Why social media is so popular

Ever wonder why exactly social media sites are so popular and engaging to the majority of the population? Sometimes it seems as if the prominence of social media had just appeared out of thin air. The obvious answer would be that social media serves as a pass time or something to entertain you when you’re bored. But when really examining all the facts about social media, we can find a deeper understanding of the real reasons people are spending so much time tweeting and pinning and why even businesses, small and large, take social media so seriously.

Social Reasons

Social media gives people a voice. People feel important when they post on their Facebook and Twitter and actually get a response. It gives us a sense of belonging and allows us to connect with people from far away. People get a sense of satisfaction from every “like” and “retweet” they get which drives them to post more, like more, and interact more. Human beings are social creatures and we love to interact. Social media gives us the platform to do just that.

Curiosity Reasons

The “sharing” option on most social media sites creates this curiosity within users. Human beings are naturally curious and when we see certain posts or videos on our news feed, we feel the need to explore. We get entertainment from what our followers or friends post, even if we don’t necessarily have a personal connection with them. The term “Facebook stalking” may sound familiar in regards to this reason.

Business Reasons

Businesses use social media to reach out to their possible consumers just as consumers use social media to find out what’s new out there in the market. Since the rise of social media, many businesses have gained much more exposure through word of mouth on social media sites. For example, the “tag where you are” option on Facebook allows users to tag themselves at specific restaurants, upload pictures of their food, and unknowingly “market” for that business.  Social media has also given businesses the opportunity to reach out to their consumers through various promotions and advertisements and get instant feedback.