Social Media And Networking In India: A Growing Trend

Social Media And Networking In India: A Growing Trend

Many estimates suggest that there will be a rise in social media in recent times. Over 91 million users in urban India are expected to be using social media by the end of this year. This is based on figures such as internt use and the affordability of smart phones. Social media users in India reached 78 million in the month of June 2013 according to a report of IAMAI (Internet Mobile Association of India) and IMRB (Internet Market Research Bureau) International. They have indicated a healthy growth percentage of social media users in India since June 2013. They also found that Facebook is the leading website which has accessed by over 96% of social media users. This tool is used to search for contacts and connect with friends. It is also great for publishing content or promoting commercial ventures.

FB has even become a tool for political campaigning in recent times. The rise in the number of FB users can be attributed to the boom in internet usage in recent times. Social networking through mobile phones has also become a common occurrence. In 2013, a report by IAMAI and IMRB International found that over 19.8 million users accessed the websites on mobiles. Mobile penetration has expanded considerably in recent times. With advances in modern technology, smart phones have become a crucial factor in influencing internet access. Social networking is becoming very important for building brands and garnering votes. Apart from Facebook, Twitter is also gathering a legion of followers. Other internet ventures such as Google Hangout are also gaining popularity among users of all ages. Social media is changing the way India looks at the world and vice versa.

Internet users have also jumped onto social network sites for leisure. Orkut has become very popular among a wide number of users. Apart from this Rediff.com and Minglebox are also gaining ground. Newer sites such as Hi5 and Yaari are gaining credibility among teenagers and young users as well. Orkut was the first initiative in the field of social networking. What makes any social networking site useful is the huge amount of users logging on to it. Sites are becoming a good way to reconnect with school friends and acquaintances. Socio-cultural factors are playing a big role in the growing impact of social media in India. People now lack the time to go out and socialize with friends. Working professionals have to face a hard day at work. Youngsters have to spend a lot of hours studying and catching up with tuition lessons. Social media and networking sites offer a vast number of opportunities to meet new people and expand social horizons. Sites such as LinkedIn are perfect for professional networking. These are wonderful for recruiters who want to get the best talent in the company and employees who want better opportunities. Sites such as LinkedIn are also a great place to find mentors.

India is also a great market for SMS based sites. Cell phones are now common among users of all demographic sections of society and this is an ideal opportunity for social networking sites to expand. SMS and cell phones have even replaced verbal communication. Sites which cater to niche audiences are also successful. For instance, food blogging sites are a wonderful place to attract chefs and those with culinary interests. A new generation of social networking sites focused on specific topics such as finance, health, sports and cooking is also emerging in the scene. Such websites are seen as one-stop destinations for a wide variety of services including social networking.

Social media is a perfect way to capitalize on new ventures as well. Clever businessmen are promoting brand ambassadors to tweet about new products. Instagrams are also attracting their fair share of viewers. With such high stakes, manufacturing firms in India are becoming more concerned with the capturing the domestic market through social media sites.The rise of social media and social networking sites also poses security concerns, however. Some amount of regulation is needed so that people do not exploit this medium for agendas which are divisive or against national interests. India comprises multi-faith communities and sensitive issues must not be capitalized for clicks on social media sites. Apart from this, social media and networking has many benefits for India.