Definition:
A social network is a digital service where people, organisations or communities create profiles, establish connections and publish, discover or exchange content. It combines the identity of each account, relationships between users and the distribution of posts within a platform.
Social networks are part of social media, but the concepts are not identical. Social media covers digital media based on content created and circulated by users; a social network also organises the service around profiles, connections, followers or communities.
Table of contents
Each platform defines its own formats and rules, but most combine several elements: a profile, a network of contacts or followers, a publishing system and features for reacting, commenting, sharing or sending messages.
Content may be displayed chronologically, through subscriptions or by a recommendation algorithm. This system selects posts using signals such as connections, stated interests, previous activity, content popularity and platform rules. Resources such as the hashtag make it easier to group and discover conversations about a subject.
Decentralised networks also exist. In the fediverse, different servers can communicate through compatible protocols, so a community does not necessarily depend on one company.
Platforms change quickly and many combine several functions. Well-known social networks and social services include:
- Facebook: connects people, organisations and businesses through profiles, pages and groups. Profiles represent users, while pages provide updates from brands or institutions and groups bring communities together around shared interests. It also includes events, video, live streams and Marketplace.
- Instagram: revolves around publishing and discovering photographs and videos. A profile acts as a permanent showcase, while Stories and Reels support more immediate communication. People, creators and brands use it to present their activities, develop a visual identity and engage with their audiences.
- YouTube: allows people and organisations to publish, find and share videos through channels. Subscriptions, comments, live streams and recommendations connect viewers with creators. Alongside its social features, it operates as an audiovisual search engine for entertainment, music, news, tutorials, education and demonstrations.
- TikTok: focuses on discovering videos, particularly short vertical clips. Its For You feed selects content according to each user’s interests and activity, even when they do not follow the creator. This model helps sounds, formats, explanations and trends spread rapidly.
- LinkedIn: connects professionals, companies and specialists through profiles that present experience, education and skills. Posts, company pages, job vacancies and groups structure its professional conversations. People use it to find career opportunities, recruit talent, share industry knowledge and develop B2B relationships.
- Pinterest: works as a visual discovery space for finding and saving ideas. Users organise images and videos, known as pins, into boards devoted to subjects or projects. It supports inspiration, purchase planning, reference collection and visits to the original source of a product, tutorial or piece of content.
- X: brings together public conversations and commentary about current events in real time. Users publish posts, threads, images and videos, reply to other accounts and follow subjects through trends and hashtags. Its immediacy supports live discussion but can also accelerate the spread of unverified information.
- Threads: supports public conversations connected to the Instagram ecosystem. It focuses on text posts that may include images and video, and allows users to reply, quote and share messages. Accounts follow individuals, creators and brands to join discussions or receive their updates.
- Snapchat: combines a camera-led interface with the direct exchange of photographs and videos. Messages that can disappear are central to its identity, although it also provides Stories, maps, creator content and augmented-reality lenses. It therefore links private conversations with public discovery areas.
- Reddit: groups topic-based communities known as subreddits, each with its own rules. Users publish links, questions, images and discussions about particular subjects. Votes and comments influence content visibility and allow highly valued conversations to become more prominent.
- Twitch: centres on live-video broadcasts accompanied by chat between creators and viewers. It became popular through gaming but also hosts music, interviews, sports and conversation streams. Channels develop communities through followers, subscriptions and clips.
- WhatsApp: organises private and group conversations through text, calls, audio, images and video. It differs from a conventional social network because it starts with contacts rather than a public discovery feed. Groups, communities, channels, Status and business accounts add social and distribution functions.
One platform may belong to several categories. Classification depends on the relationship it promotes and its dominant format:
- General-purpose networks: combine profiles, communities and varied content for a broad audience.
- Professional networks: connect people and organisations through experience, employment or business activity.
- Visual networks: prioritise photography, design, inspiration and image collections.
- Video and live networks: distribute audiovisual content, broadcasts and real-time conversations.
- Topic-based or decentralised networks: form around specific interests or communities hosted on different servers.
The value of a social network depends on each user’s need and the characteristics of the community. Common uses include:
- Communication: maintaining relationships, holding conversations and sharing information with contacts or groups.
- Information and discovery: following sources, trends, subjects, products and events.
- Community building: bringing together people with shared interests, experiences or goals.
- Expression and entertainment: creating, publishing and consuming content in different formats.
- Professional and commercial activity: developing contacts, serving customers, promoting products, selling or recruiting.
Social networks for businesses and organisations
An organisation can use social networks for customer service, corporate communication, research, advertising, sales and community development. Platform selection should reflect the audience, objective, format and available resources, rather than total user numbers alone.
Day-to-day management may be assigned to a community manager. Their work includes planning posts, moderating conversations, responding to issues and applying tone, security and escalation criteria.
Indicators such as reach, clicks, followers or engagement describe parts of the activity, but they should be connected to specific objectives. Social Listening analyses posts and conversations to interpret topics, perceptions and changes in context.
Risks and good practices
Using social networks involves decisions about privacy, security, reputation, intellectual property, moderation and data processing. Rapid content distribution can amplify useful information as well as errors, impersonation or disinformation.
- Define the purpose: establish what should be communicated, to whom and with which expected result.
- Protect accounts and data: use secure passwords, stronger authentication and appropriate permissions.
- Verify before sharing: check the source, date and context, especially for sensitive or viral content.
- Respect rights and rules: identify advertising, attribute materials and follow each platform’s policies.
- Measure in context: combine quantitative data with qualitative review and avoid treating one metric as the final outcome.