Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate with one another, and like it or not, the platforms you’re already acquainted with are here to stay. With that being said, how does each one measure up when compared with another? Is Facebook better than Google+? Is Commonred as user-friendly as Formspring?
It’s anyone’s say, really. Social media platforms ultimately have one goal in mind and that’s to give people alternative ways to connect with one another. Each network, however, appeals to different cultures and are used in entirely different ways. So, in all fairness, you can’t say that all social media platforms are created equally. You can, however, decide which ones are the most worthwhile by giving them a test drive. This allows you to see how each network stacks up against another.
If you’re pressed for time like I am, a short review highlighting the positives and the negatives of each social media platform is an immense help. After researching some of the heavy-hitters, I came up with this review to help you determine which network is right for you. Let’s start with the two most popular: Facebook and Google+.
Facebook. Love it or hate it, this network dominates. A household name worldwide, it has 800 million active members and over 70 different language settings to choose from. Not only do you have the ability to connect with people on a personal level through wall posts, photos, instant messaging, and private messaging, you can also create pages for your business, association, and group. Facebook can also be accessed from a number of mobile devices putting you in control of your communications wherever you go.
Overall impression: Facebook is great for one-on-one conversations as well as group updates and messages.
Google+. Not nearly as popular as Facebook (yet!), the network has surpassed 25 million users (many of which were former FB users who didn’t like all the changes Mark Zuckerberg and his crew implemented on the site). There are some really great things that this social media platform features. The first is its navigation bar. Alerts on network activity are pushed through to you but never are intrusive. The star of the network, however, is the group video chat function, Hangouts. It’s easy to operate and surpasses any other video chatting service currently available.
Overall impression: Google+ needs to ramp up its platform by getting more users on board and using the network.
Commonred. One of the newest social media platforms available today, Commonred brings people together through commonality. You can link your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter accounts to connect to fans and followers that you may have not been formally introduced to. The platform uses the information that you post on your profile to make matches based on these common threads which ultimately expand your social circle.
Overall impression: Although the network is currently accessible through invitations only, it will only be a matter of time before the idea takes off.
Formspring. Perhaps the most basic of the social media platforms, Formspring allows you to ask your friends questions and respond when they have one for you. Registration takes a matter of seconds if you sign up through your Facebook account and from what I have experienced using the network, it’s a pretty solid way to learn more about the people, businesses, and groups that interest you. Formspring has visitors from every country in the world. It has over 24 million accounts & 3.5 million unique visitors every day.
Overall impression: Having a mobile app has clearly helped the network become the success that it is today.
Social media networking is all about developing relationships. No matter what platform you decide to use, one thing is certain - the faster you get yourself established, the more quickly you’ll reach people and change the way that you do business in the future.
Check Out Varolii on YouTube Now!
I was surprised not to see Twitter in your list! What do you think about it? More specifically, what do you think about these platforms from a business standpoint? Apart from LinkedIn, which is mostly used by business people and Facebook, which has the most extensive net and visibility and is therefore perfect for advertising, I´m not entirely convinced by others. Do you think it´s always worth investing time and resources to be present on every available platform or is it better to concentrate on some specific ones?
Hi Jen – I actually love Twitter. I left it off the list as it is, for me, a “given” social media platform. I personally think LinkedIn, Quora, Facebook, Google +, and Twitter, right now, are the social media platforms to utilize. And there are ways you can manage some of these platforms from a centralized application, so resources and time constraints can be addressed. This said, social media is meant to be “social”. So you need to block time in your day to personally communicate with your networks.
Mary, thanks for the answer. I understand when you say you need to dedicate time to actually interact with others on social networks. My question was more, if from a business perspective, it makes more sense to just use one or two platforms (and therefore having a "real" relationship with your network and your clients) as opposed to get on many as possible in order to get your name out there. Of course I realize that it depends also on the nature of your business.
Yes, it does depend on the relationship of your business and what your social media goals are.....and I think you can have a "real" relationship with your clients using as many or as few social media platforms as you think are right for your business - you just have to know how to use the platforms.