The Difference between Social Media and Social Networking
When you remove the word social from both terms, then you are only left with media and networking. By this, we can suggest that social media is a strategy and a channel for broadcasting, while social networking can be considered as a device and a utility for connecting with other individuals.
When you look in a dictionary, you will find each of the words’ meanings. However, the difference does not end in semantics alone. There are also differences in the features as well as the functions placed into these websites by their developers or creators, which lay down the way they are supposed to be used. The argument of which came first is also present; many believe that social networking came first, and this then evolved into social media.
LinkedIn, for example, is a great tool for social networking. Your interests, the companies that you have worked for, the schools that you have graduated from have all become links to other individuals who share the same history as you. It is perfect for business reasons. It allows you to recommend the work of other individuals and it’s also great for job fishing. A lot of small businesses nowadays use sites like LinkedIn to reach a wider range of potential clients. Social networking sites like LinkedIn act as functional websites for hooking up people, as well as businesses, with other individuals who might want to do business with each other or share similar interests.
On the other hand, YouTube is a good example of a social media website. Websites like these allow individuals to better express themselves visually. It is a medium that provides people the opportunity to share their expertise, knowledge, opinions, and experiences through video presentations. YouTube has become an excellent marketing tool for many businesses that wish to expand their reach in cyberspace. Websites such as YouTube also offer one of the easiest distribution outlets for video, since the video casse
