Social networks have become established with the spread of Facebook as the main social media for exchanging opinions on the Internet. These networks are called "social" because people interact with each other individually and in groups.
What distinguishes a social network?
Each social network consists of user profiles that users or companies can usually create for free. In the profile, individuals or companies can introduce themselves and send status messages to friends, customers, business partners or the entire network. Depending on the network, status messages consist of text, pictures, videos, links, locations or memes and can be viewed and commented on by other users. Some networks also offer mails or chat as communication channels.
The deliberate establishment of connections between the users within one or more social networks is also called social networking .
Facebook
With over one billion users, Facebook is the largest social network in the world. (As of 2013) [2] In addition to private use, Facebook also plays a major role in corporate marketing. Even state institutions are represented on Facebook.
THE TYPICAL FACEBOOK USER
More than 5o percent of Facebook users in Germany are between 18 and 34 years old. [3] The social network is mostly used by individuals to stay in touch with friends and to interact with others.
USE BY COMPANIES
Facebook offers companies numerous opportunities to represent themselves and to get in direct contact with interested parties and the target group. The so-called fan pages can be managed by several people together. The posting of pictures, texts, links and videos is possible. Individual contributions can also be advertised in order to achieve even more coverage. With multiple targeting opportunities, many companies are using the social network to increase their advertising reach.
BUSINESS MODEL
Since its IPO, Facebook has been financing itself through its shareholders' deposits and through advertising, which the company has displayed in a variety of ways.
CRITICISM
After being founded more than 10 years ago, Facebook is often criticized for being no longer innovative and up-to-date. So it took a very long time until Facebook had provided a solid working app. Likewise, for a long time hardly anything has changed in the appearance of the profiles. One of the most important and recurrent points of criticism is data protection, which manifests itself in both novel techniques such as face recognition software or the problem of the "like-button" on websites.
DATA PROTECTION
The data protection on Facebook is always in the criticism. Thus, Facebook reserves the right to use content from profiles commercially. After several adjustments, users now have the option of specifying in the privacy settings exactly which data from their own profile may and may not be public.
Google Plus
Google Plus is the social network of the search engine company Google . With almost half a billion registered users, it is the second largest social network in the world. In addition to the classic way of communicating with other users via status updates with photos, texts, links and videos, the network offers yet another form of communication with the so-called "Hangouts", a form of video chat.
THE GOOGLE PLUS USER
The typical user of Google Plus has his own Google account, with which he automatically creates a profile in this social network. According to statistics, Google Plus is used by older users. [4] . The main focus of Google Plus's use is more on business than on maintaining business contacts. Google Plus is also very popular in certain industries such as online marketing and here the SEO scene.
USE BY COMPANIES
Companies can create their own profile on Google Plus. The myBusiness account is used for this. Here it is possible to align the profile with the business type. As an integral part of Google's product portfolio, Google Plus profile maintenance gives companies the ability to add them directly to search results when entering their business name. At the same time, the business profile can also be used for advertising with Google AdWords .
BUSINESS MODEL
The social network is financed through the advertising revenue of the Google Group.
CRITICISM
Google Plus was often criticized for being a so-called "ghost network" because it had a lot of profiles but its owners did not actively use their account. This is due to the fact that a Google Plus account is automatically created when a user opens a Google Account. A Google Account is also a prerequisite for using a smartphone with an Android operating system. The rapidly increasing number of Android devices has therefore led analogously to increasing profile numbers. However, as Google is increasingly integrating its social network into its overall concept, so does the user activity on Google Plus.
DATA PROTECTION
The Google Group is generally repeatedly in the crossfire of privacy advocates. For example, Google Plus has complained that a public profile will automatically be created when a user opens a Google Account and that images published on Google Plus are automatically indexed as well.
Twitter
Twitter is a so-called microblogging service that allows users to share content with each other. With over 230 million active users worldwide, the service is one of the largest social networks in the world. The special thing is that for a contribution called "Tweet" only 140 characters are available. Users can comment on posts or "follow" other users. Hashtag lets you search all tweets for topics. Another special feature of Twitter is that all postings are immediately displayed in real time in the followers timeline.
THE TWITTER USER
The short message service is used in Germany for the most part by users between 14 and 29 years. [5] Through the social network, they can exchange views on current trends or parallel events. Older users mainly use Twitter to get informed in real time about political, cultural news.
USE BY COMPANIES
Companies often use Twitter to set trends or inform real-time followers about events at events. So Twitter is a popular medium for the rapid dissemination of news at events and press conferences.
BUSINESS MODEL
Twitter has long been financed by investors who were interested in user data. Meanwhile, Twitter also offers paid advertising to companies in the form of Promoted Tweets or Promoted Accounts.
CRITICISM
For a long time, Twitter was branded as an unnecessary addition to Facebook, as many people saw no sense in the short 140-character messages. In addition, Twitter was often unattractive to investors because the platform's advertising capabilities are limited.
DATA PROTECTION
Twitter has like all social networks from the United States again and again problems with the local data protection law. Among other things, the automatic creation of placemarks of mobile Twitter users has been deactivated.
XING
XING is a German social network that exists since 2003 and is used in Germany by more than 5 million members. It mainly serves to expand professional networks.
THE XING USER
XING is primarily used by members between 35 and 54 for business contacts. At the same time, users are interested in maintaining their own profile in order to use it as a reference for job applications or new customer contacts.
USE BY COMPANIES
Companies can create their own profiles on XING, which can be used to target or recruit new employees. In addition, the company profile provides the opportunity to provide proprietary information to the public.
In the so-called XING groups, companies as well as individuals can discuss topics together with other XING members.
BUSINESS MODEL
XING AG is part of the Burda Group and is listed on the stock exchange. At the same time, the network is financed by the subscription fees of its premium members.
CRITICISM
Criticizing XING is more of a general nature. Because there are no studies that measurably prove the benefits of a social network used for business purposes.
DATA PROTECTION
Anyone using the XING network must be aware that all data published by him is also visible. Nevertheless, it can be set in the profile whether the data can only be read by registered users and whether search engines are allowed to index the profile.
LinkedIN
LinkedIn claims to be the largest online professional network, operating in over 200 countries, with 200 million members. LinkedIn provides users with access to people, jobs, news, updates, and insider info. This is to ensure that users operate successfully in professional life. Compared to XING, LinkedIN is even more international.
THE LINKEDIN USER
Over 70 percent of LinkedIN users in Germany are between 35 and over 50 years old. [6] The users are primarily interested in developing business contacts and presenting themselves.
USE BY COMPANIES
Companies can use LinkedIN primarily to recruit new employees. Headhunters also use LinkedIN profiles to fill jobs with suitable candidates. Companies can also advertise on the social network with so-called LinkedIN Ads.
With its own company page, LinkedIN also offers companies the opportunity to present themselves to a broad target group.
BUSINESS MODEL
On the one hand, LinkedIn is financed by its revenues on the stock exchange and, on the other, by advertising and payments by premium members.
CRITICISM
On the part of the consumer advocates, criticism of LinkedIn keeps coming up. On the one hand, the deletion of a user account is extremely complicated because the required functions are not obvious. On the other hand, it is the lack of data protection that is repeatedly criticized.
DATA PROTECTION
Because LinkedIn is a US company, US privacy laws are also less strict than those in Germany. All information published on LinkedIN is also visible to the other members.
Pinterest
Pinterest was founded in 2010 as a novel social network in Palo Alto, USA. The network is characterized above all by its bulletin boards called picture collections. Registered users can upload or "repaint" images, which is similar to "sharing" or "liking" on other social media platforms. According to the company, more than 30 billion images have been uploaded to Pinterest (as of August 2014). Worldwide, Pinterest has more than 70 million registered users in 2014. [7]
THE PINTEREST USER
Target group of Pinterest are users who want to share their photos with other users.
USE BY COMPANIES
In Germany, Pinterest is still relatively little used by companies, although the social network offers its own pages especially for companies. In the US, Pinterest is used by large companies predominantly for branding .
BUSINESS MODEL
Pinterest was supported by investors in the first few years after its founding. In 2014, the first "Promoted Pins" were launched, ie paid postings by companies.
CRITICISM
Two years after the launch Pinterest came into the criticism, because the network earned on the one hand with affiliate links money, without making it clear in the terms and conditions and on the other, the copyright was criticized. Until the terms and conditions changed, Pinterest was given the right to sell images uploaded to the platform. After protests this passage was removed from the terms and conditions. Today, Pinterest is mainly in the criticism, because the uploading of images is often not to bring with local copyright in line and private users therefore threaten warnings.
DATA PROTECTION
Like all social networks headquartered in the US, privacy at Pinterest can also be criticized. It is important to know that Pinterest may use the information that users provide about their profile for advertising and for their own purposes. In addition, Pinterest may access Facebook or Twitter contact information when a user logs in to Pinterest through these social networks.
tumblr
Tumblr is a microblogging platform from the US and belongs to Yahoo . Users can share texts, videos, music, links, pictures or quotes with others. Commenting on individual contributions and using hashtags is just as possible as "liking". According to company information, there are nearly 200 million blogs and 83 billion entries on Tumblr in 2014 (as of August 2014). In 2014, Tumblr is the fifth largest social network in Germany with 3.5 million users. [8th]
THE TUMBLR USER
Who uses Tumblr, is mainly interested in the rapid dissemination of photos. For this reason, Tumblr has established itself as a social network, especially in the art and fashion scene. Due to the quick and easy way to share content, Tumblr is also popular among users between the ages of 15 and 24, and is already competing heavily with Facebook in some countries.
USE BY COMPANIES
Tumblr is barely used by companies for marketing purposes, although the microblogging service could well provide potential for viral marketing campaigns, for example.
BUSINESS MODEL
To date, Tumblr belongs to the Yahoo network and is financed through investors. The parent company has not yet found a firm business model (as of August 2014).
CRITICISM
Tumblr is often criticized because the content published there infringes copyrights or the protection of minors. The ease of use of the blog system makes Tumblr susceptible to webspam.
DATA PROTECTION
The privacy settings on Tumblr are rather sparse. Everything that is published is visible to all. Sending private messages is only possible if you follow a blog for a long time.
Badoo
Founded in 2006 in England, Badoo is one of the largest social networks in the world today, with more than 200 million users. This makes the brand one of the world's most valuable social media brands.
THE BADOO USER
The emphasis at Badoo lies mainly in making new contacts via the Internet. Often the network is therefore said to be a kind of dating site. The location feature allows members to see where they are currently located. So "live meetings" are very easy to organize.
USE BY COMPANIES
Badoo is designed primarily for private use.
BUSINESS MODEL
Unlike other social networks, Badoo does not advertise. Instead, members pay a monthly fee if they want to use the network beyond basic functionality.
CRITICISM
Badoo is said that many profiles are just fakes and are not real members. Exact studies are not yet available.
DATA PROTECTION
As with all social networks, users of Badoo should pay attention to what data they reveal about their profile. Because these data are used extensively and are public by default.
Klout
Klout is an electronic and fully automated online reputation enhancement service. The English-language portal checks the web activities and the activity in social media of the registered users and uses this data to calculate the so-called "Klout score".
THE KLOUT USER
Who uses Klout must first have at least one profile in another social network. Most Klout is used by professional bloggers or opinion leaders to prove their own online reputation.
USE BY COMPANIES
Companies can use Klout for branding and send messages to users over the network and start viral campaigns.
BUSINESS MODEL
The social network is financed on the one hand by the investor Lithium Technologies and on the other hand by the revenue from advertising campaigns that companies conduct through Klout. Especially the Klout Perks are interesting, especially active users in social networks, who are rewarded by companies for their activity in the name of a particular brand.
CRITICISM
Klout is often criticized for his calculation scale, because the exact composition of the "Klout Score" is not exactly traceable.
DATA PROTECTION
The company often creates user profiles from already publicly available data. This practice is repeatedly criticized by European privacy advocates. Another criticism is the so-called obligation to provide information. Similar to the Schufa, Klout users in Germany would also need to make all collected and personal data available on request.
VKontakte
VKontakte is a social network that is particularly popular in the Eastern Bloc countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Belarus and the Ukraine. With more than 200 members it is the largest social network in Europe.
THE VKONTAKTE USER
VKontakte is often referred to as a "copy of Facebook". The users of VKontakte are therefore similar.
USE BY COMPANIES
To date (as of August 2014) there are no opportunities to present themselves on VKontakte other than advertising for companies.
BUSINESS MODEL
VKontakte is financed by advertising and investment by shareholders.
CRITICISM
VKontakte has been criticized since launch for being more or less a copy of Facebook. In addition, the social network is often said that it was infiltrated by Russian intelligence. [9]
DATA PROTECTION
As with all major social networks, users at VKontakte must be aware of what data they want to disclose publicly.
Odnoklassniki
With almost 50 million users, Odnoklassniki is one of the largest European social networks. In Germany alone, the network should have more than 1.5 million members. Founded in 2006, the network can only be used in Russian.
THE ODNOKLASSNIKI USER
Odnoklassinik is mainly used by Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking, adult users who want to get in contact with former classmates or fellow students as well as work colleagues.
USE BY COMPANIES
For companies there are no own profiles. There is only the possibility to book advertising.
BUSINESS MODEL
Odnoklassniki finances itself through the line items of companies. In addition, the company also takes money with its premium memberships. These profiles offer even greater functionality than free membership.
CRITICISM
A big criticism are the high hurdles that users have when they want to delete their profile on Odnoklassniki.
DATA PROTECTION
The privacy policy in the basic profiles are very lax. Because basically everything that is posted on Odnoklassniki is public.
Conclusion
Social networks are today an integral part of everyday life in modern man. Actual usage, however, depends on how well a user is networked in the social network and for what purpose he uses it. For businesses, social networking can provide good opportunities to either cultivate customer contact or own brand.
