Long gone are the days of Myspace, Friendster, and Hi5, the precursors of social media networks. The major part of the younger population has not even heard of these terms, or have but mock at them. But the rise of newer social media platforms has created the perception of life being unimaginable without them. Applications that have come to the fore of online connectivity are the most notable - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

How did Social Media Evolve?

The first most popular social media network is Myspace, which was founded in 2003 and active till 2009. It had features similar to those that are considered the most basic of social media today. There were groups, live chatting, sharing of images, etc. But soon, it was overtaken by Facebook, which kick started in 2004, which hasn't looked back since. Facebook was much more functional, fun and user-friendly. At the time, it had around 1 million users. In 2011, its population was compared to that of a country. It is reported that so far, the number of social media users worldwide is 3.1 billion, in 2018.

The Surge of various Social Media Tools

Facebook and Instagram soon had competitors like Tumblr, Reddit, Pinterest, WeChat, WhatsApp, SnapChat, Google+; all catering to different needs of social networking. Facebook alone has now touched over 2 billion active users to date. Among all, networks like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram are gaining audience engagement at a very brisk pace. Instagram is now becoming one of the preferred places to share our day-to-day happenings.

When Businesses seized the opportunity

Social media has users other than individuals or the public. Producing leads being a very important marketing aspect has created paths for marketers on social media. It has been reported that 90% of marketers dwell in this space. This is called Lead Generation via social media. Till date, surveys say that 71% of businesses use Facebook, while 82% use LinkedIn. 85% of businesses use Twitter for marketing resulting in 82% of leads generated on that platform. The primary reason for entrepreneurs to step onto social media is that it is cost effective. Here, most of the promotions is done by users & customers through the sharing of videos, posts, infographics, etc. Even among B2B marketers, 44% have generated leads through LinkedIn, and 39% through Facebook. Various campaigns, contests, polls, videos, etc. are the most common ways of marketing on social media.

Instagram's Influencer Marketing

Having been risen to an unshakeable position, Instagram is now best known to influence a buyer’s choices. Getting the right influencers in your industry to help your potential customers know your brand is now a route you cannot miss. That can be done through tagging or mentioning an influencer, either an individual or a firm. This will elicit an acquaintance between you and likely a stronger interaction. You can also give your influencers a sample taste or a personal experience of your product or service. If they are impressed with the quality, you can be sure that they themselves will post about you or comment on your page.

Picture of Social Media in our Democracy

India is a great place for social media to flourish. Two evident reasons are - population strength and the improving accessibility to technology. It is one among the top 10 countries to patronize social media. Other counterparts include Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, and Brazil. In fact, they seem to rank higher in usage than the U.S., U.K., and the European nations. India's expanse of demography has significantly roped in social media buffs from all spheres.

How is 'The Most Trending Social Media Platforms' affecting us?

Most see a future with better connectivity and social bonding. Through these interfaces, various industries are thriving to great lengths. People are enjoying better experiences. Expressions are being given a new stage. Social media is here to stay and is trending, in itself.