Facebook was founded on Feb. 4, 2004, by Mark Zuckerberg and five college roommates. They started the social media platform for Harvard students only. Later on, they added other schools to the platform. As time went on, anyone over the age of 13 was allowed to create a profile on the site.
Their first IPO was on Feb. 4, 2004. However, they did not begin selling stock to the public for three months. They later met a market capitalization of $104 billion, breaking a new record. The social media outlet had become more than just an innocent site designed for college students to keep in touch with each other. Facebook is now being accessed by more than two billion users.
Businesses use this to their advantage. If there are two billion people on this social media platform, this would be a great place to get a product out right? In 2007, pages were created allowing businesses to advertise. Facebook makes most of its earnings just off of advertisements alone.
What makes this social media outlet different from other sites, such as Twitter, SnapChat, and Instagram? Most social media sites focus more on what a person is doing specifically. This social site opens a platform for people to connect with others all around the world. It is about not just what goes on in daily life but actual ideas. This gives more insight into what type of person they are, what their morals are for example.
For instance, if someone posts a selfie that is fine, the audience can see that someone has a new headband, and they have good taste. If one of their friends posts something that they do not agree with that can spark a lot more. It gives a better insight into what type of person he or she is. With that being said, now they can comment and find out why, or a debate can be started if someone who agrees with that post comments or even someone who disagrees. That is the biggest difference between this platform and others.
SnapChat is to see what other people are doing in the moment. Instagram is primarily the same thing as SnapChat, but set up a little differently. Twitter is to voice how one might feel. Nonetheless, none of the platforms offer more than Facebook.
This social media platform literally connects with audiences all across the world making advertising and marketing easier than it has ever been. When has there been the ability to have access to over two billion people on one social media outlet? This platform gives billions of people a chance to connect from all over the world to share things happening in other countries.
In this age of technology, major news will be seen on Facebook before one would turn to a television station and watch it. In all, what makes Facebook a social network is that networking with numerous individuals in a variety of ways is now possible. Whether it is merely sharing a photo or marketing to sell a product. With posting or marketing on Facebook, one has a better chance of connecting with the audience they are trying to reach and learn exactly what sparked other interests.
Written By Alexis Norman
Edited by Jeanette Smith
Sources:
Odyssey: Why Facebook Is The Best Social Media Site Available
Social Media Examiner: Purpose: How Facebook Built an Empire
CIO: 10 Reasons Why Facebook Will Rule Social Media Forever
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