One of the major benefits of social media is that you can drive new users to your website by sharing your website’s content on your social media account. Before sharing your website’s content on your social media account just make sure that your website’s name is there in the post.

(v) Increasing Sales

Irrespective of the type of product you are willing to sell, you can effectively use social media to sell it. Your social media account plays a major role in increasing or decreasing your overall sales. You can reach to new customers through this platform.

Since the number of users on social media platforms is continuously increasing, you can use this platform to increase the number of your customers.

5. Impact of Social Media on Society & Personal Relationships

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO2onZwxBkM

The impact of Social Media has changed the manner in which we see ourselves, and the manner in which we see our personal relationships, plus it has also affected the manner in which we connect with our general surroundings.

While web-based life has numerous positive benefits such as advancing consciousness of social causes, promoting organizations, and helping better relationships between people who may have never met without Social Media, the over-utilization of such web-based life systems can likewise prompt adverse ramifications as well.

While there are endless upsides to innovation and Social networking has enormously expanded correspondence crosswise over societies, it is basic that we look at the negative ramifications that web-based life use has had on the human experience.

The abuse of Social Media is a worldwide issue affecting all ages and research has appeared excessive web use can have an exceedingly negative effect on our psychological and emotional wellbeing.

Numerous individuals who excessively use Social Media as their primary type of correspondence, report feeling restless and depressed once they are out of their favorite Social Media Platform. Side effects of uneasiness, anxiety, gloom, depression, FOMO, and OCD can be activated by the abuse of web-based life, as people are continually worried about their posts and speaking with others.

So, being a little conscious about the use of Social Media is important in ensuring productive and positive outcomes for you. As the fame of Social Media Sites constantly develops, networks, for example, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram keep on advancing.

With their right use, you will be enjoying benefits in marketing, social networking, and self-articulation.

Social Media and Mental Health

Nowadays, social media has become an integral part of our lives. It is a platform where we can connect with friends and family, share our thoughts and experiences, and stay updated on what is happening in the world. While social media can have many positive effects, it can also be detrimental to our mental health.

There is a growing body of research that explores the link between social media and mental health. Studies have found that there is a correlation between social media use and increased levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. This is likely due to the fact that social media can be a source of comparison, negative feedback, and cyberbullying.

When people compare themselves to others on social media, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. This is especially true when we compare our lives to the highlight reels that people tend to post on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. We often forget that people only show their best side on social media and that everyone has struggles and problems that they don’t share online.

Another way that social media can impact our mental health is through the negative feedback we receive from others. When we put ourselves out there on social media, we open ourselves up to both positive and negative comments from others. While it’s great to receive compliments and support from our friends and family, it can be hurtful to read mean or insensitive comments from strangers. Cyberbullying is a serious problem, especially among young people, and it can have a very negative impact on mental health.

Lastly, social media can make us feel more isolated and alone. Even though we are connected to people online, we may not be getting the face-to-face interaction that is so important for our mental health. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and anxiety.

So, what can we do to mitigate the negative effects of social media on our mental health?

How to resolve Negative Impacts of Social Media

First, it’s important to be aware of how social media is impacting your mood and wellbeing. If you find that you’re feeling more anxious or depressed after using social media, it might be time to take a break. Even taking a few days off from social media can make a big difference in how you feel.

It’s also important to be mindful of the people and accounts that you follow on social media. Make sure that you’re only following people who make you feel good about yourself. Unfollow or block anyone who is making you feel bad. And, if you see something negative or hurtful online, don’t hesitate to report it.

Finally, remember to focus on real-life relationships as well. Social media should complement your life, not replace it. Spend time with family and friends, go outside, and do things that make you happy. These activities will help you maintain your mental health and wellbeing, even when social media isn’t so positive.

Positive Effects of Social Media

Building Relationships and Staying Connected:

Social media has helped people connect with friends and family all over the world. With just a few clicks, we can stay in touch with the people we care about most.

Sharing Expertise and Knowledge:

Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are great for sharing articles, blog posts, and other pieces of content that can help others learn and grow.

Getting Support:

When we’re feeling down, it can be helpful to turn to social media for support. There are many online communities dedicated to mental health, chronic illness, and more. These communities can provide invaluable support and understanding.

Promoting Causes:

Social media is an excellent way to raise awareness for causes that are important to you. With just a few clicks, you can share information about important issues with your friends and family.

Connecting With Like-minded People:

If you’re looking to connect with others who share your interests, social media is a great place to start. There are numerous online groups and forums dedicated to hobbies, religions, and more.

Staying Informed:

Social media is a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest news and current events. You can follow your favorite news outlets, or even join online conversations about the topics you’re interested in.

Finding a Job:

LinkedIn is a popular social media platform for professionals. It’s a great way to connect with potential employers and find job openings.

Networking:

Social media is a great way to expand your professional network. You can connect with colleagues, clients, and others in your industry.

Increasing Web Presence:

If you’re a small business owner or freelance worker, social media can help you increase your web presence and reach new customers.

Boosting Your SEO:

By sharing links to your website and blog on social media, you can increase your site’s search engine ranking. This will help more people find your content online.

Negative Effects of Social Media

Cyberbullying:

Unfortunately, social media can be used to bully and harass others. Cyberbullying is a serious problem that can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide.

Addiction:

Many people become addicted to social media and the attention it provides. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and anxiety.

Comparison:

Social media can make us feel bad about ourselves. We compare our lives to the highlight reels of others and come up feeling not good enough.

FOMO:

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a real phenomenon. Social media can make us feel like we’re missing out on important events or activities.

Time Waster:

It’s easy to waste hours scrolling through social media. This can lead to feelings of guilt and frustration.

Distraction:

Social media can be a major distraction, especially when we’re trying to focus on other tasks. This can impact our productivity and make it difficult to get things done.

Sleep Issues:

Staring at a screen late at night can disrupt our sleep patterns and leave us feeling tired during the day.

Impact on Mental Health:

Research has shown that there is a correlation between social media use and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. If you’re struggling with your mental health, it’s important to talk to a doctor or therapist. They can help you manage your social media use in a healthy way.

Decreased face-to-face communication:

social media use can lead to decreased face-to-face communication. This can impact our ability to connect with others and make meaningful relationships.

Isolation and loneliness:

Too much time on social media can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. This is especially true if we’re comparing our lives to the highlight reels of others.

Loss of privacy:

Social media can be a great way to connect with others, but it also comes with a loss of privacy. Once something is posted online, it’s there for anyone to see.

Security and safety risks:

Social media can also pose security and safety risks. For example, predators can use social media to target children and adults. And, hackers can use social media to gain access to personal information.

Power of Social Media for Businesses

Improved Customer Service:

Social media provides a great way to improve customer service. Customers can reach out to businesses with questions or concerns, and businesses can quickly respond.

Feedback:

Customers can use social media to provide feedback about your products or services. This feedback can help you improve your offerings and make your business more successful.

Advertising:

Social media is a great way to advertise your business. You can target ads to specific demographics, and you can track the results of your campaigns.

Increased Sales:

Social media can lead to increased sales for your business. By connecting with potential customers on social media, you can generate interest in your products or services.

Brand Awareness:

Social media is a great way to increase brand awareness for your business. When people see your business on social media, they’re more likely to remember it.

Increased Website Traffic:

Social media can also lead to increased traffic to your website. By sharing links to your website on social media, you can get more people to visit your site.

Better Search Engine Rankings:

Sharing links to your website and blog on social media can also help improve your site’s search engine ranking. This will make it easier for people to find your content online.

In Conclusion…

Now the time has come to wrap up this post, and we hope you would have grasped what are the productive outcomes you can get from Social Media. You must have understood how powerful it is for the businesses in widening the audience base, generating leads, and boosting sales.

By joining Social Media Marketing Course, you can learn and master these Social Media Marketing skills with great ease that will empower your business to enjoy the optimized presence on the web.

Feel free to share your views on the impact of Social Media in the comments below.

FAQs

Question – What are the positive effects of social media?

Some of the positives associated with social media are staying informed, networking, boosting your SEO, and increasing your web presence.

Question – What are the negative effects of social media?

Some of the negatives associated with social media are cyberbullying, addiction, comparison, FOMO, time-wasting, distraction, sleep issues, and decreased face-to-face communication.

Question – Can social media impact mental health?

Yes, social media can have a negative impact on mental health. If you’re struggling with your mental health, it’s important to talk to a doctor or therapist. They can help you manage your social media use in a healthy way.

Question – How can I avoid the negative effects of social media?

There are a few things you can do to avoid the negative effects of social media: set limits on your use, take breaks from scrolling, unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself, and focus on connecting with people offline.

Question – Is social media bad for you?

There is no simple answer to this question. Social media can be good or bad depending on how it’s used. If you’re struggling with your mental health, it’s important to talk to a doctor or therapist. They can help you manage your social media use in a healthy way.

 

Avatar of garima kakkar
Garima Kakkar
Garima is a data-driven marketing manager who is buff of Big Data, Digital Marketing & Social Media. Conceiving and executing Digital Marketing Strategies that focus on the audience engagement and acquisition/growth are her strong suits. Writing blogs is something that she holds high for sharing her expertise of which you can get the dividends here, through Digital Vidya blogs.

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