Social media is everywhere these days. Studies show that around 77% of American adults have at least one active social media profile.

The growing presence & effects of social media on a brand/business are inescapable. Social media and social media marketing can be a useful tools for businesses, with benefits such as engaging with your audience, displaying works, reaching out to customers, boosting website traffic, and much more. However, there can also be many disadvantages, like the resources required and negative feedback, and much more.

Social media advantages and disadvantages

Some of the top advantages and disadvantages of social media and the impact they can potentially have on your company are listed below.

Social Media Advantages

• A worldwide audience— established social media presence gives instant connectivity on a global scale.

• Educational process: Using online social networks in the educational process has been supported by several educational technology researchers, who have highlighted the benefits of technologies. The rising of social networking platforms, and widespread interest in students have drawn attention to the use of internet tools to create distance education.

• Quick connections—Reaching an endless amount of future clients quickly is a valuable asset when you seek to stay relevant. Developing leads is easily attainable with an active social media presence.

• Online marketing: You can build a relationship with your customers who are more likely to use your services. You can get the result right away.

•  Information spreads fast: All important things such as major news events, missing persons, weather information, etc. can cover the world in a moment.

• Reflecting on reviews—researching and reading reviews of your company’s page/content/products is a useful tool for understanding what doesn’t work, and mainly promoting what does.

• Ability to create original content—for free! You can create and post organic content on your company’s page or profile on every social media platform, which is basically a free advertisement opportunity for your brand.

• Option for paid ad placement—In addition to (or in lieu of) creating and posting your own original content to connect with potential customers, you can also take advantage of the various paid advertisement plans offered by various social media networks.

• Building brand loyalty. Another advantage that comes along with repeated exposure to your brand or business name is that it builds loyalty among current or future customers.

Social Media Disadvantages

• Privacy problems: Sharing location or getting in trouble at work because of tweeting something improper or sharing everything with the public can land you in some problems that sometimes can never be solved.
• It changes lifestyle habits, and it is sleep disruption: Since using a social network is all done on computers, tablets, or mobile devices, it can motivate too much sitting down in one place for a very long time. Gazing into the light from a computer or phone screen at night can affect your ability to get a proper night’s sleep.
• Lacks emotional connection: When using social media, the quality of a conversation is displeasing because you cannot sense the emotion or interest of the other person with whom you are in contact.
• Reduces Family Intimacy: Texting, Facebook, Twitter, etc. separates us from our families and relatives more than we actually think it does. When family members are spending time together and watching a movie, in reality, most of the children are on their phones rather than watching the film with their family members.

The debate about whether social media’s advantages and disadvantages are foreseen to continue. So if you or your children are worried about using social media sites, don’t be nervous. Just keep your software updated, double-check information before you believe it or share it and keep all your privacy settings updated too. And if social media is bringing you down, take a break. When you use social media platforms correctly, it improves life.