What Social Media Doesn’t Do For You
Perhaps the biggest misconception fostered by the average individual in today’s world is that the social networking sites have made them increasingly more social. While the number of acquaintances in their ‘Friends’ list increases, they become less social or noticeably anti-social in real life.
Walled into one’s room engrossed in updating one’s knowledge about where your friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances went for lunch, dinner or holiday is hardly called being social. And if this, in fact, is being social then what were people doing in years past when there was no smart technology to begin with – a time when people took time to visit family and friends at their homes, when kids spent time in their room doing homework so that they could relish the evening activities with their friends in the park, mall or just out in the neighborhood streets?
Yes, social networking might have helped you in finding your long lost classmates, colleagues or even some friends but beyond that, it has become a mockery of socialising and a portal where individuals ceaselessly post/over-share about their private lives and desires, and things that most of us just aren’t that interested in reading about to begin with. You can plan your dinners, meetings and outings through social media, but does it really help you in socialising or interacting with those around you in a real context?
Social media provides a false sense of intermingling. While you remain busy in sending private messages and choosing one of the million emoticons to best express your feelings, you tend to neglect and often forget people who you have very real relationships and those who are in your immediate surroundings.
What Social Media Does For You
However, with all that said, there are numerous advantages to social media. But I believe they are hardly bound within the circumference of real socialising. So here are a few solid benefits of social media websites and ways in which these websites really CAN help you,
- Online marketing for businesses and creatives
Social media has proven to be a lucrative and highly effective marketing platform for businesses and creatives both new and old, big and small. The way these websites are involved in online lead generation for companies remains uncontested; it is free and through these platforms companies have a chance to reach out to a target audience or like minded groups of people almost instantly. Also with the advent of social media it has been much easier for creatives to share their work with the global village, whether it be music, art, film or other media. - Professional networking
For people belonging to academic, creative or literary communities or other professionals, social media can really help them create an online community as well as give them an opportunity to search for like minded piers and even potential clients. For example 89% of job recruiters take advantage of LinkedIn when looking to hire potential employees. - Information seeking
Recently, social networking websites have also played an active role in awakening awareness in relation to serious issues. Racism, political upheavals, unjust rulings and the stark realities of society are just some of the topics addressed on social media. - Increased criminal prosecution because of social media
The NYC police department began using Twitter back in 2011 to track criminals foolish enough to brag about their crimes online. Local authorities globally also use social media to track criminals. Crimes and misdemeanors are also given coverage and shared by community members. - Social networking creates new social connections
Statistics show that 70% of adults have used social media sites to connect with relatives, old classmates and friends in other cities, states and countries. - Better quality of life
If you want to talk about the pros and cons of social media, take a close look at all the support groups on Facebook. Members of these groups discuss their issues, share important information, and resources relevant to their situation while creating strong support networks.
