Today, June 30th, World Social Media Day is celebrated, and no, social media did not start with Facebook and Instagram. Its origins date back to 1997 when Andrew Weinreich created the first social network called “Sixdegrees.” Its purpose was to connect people with their acquaintances and those acquaintances with others linked to them.

It goes without saying that social media has been a crucial part of globalization, shaping the way people interact with each other nowadays.

Social media has enabled small businesses and entrepreneurs to reach more people, making it easier to access the market and compete in the business world.

One of its main objectives is to serve as communication tools that bring people with similar interests together from all around the world, providing a space for interaction and mutual support, where everyone can find the information they are looking for, whether it’s news, products, recipes, celebrities, etc.

It’s no wonder that we celebrate its day because social media has created opportunities to establish new professional connections, where companies have the possibility to promote collaboration and the exchange of information about their services and products, fostering closer relationships with their customers.

Social media has allowed small businesses and entrepreneurs to reach more people, facilitating access to the market and enabling them to compete in the business world.

Arrival of Social Media Over the Years

Many believe that social media arrived with the creation of Facebook, but this is not the case. As we saw, in 1997, Sixdegrees was created, followed by Friendster in 2002, LinkedIn in 2003, MySpace and Facebook in 2004, YouTube in 2005, microblogging in 2006, Instagram in 2010, Snapchat in 2011, and TikTok in 2016.

The celebration of World Social Media Day was an initiative of the news and technology portal “Mashable,” who, upon witnessing the rise and impact that social media was having, proposed in 2010 that June 30th be the special day to celebrate it.

How many people use social media today?

According to a study conducted by We Are Social and DataReportal, as of January 2023, Chile’s population was 19.62 million, of which 17.69 million were Internet users, and 16.55 million of them were active on social media. In other words, 84.4% of the total Chilean population is engaged on social media.

According to reports from Facebook Chile, their platform had 12.15 million users as of January 2023. Other platforms had the following user numbers for the same date: YouTube had 15.40 million, Instagram 10.95 million, TikTok 11.25 million, LinkedIn 6.90 million, Snapchat 1.05 million, Twitter 3.65 million, and Pinterest 3.57 million users.

Regarding social media usage in Spain, the latest study by IAB Spain called “2023 Annual Social Media Study” ranks the frequency of usage as follows: WhatsApp is the most used social media platform daily, with 95%, followed by Instagram 70%, BeReal 65%, Facebook 63%, TikTok 62%, Twitter 56%, Snapchat 54%, YouTube 52%, Spotify 44%, among others. LinkedIn has a usage rate of only 30% among active social media users.

According to the“Digital 2023 April Global Statshot Report,” the most used social media platforms worldwide until April 2023 are ranked as follows (in millions): Facebook 2,936, YouTube 2,527, WhatsApp 2,000, Instagram 2,000, WeChat 1,313, TikTok 1,092, FB Messenger 1,036, Snapchat 750, Douyin 730, Telegram 700, among others.

Why do people use social media?

According to the same “Digital 2023 April Global Statshot Report,” the main reasons people use social media are as follows:

• Keeping in touch with friends and family – 48.2%
• Passing leisure time – 36.8%
• Reading news – 34.5%
• Finding content such as articles and videos – 29.2%
• Seeing what people are talking about – 27.6%
• Finding inspiration for buying or doing things – 25.5%
• Finding products to purchase – 25.3%
• Watching live streams – 22.8%
• Sharing and discussing opinions with others – 22.6%
• Making new contacts – 22.2%
• Watching or following sports – 21.9%
• Viewing content from favorite brands – 21.5%
• Researching or networking related to work – 21.0%
• Finding like-minded communities or interest groups – 19.9%
• Following celebrities or influencers – 19.6%

In summary, social media has had a profound and positive impact on our society, transforming the way we connect, communicate, and share information. It has empowered individuals, promoted freedom of expression, raised awareness, and strengthened communities. Let us continue working to harness its potential for the benefit of all who use it.