Week 2A - Social Media

I believe most of the social media platforms were started for personal use as a way to communicate and connect with friends, family, and the outside world.  Facebook allows people to create custom profiles and upload photos in order to to connect and engage with other people's profiles.  Instagram allows people to post photos and write words or short phrases, which can be viewed by friends and the public.  People can post inspiring quotes and connect with others on Twitter.  Blogs can be very personal and only meant for few eyes to see and relate to.  Snapchat is also a personal social media platform, where friends can swap temporary photos or short clips and communicate quickly.

LinkedIn is more of a social media platform used for business.  One can create a professional profile and upload a resume which can be viewed by businesses and potential employers.  It allows for networking between businesses as well as friends and other professionals.  Yelp is also a social media platform used by people to review businesses.  It's main use is for personal opinions and reviews of products, restaurants, and local companies, which gives the business a chance to listen and respond to those opinions.  A large number of people check reviews and opinions of their peers online before using a business or product, so sites like Yelp can have a substantial effect on the business.  

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even Snapchat can be used for business as well.  Facebook pages allows for a business page which connects potential consumers to a particular company.  This can provide images, information, event planners, and other ways to engage with people and increase traffic to their website.  Instagram pages can be converted to business pages and used for marketing and promoting products, to connect to online stores, and to provide feedback from consumers as well.  Snapchat is becoming popular with targeted ads, which also goes for Facebook and Instagram.  Twitter can be used by a businesses to engage with their consumers too, by creating hashtags or interesting quotes and by engaging directly with others by commenting/liking.  Youtube is both a personal platform where people can showcase themselves and their talents, hobbies, or skills. and a business platform where companies can create videos, promote products, and work with entertainers to advertise their business too.  

With the shift of consumers to the online world, most all social media platforms can be utilized by businesses through engagement, advertising and ad placements.  While many social media platforms were created for a personal use in mind, the opportunity to engage and connect with consumers has expanded social media's use into the business world.