classification essay on social media users

Types of Social Media Users

One of the many changes brought about by the Digital Revolution was the appearance of social media websites and phone applications that have transformed the way people communicate and share news, opinions, facts, and ideas in the 21 st century.

For the first time in history, people went from being passive consumers of information to its creators, as they are now able to share everything they experience not only through text, but also through videos, photos, songs, and a variety of other means. Based on how many social media platforms individuals use and how actively they participate there, users can be divided into the following six categories: no-shows, newcomers, onlookers, cliquers, mix-n-minglers, and sparks.

Before proceeding to explain the differences between these groups, it is important to understand what the term “social media” actually means. This term is often confused with a subtype of social media – social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, but it is, in fact, much broader. Evans defines it as “participatory online media where news, photos, videos, and podcasts are made public via social media websites through submission” (46).

Thus, social media includes not only one’s personal profile created for communication with others, but it also consists of a range of other services like YouTube, SoundCloud, Wikipedia, Pinterest, Tumblr, and phone applications such as Snapchat, Instagram, and Foursquare, to name just a few. These tools use different kinds and combinations of content, such as visual, textual, and auditory, but their common trait is that their users, who can be a teenager in Malaysia or a professor in Germany, are the ones generating their content.

Currently, social media is used not only for daily communication by individuals, but also by politicians, governments, and companies. Statistics best demonstrate its growing importance in everyday life. As of 2015, 65% of adults in America use social media sites, compared to only 11% ten years earlier (Loechner par. 1). The use of social media also becomes more and more widespread, regardless of demographic differences.

For example, in 2005 only 2% of those 65 and older used social media, while currently, this number has grown to 35% (Loechner par. 4). There are no significant gender and racial differences between social media users, and the main demographic difference concerns individuals’ level of income and their place of living – urban or rural areas (Loechner par. 5-7). This difference thus does not mean that these people do not want to use social media, but rather that they do not have the necessary technology or infrastructure for that.

Therefore, when it comes to the classification of social media users, the two most important characteristics are their level of participation (how often they post something or otherwise engage with the website) and the degree of their exposure to different platforms (how many sites they use). Based on these two criteria, Dyer writes about a six-group classification of social media users: no-shows, newcomers, onlookers, cliquers, mix-n-minglers, and sparks (par. 6-11).

Common traits of no-shows and newcomers are low exposure and passive participation on social media platforms. No-shows, or those who created a profile but rarely or almost never use it, make up about 41% of social media users. They are typically elderly people who do not trust new media and are not interested in using it (Dyer par. 6). Newcomers are slightly more active than no-shows as they use social media, namely social networks, to maintain their real-life relationships, and they represent about 15% of users. However, newcomers usually join these websites not because they are genuinely interested but because they did not want to feel “left out” (Dyer par. 7). The network of choice for these groups is usually Facebook.

On the other side of the spectrum are the onlookers, who, while being passive participants, are exposed to more social media platforms. They make up about 16% of all users, and they frequently visit social media websites to learn the news from the lives of others but rarely post themselves. Onlookers are silent watchers because they like to maintain tight control of their personal information (Dyer par. 8).

Their complete opposites are the cliques, making up about 6% of social media users. Just like no-shows and newcomers, cliquers’ presence on social media is usually limited to one network, mainly Facebook. However, they participate actively by sharing photos and posting and commenting on status updates. Cliquers are usually known only within their smaller circle of friends and acquaintances, but they are quite influential within this circle (Dyer par. 9).

Finally, there are two groups of users who are present across several social media platforms where they actively create and engage with content. The more populated group, representing 19% of all users, has been labeled as mix-n-minglers. Apart from their regular day-to-day communication with their friends, mix-n-minglers use social media to learn the latest news and to follow influential people and brands.

When communicating online, mix-n-minglers both maintain old relationships and create new ones with other active users (Dyer par. 10). Sparks, the rarest group of users, representing only about 3% of total users, are just very active mix-n-minglers. For sparks, social media is another tool for self-expression: rather than merely following others, they actively create content and become the ones who are followed (Dyer par. 11). They do not just listen to online conversations – they shape them.

Classification based on participation and exposure is important because, as research indicates, it can also reveal additional information about the personality characteristics of users in each category. On-lookers, mix-n-minglers, and sparks are more likely to be teenagers and young adults, as Millennials (those born in the 1990s and later) grew up in the digital era and are thus considered “digital natives” (Correa, Hinsley, and Zúñiga 252).

For them, social media is part of their entire life experience, while “digital immigrants”, or those in their 40s and older, see it as a change to which they need to adapt (Correa, Hinsley, and Zúñiga 252). Elderly people and adults thus mostly fall in the categories of no-shows and newcomers. Apart from age differences, this classification also reveals different lifestyle choices and personality traits: the more actively people participate in social media, the more extraverted and open to new experiences they tend to be (Correa, Hinsley, and Zúñiga 252).

This classification thus provides many insights for anyone interested in understanding how people use and engage with social media. Most importantly, it can help marketing and advertising professionals reach out to their potential customers by placing advertisements on platforms they frequently visit and by adjusting the content to this specific group. For similar reasons, it also serves as an important networking and political campaigning tool. Therefore, those who would like to use social media for professional purposes should consider the kind of users they are looking to engage – no-shows, newcomers, onlookers, cliquers, mix-n-minglers, or sparks – and then choose the appropriate platform and methods for doing so.

Works Cited

Correa, Teresa, Amber Willard Hinsley, and Homero Gil De Zúñiga. “Who Interacts on the Web?: The Intersection of Users’ Personality and Social Media Use.” Computers in Human Behavior 26.2 (2010): 247-53. Web.

Dyer, Pam. “The 6 Types Of Social Media Users.” Social Media Today . 2012. Web.

Evans, Dave. Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day . Indianapolis, Indiana: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Web.

Loechner, Jack. “65% Of All American Adults Using Social Media.” MediaPost.  2015. MediaPost Communications . Web.

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Ultimate guide to writing a classification essay, carla johnson.

• June 14, 2023
• Essay Topics and Ideas , How to Guides

When it comes to writing an essay, you can choose from many different kinds. A classification essay is one type of essay you might be asked to write. This article will tell you everything you need to know about how to write a classification essay.

A classification essay is a type of academic writing in which things, people, or ideas are put into groups based on the things they have in common. The goal of a classification essay is to help readers understand a complicated topic better by breaking it down into smaller, easier-to-understand pieces.

It’s important to write a classification essay for more than one reason. First, it lets you show how well you can analyze and organize information in a way that makes sense. Second, it helps you learn how to think critically because you have to judge and compare different things or ideas. Lastly, it can help readers who are trying to understand a complicated topic by breaking it up into smaller pieces.

In the sections that follow, we’ll give you a step-by-step plan for how to write a good classification essay. By following these rules, you’ll be able to write a well-organized, interesting essay that puts your topic into clear categories and gives your readers useful information.

What You'll Learn

Understanding the Elements of a Classification Essay

To write a successful classification essay, it is important to understand the elements that make up this type of academic writing. These include:

– Definition of classification: Classification is the process of organizing items, people, or ideas into categories based on shared characteristics. In a classification essay, you will use this process to group your topic into different categories that you will then explore in detail.

– Types of classification: There are several different ways to classify items or ideas, including by physical characteristics , function, importance, and chronological order. The type of classification you choose will depend on the specific topic you are exploring and the purpose of your essay .

– The importance of classification in writing a classification essay: Classification is a crucial element of a classification essay, as it allows you to effectively organize your ideas and present them in a way that is logical and easy to understand. By categorizing your topic, you will be able to provide valuable insights for your readers and help them better understand a complex topic.

Choosing a Topic for Your Classification Essay

Once you understand the elements of a classification essay, the next step is to choose a topic that is appropriate for this type of academic writing. Here are some tips to help you choose a topic for your classification essay:

– Identifying your audience: Before you choose a topic, it is important to consider your audience. Think about who will be reading your essay and what their interests and needs are. This will help you tochoose a topic that is relevant and engaging for your readers.

– Brainstorming ideas: Once you have identified your audience, start brainstorming ideas for your classification essay. Think about topics that you are knowledgeable about and that are interesting to you. Consider different categories that you could use to classify your topic.

– Narrowing down your topic: After you have generated a list of potential topics, it is important to narrow down your options. Choose a topic that is specific enough to be manageable, but broad enough to provide you with enough material to write about.

– Finalizing your topic: Choose a final topic for your classification essay once you have narrowed down your list. Make sure your topic is clear and to the point, and that it is relevant to the people you are writing for.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to choose a topic for your classification essay that is appropriate, interesting, and relevant to your readers. Make sure to pick a topic that is narrow enough to be manageable but wide enough to give you enough to write about. Once you have a good topic for your classification essay, you can move on to the next steps.

Pre-Writing Strategies for Your Classification Essay

Before you start writing your classification essay, it’s important to take some time to prepare and plan your approach. Here are some pre-writing strategies to help you get started:

– Conducting research: Depending on your topic, you may need to conduct research to gather information and examples to support your categories . This research can come from a variety of sources, including books, academic articles, and online sources.

– Creating an outline: Once you have gathered your research, create an outline for your essay . This will help you to organize your ideas and ensure that your essay flows logically and cohesively. Your outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

– Developing a thesis statement: Your thesis statement is the main idea or argument that you will be exploring in your essay . It should be clear, concise, and focused on the categories that you will be exploring in your essay .

– Organizing your ideas: Once you have created your outline and developed your thesis statement , organize your ideas into categories. Think about the different ways that you can group your topic and create categories based on shared characteristics.

Writing Your Classification Essay

Now that you have completed your pre-writing strategies, it’s time to start writing your classification essay. Here is a breakdown of the different sections of your essay:

– Introduction: Your introduction should provide an overview of your topic and a clear thesis statement that outlines the categories you will be exploring in your essay.You should also provide some context for your topic and engage the reader’s interest.

– Body paragraphs: The main part of your essay should be broken up into paragraphs that each talk about a different topic . Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that says what category you will be talking about, and then back up your classification with examples and evidence. Use transitional phrases to link your paragraphs and help your reader see how your categories are related.

– Conclusion: Your conclusion should summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis statement in a memorable way. You can also provide some final thoughts or recommendations based on your classification.

Remember to use clear and concise language throughout your essay, and to provide examples and evidence to support your categories. By following these guidelines, you can create a well-organized and compelling classification essay that effectively categorizes your topic and provides valuable insights for your readers.

Tips for Writing a Successful Classification Essay

To write a successful classification essay, it’s important to keep the following tips in mind:

– Use appropriate language and tone: Your language and tone should be appropriate for your audience and the purpose of your essay . Use clear and concise language, and avoid using jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to your readers.

– Make use of examples: Examples can help to illustrate your categories and provide evidence to support your claims . Use specific and relevant examples to help the reader understand the characteristics of each category.

– Use transitional words and phrases: Transitional words and phrases can help to connect your categories and create a smooth and cohesive flow in your essay . Examples include “firstly”, “secondly”, “in addition”, and “furthermore”.

– Use evidence to support your claims: It’s important to use evidence to support your claims and to make your argument more convincing. This evidence can come from a variety of sources, including research, personal experience, and expert opinion.

– Revise and edit your essay: Finally, it’s important to take the time to revise and edit your essay . Read through your essay carefully , checking for spelling and grammar errors, and making sure that your ideas are clear and well-organized.

 Classification Essay Examples

Examples of classification essays:.

1. “The Three Types of Friends Everyone Needs” by John Smith:

In this essay, the author categorizes friends into three types: the listener, the adventurer, and the loyalist. The author provides specific examples and personal experiences to illustrate each category, and uses transitional phrases to connect each paragraph. The thesis statement is clear and focused, and the language and tone are appropriate for the audience. Overall, this essay is well-organized and effectively categorizes the different types of friends.

2. “The Four Main Types of Exercise” by Jane Doe:

In this essay, the author categorizes exercise into four types: aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance. The author provides examples and evidence to support each category, and uses transitional words and phrases to connect each paragraph. The thesis statement is clear and focused, and the language and tone are appropriate for the audience. Overall, this essay is well-organized and effectively categorizes the different types of exercise.

3. “The Five Types of Online Shoppers” by Sarah Johnson:

In this essay, the author categorizes online shoppers into five types: the bargain hunter, the researcher, the impulse buyer, the loyal customer, and the window shopper. The author provides examples and evidence to support each category, and uses transitional phrases to connect each paragraph. The thesis statement is clear and focused, and the language and tone are appropriate for the audience. Overall, this essay is well-organized and effectively categorizes the different types of online shoppers.

Analysis of the examples:

The structure and approach of all three examples of classification essays are the same. The authors give a clear thesis statement , group their ideas into categories, and back up their claims with examples and evidence. They also use transitional words and phrases to link their categories together and give their essays a smooth flow.

One of the things that makes these essays good is that they use examples and proof to back up their categories. By giving real-world examples, the authors are able to show what each category is like and make their case stronger. Another strength is that the language is clear and to the point, which is good for the audience and purpose of the essay.

One thing that could be better about these essays is that each category should be looked at in more depth. Even though the authors give examples to back up their claims, they could have gone into more detail about what each category is and how it fits into the bigger picture.

Classification Essay Topics

Here are some ideas to get you started:

– Types of social media users

– Different types of diets

– Types of students in a classroom

– Types of pet owners

– Different types of music genres

– Types of vacation destinations

– Different types of book genres

– Types of movie genres

– Different types of coffee drinks

– Types of personality traits

Frequently Asked Questions about Classification Essays

1. what is a classification essay.

A classification essay is a type of academic writing that involves organizing items, people, or ideas into categories based on shared characteristics.

2. What are the elements of a classification essay?

The elements of a classification essay include a clear thesis statement, organized categories, examples and evidence to support each category, and transitional words and phrases to connect each paragraph.

3. How do I choose a topic for a classification essay?

To choose a topic for your classification essay, consider your audience, brainstorm ideas, narrow down your topic, and finalize your topic.

4. How do I structure my classification essay?

Your classification essay should include an introduction with a clear thesis statement, body paragraphs that explore each category, and a conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis statement.

5. What is a classification essay thesis?

A classification essay thesis is the main idea or argument that you will be exploring in your essay. It should be clear,concise, and focused on the categories you will be exploring in your essay.

In this article , we’ve told you everything you need to know about how to write a classification essay. First, we talked about what a classification essay is and why you should write one. Then, we talked about the parts of a classification essay, such as the different kinds of classification and how important it is to organize your ideas.

We also gave you advice on how to choose a topic, do research, make an outline, and come up with a thesis statement. We talked about how a classification essay is put together, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Then, to help you get started, we gave you some examples of classification essay topics and answered some of the most common questions about classification essays.

In the end, writing a classification essay can be hard, but it can also be fun. By following the tips in this article, you can write a well-organized, interesting essay that puts your topic into categories and gives your readers useful information. Make sure to choose a specific and manageable topic, use the right language and tone, and back up your categories with examples and evidence. If you have these tools, you should be able to write a good classification essay.

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Classification Essay

A Beginner’s Guide to Classification Essay + Examples, Topics, & Tips

10 min read

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Classification Essay Outline - A Step By Step Guide

A List of 270+ Classification Essay Topics for Your Next Assignment

Have you ever tried organizing your wardrobe, and separating clothes by color or style to make your mornings smoother? Well, imagine doing the same with your thoughts and ideas.

This is what a classification essay does. It offers a way to understand a topic or idea by categorizing and classifying it.

This type of essay is assigned to evaluate students’ critical thinking skills and their ability to define and categorize things on a specific basis. 

In this guide, we will learn how to write a classification essay step by step. Plus, you will also get to read some good essay examples and interesting topics to write about. 

Let’s read on!

• 1. What is a Classification Essay?
• 2. How to Write a Classification Essay?
• 3. Classification Essay Examples 
• 4. Classification Essay Topics
• 5. Tips for Writing an Effective Classification Essay

What is a Classification Essay?

A classification essay can be defined as an essay that aims to arrange its subjects in categories based on their characteristics. In other words, it's about grouping things together that share common traits.

For example, imagine you're at a library, and each book is a unique idea. The classification essay is your way of creating distinct shelves and arranging those books in an orderly fashion. It is a mixture of expository and analytical essays, as it seeks to establish, discuss, and analyze a subject’s properties and characteristics. 

Moreover, it is also related to definition essays. Things are defined by their characteristics and categories to which they belong, and so the boundaries between a classification and definition essays are often blurred.

How to Write a Classification Essay?

Here are the steps you need to follow to write an excellent classification essay.

Following are the steps that should be taken to start an impressive classification essay:

Step 1: Choose a Topic

The first crucial step is selecting a topic that provides an opportunity for useful classification. Whether it's types of movies, learning styles, or modes of transportation, your topic sets the stage for a well-organized exploration.

Here's how to navigate this crucial first step:

• Breadth and Relevance: Select for a topic that is broad enough to offer multiple categories but specific enough to maintain focus. For instance, instead of "sports," consider "types of outdoor recreational activities."
• Consider Your Audience: Think about who will be reading your essay. Tailor your topic to their interests and knowledge level. A topic that resonates with your audience ensures that your classifications have a meaningful impact.
• Room for Exploration: Look for a topic with room for exploration. A good classification essay not only categorizes but also highlights nuances within each category. This adds depth to your writing and keeps your readers engaged.

Step 2: Conduct Research 

Now that you've chosen a compelling topic, it's time to delve into the world of research. Gather information to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the categories you plan to explore. With good research, you will have solid foundations for your classifications.

Here's how to gather the necessary information to enrich your classification essay:

• Consult Reliable Sources: Start by consulting reputable sources such as books, academic journals, and credible websites. The information you gather should be accurate and up-to-date.
• Diversify Your Sources: Get a well-rounded understanding by exploring a variety of sources. The more perspectives you study, the more comprehensive your classifications will be.
• Take Detailed Notes: As you conduct your research, take detailed notes on relevant information, examples, and any noteworthy details. This will help in outlining and drafting your essay later.
• Stay Organized: Keep your research organized. A systematic approach will save you time when you start outlining your essay.

Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas About Your Subject

To start writing a classification essay, it is important to first decide on a clear and specific criteria for classification. With credible information in hand, let your creativity flow. 

Jot down all the possible categories related to your chosen topic. This brainstorming phase is about exploring various angles and finding the most meaningful ways to categorize your subject matter.

This essay’s purpose is to define and discriminate between subjects, so make sure that the categories are well-defined and clear. 

Step 4: Develop a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement establishes the writer’s stance on the topic and their central argument. It is important to draft a strong thesis statement for an effective and persuasive classification essay. 

Once you’ve researched and established your categories, it's time to distill your focus into a concise thesis statement. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Your thesis should clearly state the main categories you will explore in your essay. Avoid vague or overly broad statements. The reader should have a precise understanding of what to expect.
• The thesis statement is the central idea around which your entire essay revolves. It should convey the main point or purpose of your classification. 
• It should also provide a roadmap, indicating the organization of your upcoming arguments.

Step 5: Draft an Outline

Now that you have a well-crafted thesis statement, it's time to organize your thoughts and create a roadmap for your classification essay. A classification essay outline should include these points:

Step 6: Write Your First Draft

Once you have the necessary information and an organized plan, it is time to start writing your classification essay. To draft an effective and flawless essay, follow the writing steps given below:

• Write an Essay Introduction

The introduction is the first part of the essay. In this part, you need to catch the reader’s attention and introduce them to your topic. To make your introduction appealing,

• Start with a catchy hook statement. A hook statement is the opening line of the introductory paragraph that attempts to draw the reader’s attention. 
• Provide sufficient background and context for your topic.
• Close your introduction with a strong thesis statement that highlights your central point. 
• Draft the Body Paragraphs

The body section will contain three or more paragraphs depending on your arguments. The body paragraphs follow and justify the thesis statement made earlier in the introduction. Here’s how to write your body paragraphs:

• Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that presents the main point of that paragraph.
• Provide examples, arguments, and relevant information in each paragraph to establish your argument. 
• Provide a detailed analysis of your subject to justify your categorizations.
• Connect body paragraphs to each other through transition words and phrases. This is important for maintaining a logical flow.
• Write a Strong Conclusion

The conclusion is the last paragraph, where you put together all the arguments made in the body paragraphs. Follow these tips to write a good conclusion:

• Summarize the main categories without introducing new information.
• Reiterate the significance of your classifications and their impact on understanding the topic.
• End with a memorable closing statement that leaves a lasting impression.

Step 7: Revise, Edit, & Improve Your Draft

Congratulations on completing your first draft! However, your work is not done just yet. Your first draft could be full of mistakes and weaknesses, so you need to elevate it through the revision, editing, and improvement process. Here’s what you should do to ensure that your final draft is perfect:

• Review the Overall Structure: Ensure that your introduction sets the stage effectively, each body paragraph is coherent, and the conclusion ties everything together without introducing new information.
• Check for Clarity and Consistency: See that your language is clear and your ideas are presented logically. Check for consistency in tone and style throughout.
• Refine Thesis Statement: Revisit your thesis statement. Does it accurately reflect the content of your essay? Make adjustments if needed to ensure it aligns with the final draft.
• Trim Unnecessary Details: Trim any redundant or unnecessary details. Keep your writing concise and focused on the defining characteristics of each category.
• Proofread for Errors: Thoroughly proofread your essay for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. A polished essay enhances your credibility as a writer.
• Get Feedback: Consider seeking feedback from peers, professors, or writing professionals. Fresh perspectives can identify areas for improvement that you might have overlooked.
• Final Polish: Give your essay a final polish. Ensure that it aligns with your original vision and effectively communicates your ideas.

Classification Essay Examples 

Before starting the writing process, it is better to look at some of the classification essay examples. This way, you will get a better understanding of how these essays are written. 

Here are some classification essay examples to help you get started.

Classification Essay Sample

Division and Classification Essay Example

Exemplification and Classification Essay Example

Types of Friends Classification Essay

Classification Essay on Relationships

Classification Essay Topics

Choosing the right topic is the cornerstone of creating a captivating classification essay. Here's a short but diverse list of classification essay ideas to spark your imagination.

• Types of Social Media Users
• Genres of Music
• Learning Styles
• Forms of Government
• Types of Movie Endings
• Modes of Transportation
• Gaming Genres
• Personality Types in a Workplace
• Human Responses to Stress
• Various Kinds of Study Habits

Need more ideas? Head to our classification essay topics blog and get a list of interesting ideas to choose from!

Tips for Writing an Effective Classification Essay

Mastering the art of classification essays requires more than just following a set of steps. Consider these tips to enhance the quality and impact of your classification essays:

• Choose a Niche Topic: Opt for a topic that allows for meaningful categorization. A focused and specific subject ensures a more in-depth exploration of categories.
• Provide Clear Criteria: Clearly define the criteria used to categorize items. Whether it's characteristics, functions, or behaviors, explicit criteria add depth and clarity to your classifications.
• Ensure Balanced Categories: Strive for balance in the depth and coverage of each category. Avoid spending disproportionate time on one category, as it can disrupt the overall equilibrium of your essay.
• Use Consistent Characteristics: Maintain consistency in the characteristics you use to define each category. This ensures a coherent and logical progression throughout your essay.
• Think About Your Audience: Consider your audience's interests and knowledge level. Tailor your classifications to resonate with your readers, making the essay more engaging and relevant to them.
• Include Vivid Examples: Illustrate each category with vivid and relevant examples. Concrete examples provide a clearer understanding and make your classifications more compelling.
• Stay Objective: Maintain objectivity in your classifications. Avoid biases and ensure that your categories are based on observable and verifiable characteristics.
• Read Widely: Expose yourself to a variety of classification essays. Knowing other points of views can provide inspiration, insights, and a deeper understanding of effective categorization.

In conclusion,

A classification essay is a unique and interesting kind of writing with a few special requirements. Having read its definition and writing steps above, you now know what they are: It requires you to categorize your subject based on its features and argue for its validity. 

Following the steps and tips above will allow you to craft an A-worthy classification essay. The key to success comes down to pre-writing preparation and meticulous editing and revisions. Start early, plan your essay, figure out the categories, write, and rewrite until you’re satisfied.

Still need expert help? No worries! We fully understand your writing challenges. 

At MyPerfectWords.com, you can get assistance from professional writers for any type of essay, regardless of your topic. Our experienced and expert writers write amazing essays for you according to your needs and requirements.

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Most existing works on categorization of social media users in online social networks (OSNs) consider only the topical interest of users as the basis for user classification.  The temporal evolution of user topical interests has not been thoroughly studied to identify their effects on the classification of social users. In this paper, we investigate the problem of discovering/classifying and tracking time-sensitive activity-driven social user classification in OSNs. The users in a particular class have the tendency to be temporally similar in terms of their temporal degree of topical interests. Our main idea is based on the observation that the degree of users’ topical interests often degrades or upgrades widely over a period of time. The temporal tendency of user activities is modeled as the freshness of recent activities by tracking the social streams with a fading time window.

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Computer Science and Engineering Department, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Bangladesh

Murad Hossen, Tamanna Afrose, Atashi Mani Ghosh & Md. Musfique Anwar

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Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, Rajasthan, India

Harish Sharma

Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Swami Keshvanand Institute of Technology, Jaipur, India

Mukesh Kumar Gupta

Birla Institute of Applied Sciences, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India

G. S. Tomar

School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

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Hossen, M., Afrose, T., Ghosh, A.M., Anwar, M.M. (2021). Classification of Social Media Users Based on Temporal Behaviors and Interests. In: Sharma, H., Gupta, M.K., Tomar, G.S., Lipo, W. (eds) Communication and Intelligent Systems. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 204. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1089-9_72

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The rise of social media

Social media sites are used by more than two-thirds of internet users. how has social media grown over time.

This article is an archived version of an article published in 2019. Due to data availability, the article and charts will not be updated.

Facebook, the largest social media platform in the world, had 2.4 billion users in 2019. Other social media platforms, including YouTube and WhatsApp, also had over one billion users each.

These numbers are huge – in 2019, there were 7.7 billion people worldwide, with at least 3.5 billion online . This means social media platforms were used by one in three people worldwide and more than two-thirds of all Internet users.

Social media has changed the world. The rapid and vast adoption of these technologies is changing how we find partners , access information from the news, and organize to demand political change .

Who uses social media? When did the rise of social media start, and how has the number of users changed over time? Here we answer these and other key questions to understand the history of social media worldwide.

We begin with an outline of key trends and conclude with a perspective on the social media adoption rate relative to other modern communication technologies.

Social media started in the early 2000s

MySpace was the first social media site to reach a million monthly active users – it achieved this milestone around 2004. This is arguably the beginning of social media as we know it. 1

In the chart, we plot monthly active users across various platforms since 2004.

Some large social media sites, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Reddit, have been around for ten or more years, but others are much newer.

TikTok, for example, launched in September 2016, and by mid-2018, it had already reached half a billion users. To put this in perspective: TikTok gained, on average, about 20 million new users per month over this period.

The data also shows rapid changes in the opposite direction. Once-dominant platforms have disappeared. In 2008, Hi5, MySpace, and Friendster were close competitors to Facebook, yet by 2012 they had virtually no market share. The case of MySpace is remarkable, considering that in 2006 it temporarily surpassed Google as the most visited website in the US.

Most social media platforms that survived the last decade have shifted significantly in what they offer users. Twitter, for example, didn’t allow users to upload videos or images initially. Since 2011 this has been possible, and today, more than 50% of the content viewed on Twitter includes images and videos.

Facebook dominated the social media market for a decade, but five other platforms also have more than half a billion users

With 2.3 billion users, Facebook was the most popular social media platform in 2019. YouTube, Instagram, and WeChat followed, with over a billion users. Tumblr and TikTok came next, with over half a billion users.

The bar chart shows a ranking of the top social media platforms.

Some social media sites are particularly popular among specific population groups

The aggregate numbers mask a great deal of heterogeneity across platforms. Some social media sites are much more popular than others among specific population groups.

In general, young people are more likely to use social media than older people. But some platforms are much more popular among younger people. This is shown in the chart where we plot the breakdown of social media use by age group in the US.

For Snapchat and Instagram, the ‘age gradient’ is exceptionally steep – the popularity of these platforms drops much faster with age. Most people under 25 use Snapchat (73%), while only 3% of people over 65 use it.

Since these platforms are relatively new, it’s hard to know how much of this age gradient results from a “cohort effect”. In other words: it’s unclear whether today’s young people will continue using Snapchat as they age. If they do, the age gradient will narrow.

Let’s now look at gender differences.

This chart shows the percentage of men and women that used different platforms in the US in 2021—the diagonal line marks parity. Sites above the diagonal line are more popular among women, and those below are more popular among men.

For some platforms, the gender differences are substantial. The share of women who used Pinterest was 3 times as high as that of men using this platform. For Reddit, it was the other way around: the share of men was twice as high.

In rich countries, almost all young people use social media

From a back-of-the-envelope calculation, we know that if Facebook had 2.3 billion users in 2019, then at least 30% of the world was using social media. 2 This is just an average – usage rates were much higher for some world regions, specifically for some population groups.

Young people tend to use social media more frequently. In fact, in rich countries where access to the Internet is nearly universal , the vast majority of young adults use it.

Our chart shows the proportion of people aged 16 to 24 who used social networks across various countries. As we can see, the average for the OECD is close to 90%.

If today’s young adults continue using social media throughout their lives, then it’s likely that social media will continue growing rapidly as Internet adoption expands throughout lower-income countries .

The rise of social media in rich countries has come together with an increase in the amount of time spent online

The increase in social media use over the last decade has, of course, come together with a large increase in the amount of time people spend online.

In the US, adults spend more than 6 hours daily on digital media (apps and websites accessed through mobile phones, tablets, computers, and other connected devices such as game consoles). As the chart shows, this growth has been driven almost entirely by additional time spent on smartphones and tablets. 3

According to a survey from the Pew Research Center, adults aged 18 to 29 in the US are more likely to get news indirectly via social media than directly from print newspapers or news sites. They also report being online “almost constantly” . 4

Evidence shows that in other rich countries, people also spend many hours per day online. The following chart shows how many hours young people spend online across various rich countries. As we can see, the average for the OECD is more than 4 hours per day; in some countries, the average is above 6 hours per day.

Some perspective on how fast and profound these rapid changes are

The percentage of US adults who use social media increased from 5% in 2005 to 79% in 2019. Even on a global stage, the speed of diffusion is striking: Facebook surged from covering around 1.5% of the world population in 2008 to around 30% in 2018. 5

How does this compare to the diffusion of other communication technologies in today's everyday life?

The following chart provides some perspective.

Social media’s growth in the US is comparable – in speed and, to some extent, reach – to most modern communication-enabling technologies, including computers, smartphones, and the Internet.

The rise of social media is an extraordinary example of how quickly and drastically social behaviors can change: Something that is today part of the everyday life of one-third of the world population was unthinkable less than a generation ago.

Rapid changes like those brought about by social media always spark fears about possible negative effects. Specifically, in the context of social media, a key question is whether these new communication technologies are harming our mental health – this is an important question and we cover the evidence in another article on Our World in Data.

There were, of course, earlier, much smaller predecessors of social networking websites. The first recognizable social media site, in the format we know today, was Six Degrees – a platform created in 1997 that enabled users to upload a profile and make friends with other users. At the core, the features that define a social media platform are (i) profiles for users, (ii) the ability for users to upload content constantly, and (iii) the ability for users to discuss content and connect with other users.

To be precise, Facebook had 2.3 billion ‘active users.’ There may be some discrepancies between the number of ‘active users’ and the number of people since one person could, in theory, maintain multiple accounts. In practice, these discrepancies are likely small because most social media platforms, including Facebook, have policies and checks to avoid multiple accounts per person.

Digital media contrasts with print media (including books, newspapers, and magazines) and other traditional or analog media (including TV, movies, and radio).

According to the survey from Pew Research, 36% of adults 18 to 29 in the US say they ‘often get news via social media,’ which is higher than the share saying they ‘often get news via other platforms,’ such as news sites, TV, radio or print newspapers. From the same survey, we also know that 48% of adults 18 to 29 say they go online almost constantly, and 46% say they go online multiple times daily.

The US social media adoption data is here . Regarding Facebook’s global numbers: In 2018, Facebook had 2.26 billion users, and in 2008 it had 100 million; the world population in 2008 was 6.8 billion, and in 2018 it was 7.63 billion (you can check the population data here .)

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Social Networking Site: Facebook, YouTube and Twitter Classification Essay

Works cited.

The first social networking site (SNS) appeared in 1995. However, back then, few people ever imagined that this new form of web interaction and communication would grow to become the largest virtual community in the world.

Today, social networking sites, such as Facebook, Orkut, YouTube, Tagged, Twitter, and MySpace, are some of the most important forms of communication, connecting billions of people from all corners of the world at the click of a mouse. This platform allows for the global sharing of information even in places that are not accessible by mainstream media. As a result of their popularity and ease of accessibility, social networking sites have had a big impact in today’s society.

Facebook was created in 2004 and is today the largest SNS, commanding a following of more than 800 million active users found in all parts of the world. The company was founded by Mark Zuckerberg together with his three college friends, and although its membership was initially limited to Harvard students, it soon spread to include other students before eventually opening to all persons aged 13 and above (Carlson 23). It has since grown to become the most used SNS by worldwide monthly active users.

Facebook has had a number of social impacts among its users in a number of ways. With its accessibility in most mobile technologies, the site allows friends and persons with mutual interests and beliefs to continuously stay in touch wherever they may be. Although Facebook has been said to be beneficial to its users’ lives, scholars have argued that it may make users to be antisocial since there is no direct communication between them. Besides, some people have claimed that Facebook is a source of disagreements in relationships.

Twitter is a SNS and microblogging site based in San Francisco that allows users to post short text-based posts referred to as tweets. The site was developed in July 2006 by Jack Dorsey and has grown to gain global popularity, with more that 300 million users, resulting in more than 300 million tweets and approximately 1.6 billion search requests daily.

Twitter has impacted its users’ social lives in a number of ways, for instance, it allows busy persons to keep in touch with their audience since the tweets are typically short, consisting of 140 characters (D’Monte 8). The site has also been largely to organize protests aimed at governments some of which have had far-reaching effects. Examples include the Egyptian Revolution, Tunisian protests, Iranian election protests and the Syrian protests.

YouTube is a video-sharing website founded by 3 ex-PayPal employees in 2005 that allows users to upload, watch, and share videos over the internet. In late 2006, the company was bought by Google and is now headquartered in California. The videos available on the site come from a number of sources, including armature homemade videos, TV clips, music videos, documentaries, classic videos and so on. YouTube has made it possible to view and share motion pictures in a manner not possible previously.

Occurrences in all parts of the world are shared throughout the world and this elicits awareness and also allows for public debate on the issue. For instance, the Arab Spring activists have frequently used videos to show how government forces oppressed and even killed innocent civilians thereby making the whole world aware of the ongoings in these countries.

SNSs have taken virtual interaction to another level, enabling people from all corners of the world to meet on a single platform and share information of interest. The success of these sites can be attributed to their global presence, fast penetration of the internet, and their availability on mobile devices. SNSs have had a large social impact among users owing to the ease of information sharing and the ease with such information can be accessed.

Carlson, Nicholas. “At Last — The Full Story Of How Facebook Was Founded.” Business Insider 5 Mar. 2010: 23. Print.

D’Monte, Leslie. “Swine flu’s tweet tweet causes online flutter. “ Business Standard, 29 Apr. 2009: 8. Print.

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1. IvyPanda . "Social Networking Site: Facebook, YouTube and Twitter." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/social-networking-sites-2/.

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IvyPanda . "Social Networking Site: Facebook, YouTube and Twitter." November 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/social-networking-sites-2/.

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The 4 Types of Social Media Users .

Social media allows for every voice to be heard, but how do people choose to express themselves on social media? According to a research study , there are four categories of social media users:  Professionals ,  Sharers ,  Creators  and  Bonders . These groups were formed based on similar digital footprints that they leave behind. Why do these groups even matter? Well, by understanding them, your company will benefit by posting content each group will appreciate. Let’s dive deeper into who they are.

The Professional

Whether it’s for personal or professional gain, The Professional is looking to expand their network. Professionals use social media to demonstrate their intelligence by sharing their stance on important issues and trends. The Professional is known to post often and uses a considerable amount of time on each post before actually sharing. You could say that their followers view them as credible thinkers. The Professional is ideal for consuming thought-provoking articles, press releases and insightful blog posts.

The Creator

They’re innovative, sometimes hipster and definitely set trends. With the internet as their blank canvas, Creators feel inspired to share their pioneering ideas with the world. They enjoy taking pictures, writing blogs and utilizing any platform that allows them to express their thoughts. Ultimately, the Creator’s followers look to them for the latest trends. Marketers should recognize those Creators rising in fame, as they have the potential to become useful influencers and brand ambassadors.

Brie is always posting, sharing and comment on social posts. Yep, she’s definitely a sharer. Sharers are known to be thoughtful individuals who enjoy helping others through social media. You can see them sharing YouTube tutorials, informative articles and product reviews. Heck, sometimes they’re sharing articles to raise awareness and money. Although Sharers may or may not have substantial influence, they are certainly capable of spreading the word. For your company that could be good or bad. Make sure to pay close attention to their concerns and respond to negative reviews.

Bonders are the “social butterflies” of the world. This group is highly active on social media and checks their feed several times a day. Bonders put a great deal of importance on building and cultivating relationships. They tend to have a decent number of followers and engage with their followers by constantly liking and commenting on posts. Bonders make up a large portion of social media users and it’s important that a company captures the attention of these users by intriguing photos and stories.

The old saying, “Be a leader, not a follower”, does not mean much in the digital world. We are all leaders and followers. Understanding the motives of your followers will help you to establish a strong brand image. Keep your followers happy and you can build trust through an organic medium that cannot be built through paid advertising. Do you need some guidance on who your followers are?  Reach out  and let us help.

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Twenty-Five Years of Social Media: A Review of Social Media Applications and Definitions from 1994 to 2019

Thomas aichner.

1 Department of Business Administration, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy.

Matthias Grünfelder

2 Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.

Oswin Maurer

3 Faculty of Economics and Management, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy.

Deni Jegeni

In this article, the authors present the results from a structured review of the literature, identifying and analyzing the most quoted and dominant definitions of social media (SM) and alternative terms that were used between 1994 and 2019 to identify their major applications. Similarities and differences in the definitions are highlighted to provide guidelines for researchers and managers who use results from previous research to further study SM or to find practical applications. In other words, when reading an article about SM, it is essential to understand how the researchers defined SM and how results from articles that use different definitions can be compared. This article is intended to act as a guideline for readers of those articles.

Introduction

The term “social media” (SM) was first used in 1994 on a Tokyo online media environment, called Matisse. 1 It was in these early days of the commercial Internet that the first SM platforms were developed and launched. Over time, both the number of SM platforms and the number of active SM users have increased significantly, making it one of the most important applications of the Internet.

With a similarly fast pace, businesses have moved their marketing interests toward SM platforms. The presence of both businesses and users on SM has further led to a shift in how companies interact with their customers, who are additionally no longer limited to a passive role in their relationship with a company. 2 Customers give feedback, ask questions, and expect quick and customized answers to their specific problems. In addition, customers post text, pictures, and videos. Managers came to the understanding that the brand transition to SM ultimately involves a re-casting of the customer relationship, where the customer has become an ally or an enemy, not an audience. 3

In research, SM is generally used as an umbrella term that describes a variety of online platforms, including blogs, business networks, collaborative projects, enterprise social networks (SN), forums, microblogs, photo sharing, products review, social bookmarking, social gaming, SN, video sharing, and virtual worlds. 4 Given this broad spectrum of SM platforms, the applications of SM are quite diverse and not limited to sharing holiday snapshots or advertising and promotion.

As of January 2020, there are more than 110,000 publications that have the term “social media” in their title. Over the past 25 years in which these works were published, countless researchers have formulated quite varying definitions of SM—sometimes using alternative terms. In this period, the perceptions and understanding of what SM is, what it includes, and what it represents have also varied considerably. This can make it difficult for both researchers and companies to interpret and apply research findings; for example , when referring to SM in general, rather than referring to a specific type of SM, such as SN. It can be problematic to quote previous research that was carried out exclusively on one SM platform as being generalizable to SM, or to refer to results from research that defined SM as being more or less inclusive in terms of which platforms qualify as SM and which do not.

Major Applications of SM

This section serves as the background of SM functions, rather than how the definition has changed. It provides a general, although not comprehensive, overview of some of the most important applications of SM over the past two and a half decades. This is important, as it highlights that SM cover a broad variety of scopes with specific functions and applications that can differ greatly between the different types of SM. Consequently, also the purpose and the users' perceived value of using SM varies. From a research perspective, this section serves as a foundation for classifying and discussing the SM definitions that are presented in the following chapters.

Socializing with friends and family

Although not all SM platforms are specifically designed to facilitate socialization between its users, it may be considered one of the most apparent commonalities of all types of SM. 4 Sometimes referred to as online communities, these SM platforms are valuable given that people often do not perceive a difference between virtual friends and real friends, as long as they feel supported and belong to a community of like-minded individuals. 5 The SM helps to strengthen relationships through the sharing of important life events in the form of status updates, photos, etc., reinforcing at the same time their in-person encounters as well. 6

The SM has also become a common tool for communication in families. A study conducted by Sponcil and Gitimu 7 showed that for 91.7 percent of students the main reason for using SM is communicating with family and friends. In addition, 50 percent of the students communicated with their family and friends every day, and another 40 percent at least a few days a week. Williams and Merten 8 suggest that by using SM in everyday life, people strengthen the relationships with family. Especially in relation to globalization and constant migration, it has become a vital tool for maintaining contact within migrant families. The need for transnational communication between family members and the people they left behind is of great importance. 9

Romance and flirting

Several studies suggest that SM significantly influences the romantic aspects of life. Aside from facilitating human interaction, communication technologies are also shaping and defining our relationships. 10 It has been shown that SM is important in the starting phases of a relationship and has a significant influence on the relationship of many couples in the long run. 11 The SM can help when starting a romantic relationship, for example , contacting a crush through SM can have special benefits for introverts, who otherwise would avoid face-to-face contact and would otherwise communicate less. 7 Moreover, in some cases, online dating is preferable to live dating, as it gives the same feeling and allows users to avoid unnecessary discomforts. 11 Finally, rejection on SM is less painful compared with face-to-face rejection. 10 Further, users can contemplate their responses and do not have to worry about their physical appearance while conversing/chatting online, making it a less stressful environment to flirt with people on SM than face-to-face conversations. 12

Interacting with companies and brands

It is estimated that close to 100 percent of larger companies (both B2C and B2B) are using some sort of SM platform to inform their customers, gather information, receive feedback, provide after-sales service or consultancy, and promote their products or services. The key characteristic that makes SM so relevant for companies is the fact that SM allows for two-way communication between the brand and the customer. 13 Sometimes referred to as “social customer relationship management,” 14 SM can be viewed as an effective tool used to get closer to the customer. However, some studies suggest that what customers seek is somewhat different from what companies offer through SM. 14 Customers are mainly interested in communicating easily and quickly with the company. From a business perspective, the company wants to make sure customers receive the right information in a timely manner, linking the customer closer to the brand and, simultaneously, controlling the flow of information. Successful SM managers understand how an SM platform works and is used by its customers, and they then develop corporate communication tools that fit the behavior of their users. Many researchers highlight the need for customer relationship management to adapt to the rise of SM 2 to efficiently manage relationships with modern, connected, and empowered customers.

Job seeking and professional networking

Another application of SM is to connect job seekers with employers. The vast majority of Fortune 500 companies use LinkedIn for talent acquisition. 15 With more than 660 million users in 2020, it is an important tool for companies searching to expand their talent pool. This pool of individuals is extended, as the nature of SM also allows recruiters to identify and target, apart from active users, talented candidates who are passive or semi-passive and lure them to prospective job positions. 16 In fact, through SM platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, recruiters can post job advertisements to lure potential applicants who are not actively looking for a job. 17 Rather than the costly and time-consuming traditional ways of staffing with interviews and tests, hiring through SM offers recruiters the benefit of free access to prospects' profiles and an instant means of communication. For users, LinkedIn profiles allow them to create an idealized portrait by displaying their skills to recruiters and peers. 18 Indeed, LinkedIn asks members to highlight their relevant skills, promoting their abilities and strengths, urging them to complete their profiles through getting recommendations and praise from peers/colleagues and clients for their performance or skills. 19

Doing business

The SM has a considerable impact on how companies approach clients and vice versa. In addition, SM utilizing SM as a means of understanding and informing customers has become imperative for businesses to remain competitive. The SM providers have created possibilities for companies to improve their internal operations and communicate in new ways with customers, other businesses, and suppliers. 20 At the same time, companies can actively engage customers, encouraging them to become advocates of their brands. 2 This is certainly important, as users can create online customer communities, which potentially add value to the brand beyond just increased sales. 20 The engagement of customers can be beneficial, as they will frequently interact with the brand and share positive word-of-mouth since they have become more emotionally attached to the brand. 21 This electronic word-of-mouth created in SM communities helps consumers in their purchasing decisions. 22 This suggestion is important given that customers are actually more interested in other users' recommendations and word-of-mouth rather than the vendor-created product information. 23

Research questions

Reviewing the existent literature about SM applications inevitably leads to the question of whether the researchers had the same definition in mind when talking about SM, SN, online communities, and the like. It is also apparent that the focus of the researcher's interest has changed over time, and that the time when the research was conducted could have an impact on how the findings should be interpreted. Therefore, the remainder of this article aims at answering the following research questions (RQ):

RQ1: How has the definition of social media changed from 1994 to 2019? RQ2: What are the differences and commonalities in social media definitions from 1994 to 2019?

To answer the two RQ, we decided to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR). Using a multi-step SLR approach as recommended by Tranfield et al. 24 ( Fig. 1 ), we structurally examined the literature between 1994 and 2019 to find all relevant SM definitions to identify the major differences and commonalities.

Structure and process of the systematic literature review.

After identifying 88 potential papers, all the articles were read to find original definitions for SM or related terms. In addition, we used backward and forward snowballing, two methods frequently employed in academic research to find additional relevant sources based on the references used in the original publication (backward snowballing) and searched papers that cited the article (forward snowballing), respectively. 25 In combination with the SLR, the backward snowballing led to the identification of a total number of 21 original definitions, including some definitions that were published in books and conference proceedings, which were not included in the SLR.

In this chapter, we present all major definitions of SM (and synonymous terms) that were formulated from 1994 to 2019 ( Table 1 ). Table 1 further includes details about the source and the number of citations according to Google Scholar as of August 2020.

Social Media Definitions with Author Names, Source, and the Number of Citations As of August 2020

Before we assess the meaning and compare the definitions in terms of the two RQ, a few quantitative results are provided. Analyzing the 21 definitions, we found a lexical density (i.e., the percentage of nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs) of 57.5 percent. The most frequently used word with 23 occurrences is “social,” followed by “people” with 12 occurrences, and “virtual,” “content,” “user,” and “network” with 8 occurrences each. In terms of two-word phrases, “social network[s]” (8 occurrences) is followed by “social media” and “social networking” (5 occurrences each), as well as “virtual communities” (VC) (4 occurrences).

Notably, the first formal definition is from 1996 and uses “computer-supported social networks” or “CSSNs,” although the term “SM” was coined about 2 years earlier. Later, researchers used different terms such as “virtual communities,” “social networks,” “social networking services,” “online social network,” “social networking sites,” “social network sites,” and “social media.” Although there are small variations in these terms, they can be classified into three categories: VC, SN, and SM. It is important to mention that all these definitions describe the same concept, but with different terms. Assessing the SM definitions that resulted from the SLR reveals that from 1997 to 2002, VC was the dominant term. In contrast, SN was used over a longer period, but it was dominant from 2005 to 2009. It was only in 2010 that researchers started using predominantly SM. But how did the definitions—independent from their terminology—change?

Throughout the observed period, the role of SM, as an enabler for human interaction as well as an avenue to connect with other users, has been a constant in defining SM. In early definitions, the focus was mainly on people and how people interact, whereas later definitions (after 2010) have largely substituted the term “people” with “user” and placed more focus on generating and sharing content. This changed focus, with regard to both the application of SM and the terminology of people versus user, may also reflect the increasingly important role of anonymity in SM. 47

The role of user-generated content is not reflected in early definitions, whereas it has become a central part of recent definitions. It was Kaplan and Haenlein 38 who first mentioned “creation,” whereas later definitions use terms such as “user-supplied content” and “user-driven platforms” in addition to “user-generated content,” which is the common term used in research and practice today.

Another notable change is that until 2009, several researchers included the common interests that linked people with each other, whereas this link is completely missing in post-2010 definitions. Again, this may be reflected by the fact that in the early days, SM users were mostly close or loosely related friends communicating with each other, whereas in recent years, SM has evolved to a set of media that are also used as a powerful tool by companies, celebrities, and influencers to reach the masses. 48

Finally, although sharing information and content is generally not the central aspect in defining SM, the terminology has changed over time. Until 2010, researchers used “exchange” or “upload,” which were substituted with the term “share” in subsequent years. The underlying meaning, however, remained the same.

Conclusions

About 60,000 articles have cited the SM definitions summarized in this article. Therefore, the value this research provides goes beyond a simple overview of the definitions and major applications of SM in the 25 years, since the term was originally coined. The result is a timeline of SM definitions that helps researchers and practitioners to quickly put the results of previous research in perspective and to avoid time-consuming research of the single definitions in different papers. Why is this necessary? This is because, based on the definition, the results may need to be interpreted in a more or less different way.

One notable result is that, although SM is one of the main research areas in social sciences (and beyond) and its landscape has been changing quickly, only a handful of scholars have made an effort to develop a definition of SM. Although some elements, for example , the fact that SM connects people, are common, the definitions are rather different from each other. The commonalities and differences highlighted in the previous section allow for the division of the definitions into two main streams: those published before 2010 and after 2010. Before 2010, SM was commonly approached as a tool of connectivity for people with common interests. After 2010, the focus changed to creating and sharing user-generated content.

These results are in line with previous research about the evolution of SM literature, which concluded that SM definitions changed over time, namely from platforms for socializing in the past to tools for information aggregation. 45 Similarly, Kapoor et al. 45 found that there was an evolution in SM definitions and a cut in the early 2010. Our research shows that there is no single or commonly accepted definition, but that several definitions have been co-existing and found broad acceptance in literature.

Future SM researchers can use these findings to better compare SM articles and avoid flaws in their theory or methodological design. Especially when comparing the results of empirical studies, it may be critical to consider both when the study was conducted and which SM definition was used as a basis for hypothesis development and data analysis. In addition, this article gives SM researchers the possibility to make an informed choice of which SM definition to use for their studies.

Given the method employed to identify the SM definitions, we are confident that this is the most comprehensive overview that includes all major publications. However, the results may be limited by the original search terms used to identify the papers to be included in the SLR. Although the use of backward snowballing should have helped in minimizing this risk, there may still be some less explicit definitions of SM that were not included in this article. In addition, non-English articles and other gray literature were not considered, which is common criticism in academic research. Future research could also try to identify the differences in how SM is defined by researchers from different scientific backgrounds, for example , marketing versus medicine versus psychology versus anthropology versus engineering versus information technology. It would also be insightful to see whether there are tendencies of certain researchers, for example , from engineering, to base their research on specific definitions rather than on others. For example, if one definition is dominant in engineering but not in medical research, this would imply that interdisciplinary research about SM applications needs to be compared more carefully, as the basic definition differs. Similarly, it would be interesting to link the use of SM definitions to the cultural or national context of where the research was carried out, for example , to identify whether European versus American versus Asian researchers have a generally different understanding of SM and its applications. These possible cultural differences in the definition or selection of an SM definition as a basis for research could be linked to the fact that in different countries and cultural clusters different SM platforms are more or less popular. 49 Overall, our research will help compare findings from SM literature more easily and avoid misinterpretations of past and future research.

Author Disclosure Statement

No competing financial interests exist.

Funding Information

This work was supported by the Open Access Publishing Fund of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.

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• Social Media Use in 2021

A majority of Americans say they use YouTube and Facebook, while use of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok is especially common among adults under 30.

Table of contents.

• Acknowledgments
• Methodology

To better understand Americans’ use of social media, online platforms and messaging apps, Pew Research Center surveyed 1,502 U.S. adults from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8, 2021, by cellphone and landline phone. The survey was conducted by interviewers under the direction of Abt Associates and is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, education and other categories. Here are the  questions used for this report , along with responses, and  its methodology .

Despite a string of controversies and the public’s relatively negative sentiments about aspects of social media, roughly seven-in-ten Americans say they ever use any kind of social media site – a share that has remained relatively stable over the past five years, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults.

Beyond the general question of overall social media use, the survey also covers use of individual sites and apps. YouTube and Facebook continue to dominate the online landscape, with 81% and 69%, respectively, reporting ever using these sites. And YouTube and Reddit were the only two platforms measured that saw statistically significant growth since 2019 , when the Center last polled on this topic via a phone survey.

When it comes to the other platforms in the survey, 40% of adults say they ever use Instagram and about three-in-ten report using Pinterest or LinkedIn. One-quarter say they use Snapchat, and similar shares report being users of Twitter or WhatsApp. TikTok – an app for sharing short videos – is used by 21% of Americans, while 13% say they use the neighborhood-focused platform Nextdoor.

Even as other platforms do not nearly match the overall reach of YouTube or Facebook, there are certain sites or apps, most notably Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, that have an especially strong following among young adults. In fact, a majority of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram (71%) or Snapchat (65%), while roughly half say the same for TikTok.

These findings come from a nationally representative survey of 1,502 U.S. adults conducted via telephone Jan. 25-Feb.8, 2021.

With the exception of YouTube and Reddit, most platforms show little growth since 2019

YouTube is the most commonly used online platform asked about in this survey, and there’s evidence that its reach is growing. Fully 81% of Americans say they ever use the video-sharing site, up from 73% in 2019. Reddit was the only other platform polled about that experienced statistically significant growth during this time period – increasing from 11% in 2019 to 18% today. 

Facebook’s growth has leveled off over the last five years, but it remains one of the most widely used social media sites among adults in the United States: 69% of adults today say they ever use the site, equaling the share who said this two years prior.  

Similarly, the respective shares of Americans who report using Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter and WhatsApp are statistically unchanged since 2019 . This represents a broader trend that extends beyond the past two years in which the rapid adoption of most of these sites and apps seen in the last decade has slowed. (This was the first year the Center asked about TikTok via a phone poll and the first time it has surveyed about Nextdoor.)

Adults under 30 stand out for their use of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok

When asked about their social media use more broadly – rather than their use of specific platforms – 72% of Americans say they ever use social media sites.

In a pattern consistent with past Center studies on social media use, there are some stark age differences. Some 84% of adults ages 18 to 29 say they ever use any social media sites, which is similar to the share of those ages 30 to 49 who say this (81%). By comparison, a somewhat smaller share of those ages 50 to 64 (73%) say they use social media sites, while fewer than half of those 65 and older (45%) report doing this.

These age differences generally extend to use of specific platforms, with younger Americans being more likely than their older counterparts to use these sites – though the gaps between younger and older Americans vary across platforms.

Majorities of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram or Snapchat and about half say they use TikTok, with those on the younger end of this cohort – ages 18 to 24 – being especially likely to report using Instagram (76%), Snapchat (75%) or TikTok (55%). 1 These shares stand in stark contrast to those in older age groups. For instance, while 65% of adults ages 18 to 29 say they use Snapchat, just 2% of those 65 and older report using the app – a difference of 63 percentage points.

Additionally, a vast majority of adults under the age of 65 say they use YouTube. Fully 95% of those 18 to 29 say they use the platform, along with 91% of those 30 to 49 and 83% of adults 50 to 64. However, this share drops substantially – to 49% – among those 65 and older.

By comparison, age gaps between the youngest and oldest Americans are narrower for Facebook. Fully 70% of those ages 18 to 29 say they use the platform, and those shares are statistically the same for those ages 30 to 49 (77%) or ages 50 to 64 (73%). Half of those 65 and older say they use the site – making Facebook and YouTube the two most used platforms among this older population.

Other sites and apps stand out for their demographic differences:

• Instagram: About half of Hispanic (52%) and Black Americans (49%) say they use the platform, compared with smaller shares of White Americans (35%) who say the same. 2
• WhatsApp: Hispanic Americans (46%) are far more likely to say they use WhatsApp than Black (23%) or White Americans (16%). Hispanics also stood out for their WhatsApp use in the Center’s previous surveys on this topic.
• LinkedIn: Those with higher levels of education are again more likely than those with lower levels of educational attainment to report being LinkedIn users. Roughly half of adults who have a bachelor’s or advanced degree (51%) say they use LinkedIn, compared with smaller shares of those with some college experience (28%) and those with a high school diploma or less (10%).
• Pinterest: Women continue to be far more likely than men to say they use Pinterest when compared with male counterparts, by a difference of 30 points (46% vs. 16%).
• Nextdoor: There are large differences in use of this platform by community type. Adults living in urban (17%) or suburban (14%) areas are more likely to say they use Nextdoor. Just 2% of rural Americans report using the site.

A majority of Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram users say they visit these platforms on a daily basis

While there has been much written about Americans’ changing relationship with Facebook , its users remain quite active on the platform. Seven-in-ten Facebook users say they use the site daily, including 49% who say they use the site several times a day. (These figures are statistically unchanged from those reported in the Center’s 2019 survey about social media use.)  

Smaller shares – though still a majority – of Snapchat or Instagram users report visiting these respective platforms daily (59% for both). And being active on these sites is especially common for younger users. For instance, 71% of Snapchat users ages 18 to 29 say they use the app daily, including six-in-ten who say they do this multiple times a day. The pattern is similar for Instagram: 73% of 18- to 29-year-old Instagram users say they visit the site every day, with roughly half (53%) reporting they do so several times per day.

YouTube is used daily by 54% if its users, with 36% saying they visit the site several times a day. By comparison, Twitter is used less frequently, with fewer than half of its users (46%) saying they visit the site daily.

• Due to a limited sample size, figures for those ages 25 to 29 cannot be reported on separately. ↩
• There were not enough Asian American respondents in the sample to be broken out into a separate analysis. As always, their responses are incorporated into the general population figures throughout this report. ↩

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What is social media?

You probably already know what social media is. Whether you cringe at the memory of your Myspace page from the early 2000s, keep in touch with your aunt on Facebook, or are regularly unsettled by too-relevant ads on Instagram, few of us are strangers to a feed. In fact, nearly 60 percent of the world’s population uses social media. And as of July 2022, global adoption of social media is showing no sign of slowing: new users are joining social-media platforms at an average global rate of seven users per second .

So if you’re reading this, we’d guess you know social media when you see it. But what would you say if your great-grandmother asked you to define social media? Our definition—the applications and websites that allow people to interact with other users, businesses, communities, and content—is accurate, but it also seems to include a large portion of the internet. What are the actual parameters? What do people use it for? And how can businesses use social media to reach new customers in new ways? Let’s break it down.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Growth, Marketing, & Sales Practice .

When did social media start?

If social media is just a means of mass communication, you could argue that the telegraph, invented in 1844, was the first of its kind . But that’s a bit pedantic: social media as we know it probably began in 1997 with SixDegrees—a short-lived social-networking website for making friends. Personal blogs became popular with the launch of LiveJournal in 1999. And the early 2000s saw the launches of the now-ubiquitous social-media platforms LinkedIn and Facebook.

What are the different types of social media?

Social media has revolutionized how people socialize, do business, shop, date, come up with ideas, and get news. It’s limitless. There are now so many platforms that it can be difficult to keep track (sure, you’ve heard of TikTok and Snapchat, but what about BeReal and Yik Yak?). And it’s changed the way that businesses connect and transact with their customers. Organizations that understand the different types of social media and how to use them are at an advantage. In particular, there are four social-media categories that organizations should be aware of:

• Social networks. Social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, allow people to foster relationships with family, friends, brands, and perfect strangers. Users can follow other users online, sharing photos, life updates, random thoughts, and more. Businesses can capitalize on social networks  through branding and customer service.

Media-sharing networks. You may have guessed from the name, but people typically use these platforms—such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube—to share photographs, videos, and other types of media. Media-sharing platforms are the domain of social-media influencers : popular users who use their social platforms to influence their audience’s lifestyles, consumer behavior, and more. Through partnerships with these influencers, businesses can target specific audiences and promote their products or services.

Learn more about influencer marketing in our McKinsey Explainers entry  on the topic.

• Discussion forums. On discussion forums, people can share general advice, ask silly (or serious) questions, make restaurant recommendations—anything you can think of, and a few things you probably can’t. Because platforms such as Reddit have lots of visitors (1.7 billion visits to the site were recorded in May 2022) discussing a large number of topics, businesses can use discussion forums to gain research insights into new potential markets. Companies can create advertisements, answer consumer questions, and provide customer service by responding to compliments and complaints. They can also crowdsource ideas for products and launches.

Consumer reviews. You have likely used apps such as TripAdvisor and Yelp before, maybe when you were vacationing in a new city, exploring a new type of cuisine, or sounding off on a good—or bad—consumer experience. Many people rely on these platforms and their reviews when making decisions about new products, brands, and services. Online consumer reviews can be vitally important for a business.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications Practice .

Who uses the most popular types of social media?

We know that billions of people all over the world are using social media. But who are they? According to a 2021 survey of more than 1,500 American adults conducted by the Pew Research Center , approximately 84 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 reported that they habitually use at least one form of social media. A majority of these users attended college or earned at least $75,000 annually. Businesses can use these and other survey statistics to their advantage by catering their marketing on social media to a generally young, well-educated audience.

In addition to this core demographic, a wide variety of people of all ages are on social media, and certain generations gravitate toward different platforms. Most of Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter’s users are between the ages   of 25 and 34 . However, Twitter’s second-largest bloc of users is made up of those aged between 35 and 49, which skews the overall demographic older. Just more than 70 percent of Instagram’s users are under the age of 34. TikTok is known as Gen Z’s stomping grounds —in the United States, 25 percent of its users are under the age of 19 .

What are the four primary social-media functions for businesses?

As we’ve described, social media has myriad uses, and everyone seems to be on a platform for a different reason. It can be difficult for businesses to keep up with platforms’ functionalities and demographics.

McKinsey has pinpointed the four primary functions of social media for businesses —to monitor, respond, amplify, and lead consumer behavior. These four functions are linked to the journey consumers undertake when making purchasing decisions:

• Monitor. Businesses can keep a close eye on how customers are responding to their brand and adjust their marketing and strategies accordingly. Customers have extremely high expectations: survey results show  that half of consumers who have a negative experience will publicly complain online. And social media is having a big impact on consumption habits, especially among younger people: one in ten omnichannel  shoppers in a McKinsey survey say they had made purchases directly via social media .

Respond. When a complaint is made, speed counts. A study finds  that 79 percent of consumers expect a response within 24 hours of a complaint, and 40 percent expect brands to respond within an hour. What’s more, 81 percent say if they don’t receive a response when they complain online, they won’t recommend that company to their friends. These are high standards; only about 50 percent of businesses meet these expectations. But companies that respond quickly and genuinely can positively affect consumer perception and behavior.

It’s also critical to communicate such feedback quickly within the business. Whoever is responsible for brand monitoring must make sure that the information reaches relevant teams, such as communications, design, marketing, public relations, and risk.

• Amplify. Amplification is marketing activity that spurs broader engagement and sharing. This includes referrals and recommendations, community stimulation, and brand advocacy. For example, Starbucks launched a campaign in 2009 that awarded Twitter users $20 gift cards for being the first to tweet a picture of new advertising posters in major US cities. The company shared that  the campaign, which turned core customers into brand ambassadors, was “the difference between launching with many millions of dollars versus millions of fans.” 1 Claire Cain Miller, “New Starbucks ads seek to recruit online fans,” New York Times , May 18, 2009.

Lead consumer behavior. Businesses can use social-media platforms to encourage long-term behavioral changes among consumers—usually achieved through activities related to brand content awareness, product launches, targeted deals and offers, and customer input.

With an awareness of all social-media functions, companies can make informed decisions on how to lead consumer behavior. One example is the Old Spice Man campaign, launched in a 2010 Super Bowl commercial. The campaign started on television, but Old Spice quickly moved to social media as a way to interact with millennials, a new audience for the heritage brand. After just one month on YouTube, Old Spice became the platform’s all-time top-viewed brand. Ultimately, the ad got more than 19 million hits across social-media platforms, and Old Spice sales grew 27 percent in six months.

McKinsey has pinpointed the four primary functions of social media for businesses—to monitor, respond, amplify, and lead consumer behavior.

Overall, social media offers significant advantages for businesses that adequately monitor, respond, amplify, and lead consumer behavior. The most powerful social-media strategies focus on a limited number of marketing responses closely related to every stage along the consumer decision journey.

In the future, personalization —on social media and elsewhere—will unlock a wealth of new opportunities for companies. We’ve already seen the benefits of personalization in action: it can reduce customer acquisition costs by as much as 50 percent, lift revenues by up to 15 percent, and increase marketing ROI by up to 30 percent. Personalization has also been shown to improve performance and customer outcomes . And the COVID-19 pandemic has only made personalization more urgent for brands: three-quarters of customers  have switched to a new store, product, or buying method during the pandemic, proving that store and product loyalty are increasingly things of the past. In the future, successful business leaders will employ generative AI  tools, such as ChatGPT, to craft personalized messages on social media, as well as other sales content, to drive conversions .

What is social commerce?

Social commerce is when customers browse and shop directly on social-media platforms. It’s already a core feature of e-commerce in China, but this new way of buying is growing rapidly in the United States  as well. In 2021, $37 billion in goods and services were purchased through social-commerce channels in the United States, and that figure is expected to increase to nearly $80 billion by 2025. Globally, the social-commerce market is expected to grow to more than $2 trillion by 2025.

For consumer brands, social commerce creates the opportunity for an interactive, entertaining, and experiential journey—one that also feels less promotional than the traditional journey. For example, rather than starring in an ad for a new skin care product, celebrities can invite fans behind the scenes to view their skin care routines, demonstrating how they use the branded product and why they love it. Then fans can buy the product within the platform.

For consumer brands, social commerce creates the opportunity for an interactive, entertaining, and experiential journey—one that also feels less promotional than the traditional journey.

Innovation has driven creativity within Chinese social commerce. TikTok (and its sibling app Douyin, which was its foundation) has emerged as a leader in social commerce, with gamified product purchasing and a strong social element. Live-stream hosts build a rapport with their high-volume customers, and that rapport builds a sense of community and helps bring important customers back on a near-daily basis.

The US social-commerce market is likely to evolve differently from China’s, but there are some parallels. For instance, social-commerce adoption in the United States is currently being driven by social-media and content creation platforms, such as Pinterest and TikTok, adding new shopping capabilities, just as their Chinese counterparts did half a decade ago. And interest is growing in these new shopping features: a 2021 retail survey by Forrester found that 61 percent of online US adults younger than 25 said they had completed a purchase on a social or creator platform network without leaving the website or app, up from 53 percent in 2020.

What are some of the risks of social media for businesses?

Despite social media’s opportunities for business growth, using such platforms for marketing introduces many challenges. Here are five social-media risks  to be aware of:

• Customer expectations vary across platforms. The most popular platforms—such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—have many users who are relatively young. But beyond that, demographics on these platforms can look quite different. Companies should cater their tone, customer service, and advertisements to each platform’s users.
• High expectations for service response. As we’ve described, customers expect quick responses to their online questions and complaints. Some consumers hope for a response within an hour; others, 24 hours. Either way, only about 50 percent of businesses can keep up with these demands.
• Unpredictable service demand spikes. There’s always a risk that an online review will go viral, especially when social-media influencers get involved. The related dramatic spikes in company awareness (positive or negative) can be hard to predict.
• Gaps between required and available skills. The hiring demand for social-media experts changes year to year, and it can be a challenge for companies to keep their social-media teams up to date.
• Complicated workflow and technology investment choices. Because social media is so dynamic, it can be difficult for leaders to make the right investment decisions when it comes to related technology. Operating models should allow for a wide range of actions and responses—including authenticating posts, gathering customer information, and providing on- and offline resolution—and automatically allocate them to the appropriate service teams.

There are many risks that come with company marketing in social media, but frequently, the rewards outweigh the risks. It’s important for businesses to understand the relationship between social media and marketing—and how this relationship is evolving.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Operations Practice .

What effect does social media have on customers’ purchasing decisions?

Before the use of social media for marketing, businesses relied on media such as newspapers, radio, and television. Companies had to spend a lot of money if they wanted to reach a broad audience, and even then, they couldn’t use the platforms to monitor, respond, amplify, and lead consumer behavior. Today, social media has made it possible for marketers to reach customers at any and every stage of the consumer decision journey. In fact, social media is the only form of marketing that can give businesses the opportunity to influence consumers from the moment that they begin thinking about a purchase all the way to after they’ve received a product.

McKinsey studied the purchasing decisions of 20,000 European consumers in 2013 and 2014. Respondents were asked if social media influenced their purchasing decisions significantly. The results showed that social media had significant effects on consumers, both directly (when social-media recommendations played a critical role at the point of purchase) and indirectly (when social media played a role at earlier decision journey touchpoints, such as initial awareness of a product). The study also revealed that between 2013 and 2014, there was a 10 percent increase in consumer purchases related to product recommendations received on social media. These study results serve as a testament to how social media can affect consumers at any stage of the decision journey.

The relationship between social media and consumer behavior seems stronger than ever, but the landscape is constantly shifting. In the future, new platforms might make it easier for users to share their experiences with companies, products, and services. At the same time, it might become more complicated for businesses to keep up with these developments and adapt to the new challenges and opportunities that social media will bring. Companies need to prioritize staying ahead of this powerful technological movement.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Growth, Marketing, & Sales Practice , and check out the firm’s social-media job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced:

• “ Generative AI is here: How tools like ChatGPT could change your business ,” December 20, 2022, Michael Chui , Roger Roberts , and Lareina Yee
• “ Social commerce: The future of how consumers interact with brands ,” October 19, 2022, Camilo Becdach, Marc Brodherson , Alex Gersovitz, Daniel Glaser, Zachary Kubetz, Max Magni, and James Nakajima
• “ How US consumers are feeling, shopping, and spending—and what it means for companies ,” May 4, 2022, Kari Alldredge , Tamara Charm , Eric Falardeau , and Kelsey Robinson
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