Here are the top 10 reasons for using social media:

• Stay up to date with news and current events, 36.5%
• Find funny or entertaining content, 35%
• Fill up spare time, 34.4%
• Stay in touch with what my friends are doing, 33%
• Share photos or videos with others, 27.9%
• Research products to buy, 27.5%

Take the following into consideration before kickstarting your social media marketing campaigns:

1. Define Goals.
2. Success through Numbers.
3. One Platform at a Time.
4. Put it Down in Writing.
5. Bring it to Life with Visuals.
6. Monitor and Tune.
7. Invest in a Social Media Management Tool.
8. Profile Your Ideal Customer.

What are the advantages of social media?

• You reach large audiences.
• You have a direct connection with your audience.
• You can create organic content.
• You have access to paid advertising services.
• You build your brand.
• You drive traffic to your website.
• You can evaluate your performance.

Social media is one surefire way to find and engage with a targeted group of individuals. The very nature of social media brings groups of people with similar interests together, and this makes it a godsend for companies trying to locate and sell to an audience they know will be receptive to their products or services.

9 Things to Try If You Hate Social Media but Don’t Actually Want to Quit

1. Narrow down which social media apps you use.
2. Actually comment and reply (nicely).
3. Curate smaller lists (or create an alt account).
4. Turn off push notifications.
5. Stop hate-following.
6. Mute liberally too.
7. Follow a bunch of new accounts too.

Why is social media so addicting? While social media can seem like mindless and relaxing fun, it actually has a significant effect on your brain. Whenever you log on to your favorite apps, dopamine signals in your brain increase. These neurotransmitters are associated with pleasure.

However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Social media may promote negative experiences such as: Inadequacy about your life or appearance.

Research has shown social media use can both positively and negatively affect relationships, depending on how it’s used. Social media use has also been linked to poor body image and depression, which can negativelyaffect relationships.

1 Aside from cyberbullying, oversharing and sexting issues, social media also can put negative pressure on friendships, especially when one friend is very active about posting pictures, status updates and opinions that hurt others.

According to new research, social media behavior can severely damage real-life relationships, especially the relationship between a parent and a child. The survey finds that 16% of people say their relationship with their partner was damaged by compromising posts on social media.

Social Media Can Strengthen Friendships When kids have healthy friendships, they not only feel accepted for who they are, but they also feel more empowered and connected to the world around them. Friends also can speak truth into their lives and encourage them to explore their dreams.

Social media benefits Social media allows teens to create online identities, communicate with others and build social networks. These networks can provide teens with valuable support, especially helping those who experience exclusion or have disabilities or chronic illnesses.

Pros & Cons of Social Media

Jealousy is another issue that social media brings into a marriage. When one person uses social media excessively, this can lead to feelings of jealousy from their spouse – even if nothing inappropriate is actually going on. In turn, the jealousy can lead to monitoring of spouse’s online activities.

The impact of social media is a powerful one. Most often technology can bring forth negative interaction, or zero interaction between siblings, couples, or parent-child. It starves the family of learning and modeling with each other social cues, interpersonal relationship skills, communication skills, and bonding.