meaning of social networking
Understanding the full meaning of social networking requires one to define building words and phrases. In this regard, it is critical to describe, separately, the terms “social,” “networking,” and “social network.” As an adjective, the word social universally implies “concerning the structure of society.” Networking, on the other hand, is a term that generally refers to actions and processes of interacting with other people for information sharing and developing social, business, and professional links or contacts. Dartmouth-Hitchcock (2010) notes that “we live in a world of social media, making it easier for us to communicate with friends, family, colleagues, and people we do not even know.” Similarly, Zarrella (2009) defines a social network as “a website where people connect with friends, both those they know offline and those who are online-only buddies.” Popular social networks include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, among others. Based on the definitions above, social networking can be described as “the use of internet-powered social platforms to connect with family, friends, colleagues, clients, and customers.”
Since social networking sites vary significantly based on their features, and one site that is valuable to one industry might not be equally productive to another enterprise. Accordingly, schools must choose social media platforms that clearly communicate and disseminate their voices. In this context, schools’ Facebook pages and Twitter handles enable stakeholders to be kept on the loop since they can find concrete information online. Google Drive promotes document sharing, thereby enhancing communication and collaboration. Skype promotes distance learning by hosting live lectures; thus, enabling students from remote areas to access education. SlideShare facilitates learning by allowing eye-catching presentations, which increase students’ classroom motivation. Pinterest inspires learners to appreciate and enjoy problem-solving and other school projects. Regardless of the platform used, Schaefer (2014) warns that if an organization fails to provide rich content, it has no chance of reaping the benefits of social media. In general, schools can use many platforms at the same time to broaden the benefits of social networking.
Media sharing is available on social media-media sharing sites, which allow users to share various media types, including videos, photos, and presentations (Zarrella, 2009). These features were traditionally the hallmark of sites such as YouTube, Flickr, and SlideShare, respectively, but have been extended to popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Sharing media online is a valuable marketing strategy because it provides an innovative way of not only reaching a wider audience but also presenting a company’s product to viewers through an enhanced method of engagement. In other words, social media provides new opportunities to create and communicate with people in a manner that show care. Sharing brings people together, thereby presenting something to celebrate. Moreover, products get better as companies learn directly from customers since free customer reviews are more valuable than costly advertising (Common Craft, 2008). Quality videos often go viral because people tend to spread them by default, and in the process, they find themselves advertising on behalf of the company.