{"id":259,"date":"2017-01-03T19:29:22","date_gmt":"2017-01-03T19:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/?p=259"},"modified":"2017-01-13T14:31:33","modified_gmt":"2017-01-13T14:31:33","slug":"3-advantages-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/2017\/01\/03\/3-advantages-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"3 BENEFITS OF USING SOCIAL MEDIA"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-354 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-199497-2.png\" alt=\"Photo of facebook app and scrabble letters spelling out 'social media'\" width=\"791\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-199497-2.png 640w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-199497-2-300x199.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It goes without saying that social media has drastically impacted and taken over our lives, particularly the way we communicate. Today, we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/debate\/article-2175274\/Why-stop-texting-actual-conversation-once.html\" target=\"_blank\">text each other more often than speaking<\/a> in person and are more distracted by our accounts than ever.\u00a0So far, in the contents of this blog I have criticised the effects of social media. However, there are obvious benefits of social media that cannot be ignored.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ve come up with 3 positive impacts of social media in society&#8230;<\/p>\n<h1>1. Global Communication<\/h1>\n<p>Messaging online doesn&#8217;t just mean texting or typing. Now, Facebook allows you to bring your conversations to life with video messaging, allowing you to physically see and talk to friends and family.<\/p>\n<p>Video messaging, therefore, challenges the notion that social media has completely diminished our abilities to communicate face-to-face as it offers a way for people to continue to physically chat.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>Chatting face-to-face live as a group is perfect for those spontaneous moments when\u00a0text just isn\u2019t enough.&#8221;<\/em> &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/newsroom.fb.com\/news\/2016\/12\/introducing-group-video-chat-in-messenger\/\" target=\"_blank\">Taine.<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Further to this, the accessibility of social media is global and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidpit.com\/best-video-chat-apps-android\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a> offers a free way for users to communicate with others from a distance. We can talk to those we can&#8217;t physically be with on special occasions or for a simple catch up, arguably making us closer to others than ever. Thanks to Facebook, long distance relationships with friends and family is never an issue.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_357\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-357\" style=\"width: 535px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-357\" src=\"http:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-198313-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of person on video call\" width=\"535\" height=\"357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-198313-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-198313-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-198313-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-198313.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-357\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Video messaging allows us to speak to people on the other side of the world<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>2. Instant Messaging<\/h1>\n<p>One of the biggest benefits of social media is instant messaging. Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp all offer different ways to communicate. But whether it be via selfie, emoji or plain messaging, all these social media sites\u00a0<em>instantly<\/em> connect us to our contacts, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bigantsoft.com\/tutorial\/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-an-Instant-Messenger.html\" target=\"_blank\">regardless of their location<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It is clear that only so much interaction can take place online but <a href=\"http:\/\/mashable.com\/2009\/10\/16\/social-media-changing-lives\/#HVskDGf7SOq0\" target=\"_blank\">plans can be made quickly<\/a> or on a moments notice, (again) bringing us closer to old and new friends. Rather than waiting to coincidentally run into a friend to make arrangements, we can send a simple text, tweet or snap and the job&#8217;s done!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_382\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-382\" style=\"width: 528px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-382\" src=\"http:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-46924-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of WhatsApp app on iPhone\" width=\"528\" height=\"352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-46924-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-46924-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-46924-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2017\/01\/pexels-photo-46924.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-382\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Social media connects us to people instantly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>3. News Coverage<\/h1>\n<p>Social media plays a key role in news coverage today. An array of information is available on demand and the same goes for news stories. For decades, people&#8217;s main source for information was print newspapers, but now more and more of us\u00a0are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.journalism.org\/2016\/05\/26\/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2016\/\" target=\"_blank\">shifting to social media<\/a>\u00a0to access the top\u00a0headlines.<\/p>\n<p>Today, we are always aware of what is going on around the world. Thanks to the availability of social media, news is <a href=\"http:\/\/socialnetworking.lovetoknow.com\/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Social_Networking\" target=\"_blank\">24\/7\u00a0<strong>and\u00a0<\/strong>real-time<\/a>!\u00a0No longer must we wait till the following day to read the news. Instead, live stories are available at a click of a button, making news more enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p>Facebook and Twitter further encourage users to interact\u00a0with the stories in the comments, changing the way we experience news. We\u00a0are much more active and can openly share and discuss our opinions with others.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>Social media has paved the way for anybody to report any event.&#8221;<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/advantages-disadvantages-social-media-news-channel-bob-garlick\" target=\"_blank\">Garlick<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Journalists are also beginning to count on user generated content to feature in their reports. We are, therefore, encouraged to take part in news broadcasts, something unique to\u00a0using social media.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_278\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-278\" style=\"width: 527px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-278\" src=\"http:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2016\/12\/light-man-hand-pen-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of tablet\" width=\"527\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2016\/12\/light-man-hand-pen-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2016\/12\/light-man-hand-pen-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2016\/12\/light-man-hand-pen-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/112\/2016\/12\/light-man-hand-pen.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 527px) 100vw, 527px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-278\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Social media allows audiences to interact with news stories<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>So there you have it.<\/p>\n<p>There are plenty more reasons as to how social media has revolutionised matters\u00a0in society. But the benefits I&#8217;ve discussed are the ones I feel are used by or influence a wider crowd.<\/p>\n<p>Social media has eased the way we communicate with people and access information BUT the important question to ask is: <strong>are you obsessed?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>(Find out in my next blog)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It goes without saying that social media has drastically impacted and taken over our lives, particularly the way we communicate. Today, we text each other more often than speaking in person and are more distracted by our accounts than ever.\u00a0So far, in the contents of this blog I have criticised the effects of social media. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[26,4,27,28,30,29,31,25,11],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/106"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":537,"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259\/revisions\/537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blog.buprojects.uk\/2016-2017\/ellietangokpho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}