Best Social Media Sites: Finding the Best Social Media Sites for You
Social media is everywhere, and it is a part of everyday life. From teens to seniors, people everywhere are using social media to connect and share with those around them, and this list of the best social media sites will allow you to do that better than ever before.
In this list of the best social media sites, we detail 25 popular social media sites that may be of interest to you. We have all the big players but also some great social media sites that you may not be as familiar with.
From pictures to posts to tweets, the social media sites on this list let you share and connect in a number of different formats. Many of the sites also provide an excellent way to keep up with current events. This will help to ensure you stay informed in a continually changing world.
After you finish with this list, visit our lists of the best messaging apps, best free music sites, and best free movie sites for even more great related-content.
Top 25 Social Media Sites:
1. Instagram
Site Highlights: Share Photos, Videos, Clips of Your Day, Live Videos
About Social Media Site: A very popular photo-sharing site, Instagram allows users to post photos and short videos. With all the Instagram filters and the right Instagram video maker, you will be able to look like a professional photographer and videographer. A number of celebrities and bloggers post regularly on Instagram as well. So if you like feeling involved in the everyday life of the people that you follow, you will love Instagram.
Many businesses use Instagram ads as well to further promote their brand because it is used by billions of users each month, which makes it a great social media platform to get mass publicity.
2. Facebook
Site Highlights: Share Photos, Videos, Thoughts, Read Articles, Connect with Friends
About Social Media Site: The juggernaut of social media, Facebook has even garnered its own movie. Facebook is a one-stop shop for all things social media-related. You can post updates, pictures, videos, links, and a variety of other great content.
If you are not on Facebook, you are missing out on a massive part of popular culture. With more and more features added to Facebook regularly, you can trust that they will be a significant social media player for years to come.
3. Twitter
Site Highlights: Share Your Thoughts and Learn From Others All in Under 280 Characters
About Social Media Site: Along with being one of the best social media sites, Twitter is also a real-time news-sharing outlet used by people all around the world. With Twitter, your posts (tweets) are limited in length. This allows for better scrolling and forces users to get right to the point.
Media can also be easily shared, making Twitter popular on two fronts. If you love to post your thoughts or hear from other friends, family, and celebrities throughout the day on a more casual level, then Twitter is for you.
4. Pinterest
Site Highlights: Share Images and Videos, Save Other Shared Images and Videos
About Social Media Site: Pinterest is an image collecting and categorizing site. They allow you to share your ‘pins’ with others so that they can gain inspiration. You are also able to comment and save pins. This makes for a large community of users that are posting engaging content.
Pinterest is excellent for planning, collaborating, or daydreaming on pretty much any topic you can think of. Whether it is travel, sports, fashion, or whatever else piques your interest.
5. Periscope
Site Highlights: Take a Live Look In On Other People’s Lives
About Social Media Site: There is just something about being able to witness live videos. It allows for untouched, live truth. A truth that you can watch right as it happens. Periscope is a live streaming social media site that is going to allow you to have a live video stream of your life.
You will be able to be a part of millions of other people’s lives or just your close friends. This is one of the best social media sites and a unique way to experience things from around the world like never before.
6. YouTube
Site Highlights: Watch Videos and Even Full Movies on Pretty Much Ever Topic Imaginable
About Social Media Site: YouTube is going to allow you to be able to experience some of the best entertainment on the planet. It is also going to enable you to interact with millions of people from around the world as well. Watch videos, comment on videos, share videos, and more. You can also follow different creators as well as build a following of your own.
7. Weibo
Site Highlights: Share Your Thoughts, Learn From Others, Stay On Top of the Latest News
About Social Media Site: Some of the social media sites are unavailable in China. This is where Weibo steps in. Weibo is a microblogging site that is a cross between Facebook and Twitter. With a user base of 600 million-plus, Weibo definitely deserves a spot on this list of the best social media sites. Weibo is excellent for sharing your thoughts, staying on top of the latest news, and so much more. It is not just for those who live in China, either.
8. Reddit
Site Highlights: Sub-Reddits That Allow You to Follow Pretty Much Every Topic You Can Think Of
About Social Media Site: Reddit has a large following in the hundreds of millions. It has been self-dubbed (but well deserving) the “front page of the internet.” Reddit is a resource-sharing platform that is going to allow you to post and read almost anything you can think of.
Whether you are looking for travel tips, types of dog breeds, or whatever else you can think of, Reddit is most likely going to have a community of people to help you out. Reddit users can upvote or downvote posts to help keep great content towards the top. Also, Reddit offers different categories, called subreddits. These subreddits are great for making it easier to find specific content. They will also help you better connect with like-minded people.
9. MeetUp
Site Highlights: Connect With People Online and Then Meet-Up in Real Life Doing Fun Activities
About Social Media Site: It is great to connect with people online, but that is not what MeetUp is about. MeetUp allows people to connect and then meet up in real life. You will be able to find different activities that you enjoy, and then meet up with people who also enjoy them. You can create an activity as well. With MeetUp, you will be able to make real-life connections with people that share the same interests as you. If you are looking to connect with people in real life, this is one of the best social media sites to use.
10. Snapchat
Site Highlights: Send and Receive Short Videos and Images, Follow Celebrities
About Social Media Site: Also, one of the best messaging apps, Snapchat is going to allow you to connect with family, friends, and celebrities like never before. Snapchat will enable you to post different videos and images that have a timed shelf life, and then once their time limit expires, they disappear. You can send your videos and images individually, in groups, or for all your followers to see.
Before sending any multimedia, you will also be able to edit as well. You will be able to use filters and editing tools to improve your image and keep it fun. Some of the other cool features that they offer are live face-to-face video, a news section, and the ability to delete a message that was already sent.
11. Taringa
Site Highlights: Connect With People All Over the World, Read Articles, Watch Videos
About Social Media Site: Taringa is a Spanish-generated social media platform that is also translated into English. With Taringa, you will be able to connect with 25 million-plus people and read posts on sports, technology, life hacks, and much more. Taringa’s motto is “Collective Intelligence.” Their goal is to provide a place where people can come together to connect and learn from each other.
12. Foursquare
Site Highlights: Connect With Real People Who Have Left Reviews on Places You Also Want to Check Out
About Social Media Site: Have you ever gone to a city or an area and wondered what was fun to do there? With Foursquare, you will be able to connect with people online that have done different activities you are looking into. They will be able to give you relevant feedback on their experiences. This is going to be critical for finding the best things to do in a new place.
13. Myspace
Site Highlights: Connect With Artists, Designers, and Creators From All Over the World
About Social Media Site: You may think of MySpace as a social media site from the past, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. With a massive facelift and change in direction, Myspace is still one of the best social media sites. Myspace has one of the largest digital music libraries in the world. They are also going to allow you to connect with artists, designers, photographers, and creators from all around the world. You will be able to follow your passions and also connect with like-minded people as well.
14. The-Dots
Site Highlights: Connect With Real People in Different Business Industries
About Social Media Site: The-Dots is not the typical social media site on this list, but is still a great site. They are geared towards connecting people within different business industries. The goal of The-Dots is to connect and support the “makers, doers, fixers, and dreamers that bring creative ideas to life.” So if you are a thinker that has something to contribute, or you enjoy learning from other creative minds, give The-Dots a try. Start connecting with like-minded people.
15. Quora
Site Highlights: Share Knowledge and Learn From Millions of Other Users As Well
About Social Media Site: Knowledge is power, and Quora believes that they have a responsibility to share knowledge with as many people as possible. The Quora Platform is designed to help you share your knowledge and learn from other people from all around the world.
You will be able to read interesting content, ask and answer different questions, and so much more. Quora is one of the best social media sites, but it is also an online community that will help you grow in your knowledge of the world we live in.
16. BizSugar
Site Highlights: Designed for Small Business Owners, Managers, and Entrepreneurs
About Social Media Site: BizSugar is designed for small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs. It is going to deliver great content “without all the noise.” BizSugar does two things. First, it is going to allow you to share expert content, which is going to allow you to increase your visibility and reputation.
Second, it will enable you to be able to learn from other experts. Both are key when it comes to developing and managing a business that you are a part of. Users can vote for different posts as well, so you will be able to find relevant and helpful information on various topics quickly.
17. Digg
Site Highlights: Better Find the Content Online That You Are Looking For
About Social Media Site: Digg is designed to help cut through the “clutter of the internet” so that it can provide readers with access to the content that matters. With Digg, you will be able to discover the stories that are most relevant and interesting quickly.
Two of Digg’s most significant selling points are its proprietary tools and top-of-the-line editorial team. This allows for a platform that is easy to sort through and will allow you to read the stories that most appeal to you.
18. Mix
Site Highlights: Dive Deeper Into Different Topics, Share and Learn From Other Users
About Social Media Site: If you love to discover and learn new things, then Mix is the right choice for you. You will be able to dive deep into different topics and find quality resources like never before. With an entire community that is interested in learning and sharing, you will be able to increase your knowledge base drastically.
You will be able to search for content in several ways. You will be able to search for topics that you already enjoy learning about and also use the suggestion tool. This will help with keeping your content fresh.
19. AskFM
Site Highlights: Revolves Around the Q&A Format, Help Others Learn and Learn From Other Users
About Social Media Site: AskFM is based on the simple concept that asking questions creates an excellent conversation. This entire social media platform revolves around the Q&A format. The AskFM platform will allow you to learn and help others learn.
It will also allow for stimulating conversation between different connections you make as well. With over 200 million users and thousands of questions asked every minute, AskFM is going to be a great resource and a place to connect.
20. LiveJournal
Site Highlights: Combines Blogging and Social Media, Share Your Own Story and Read Other User Stories
About Social Media Site: LiveJournal is going to combine blogging and social media and make them into something unique and personal to each user. You will be able to share your own story as well as take part in other people’s stories, along with making a personal connection. You will be able to learn about different topics like politics, entertainment, fashion, and more.
21. Google+
Site Highlights: Connect With Friends and Family, Learn From Other Sources
About Social Media Site: Google+ lets users post photos and updates, among other things. Text and video chats are also available, as well as the ability to edit and upload photos to a private, cloud-based album. If you are a Google fan, Google+ is something you should definitely check out. Also, with Google’s love for innovation, you can bet that Google+ is going to continue to add more and more cool features as time continues on.
22. Flickr
Site Highlights: Online Community of Photographers That Share Images
About Social Media Site: Flicker is an excellent photo-sharing website that has a great online community. They let you search for pictures or upload and edit your own images and videos to share. Millions of pictures are tagged and categorized on Flickr, making it an excellent photo repository. So whether you are a professional photographer, enjoy it as a hobby, or just like looking at great images, Flickr is going to be your go-to source.
23. Tumblr
Site Highlights: Share Your Own Content, Read and Interact With Other Users Content
About Social Media Site: A blogging platform, Tumblr allows users to post texts and images quickly. Users can follow other Tumblr users and ‘like’ or re-blog content. If you enjoy blogging, but want a simplified blogging platform, Tumblr is a great choice. With a variety of contributors, you will be able to find and follow a range of different users. You will be able to find the bloggers that best fit your various interests.
24. Linkedin
Site Highlights: Networking for Professionals, Excellent Business Resources, Share Your Expertise and Learn From Others
About Social Media Site: The social media site for business professionals, Linkedin is a great networking site for career building. Users can post online resumes, as well as post job ads, or apply for jobs. As the job market turns more and more to online connections, Linkedin is a must for those looking to further their professional career.
With the right Linkedin resume, you can open up a number of doors to job opportunities. Linkedin also offers a bunch of great learning tools and resources, as well as other members and experts that share quality content regularly.
25. VK
Site Highlights: Share Your Thoughts, Connect With Others, Live Stream, Play Games
About Social Media Site: Very popular in Europe, VK is similar to Facebook, but with a European twist. With more than 100 million active users, people can connect across the globe. If you are looking to switch things up, you may want to check out VK. They have a variety of cool features like a live stream, games, and more. VK will keep you entertained and connected with everything that you enjoy following online.
Editor’s Pick: Best Social Media Platform for Creators
Instagram is our editor’s pick for the best social media platform for creators. Whether you’re a photographer, influencer, or business, Instagram offers the tools needed to create and share stunning visuals, videos, and stories with your audience. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features like Instagram Stories, IGTV, and a variety of filters, it’s no wonder that Instagram remains one of the most popular platforms for creators of all kinds. Plus, the integration of shopping features, analytics tools, and ads makes it a must-have platform for growing your brand online.
Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Sites
1. What is the best social media site for staying informed about the latest news?
For staying updated with real-time news, Twitter is one of the best platforms. With its fast-paced, character-limited tweets, you can easily follow news outlets, influencers, and individuals for breaking stories. It’s widely used by journalists, media houses, and everyday users to share opinions, updates, and direct information.
2. Which social media site is best for creative professionals?
Instagram and Behance are excellent for creative professionals. Instagram’s visual focus is perfect for photographers, artists, designers, and videographers to showcase their work. Behance, owned by Adobe, is another great platform specifically for creative portfolios, offering features to connect with clients, fellow creators, and potential employers.
3. Is there a social media site focused on business and networking?
Yes! LinkedIn is the best platform for professional networking. It’s designed for job seekers, recruiters, business owners, and professionals to connect, share their expertise, and build their careers. The platform also offers career-focused content and learning resources to help users advance their professional growth.
4. Which social media site offers the best privacy features?
Reddit is known for its anonymity and privacy features. It allows users to create pseudonymous accounts to participate in discussions without revealing their real identity. Additionally, Snapchat also emphasizes privacy by allowing photos and videos to disappear after being viewed, making it a popular platform for users concerned with privacy.
5. How can I ensure I am using social media safely?
To use social media safely, make sure to activate privacy settings on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to control who can see your posts. Always be mindful of the personal information you share, and avoid engaging with suspicious accounts. Many platforms offer two-factor authentication (2FA), which adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.
Tips for Choosing the Best Social Media Sites for You
1. Know Your Goals
Before choosing the best social media platforms, it’s important to define your goals. Are you looking to connect with family and friends? Or are you building a personal brand or business? Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great for staying connected with friends and family, while LinkedIn and Twitter are ideal for professional networking and thought leadership.
2. Choose Based on Content Type
Think about the type of content you want to share or consume. For visual content, Instagram and Pinterest are fantastic for photos, videos, and infographics. For written content and discussions, Twitter, Reddit, and Quora excel in creating a space for text-based posts and discussions.
3. Consider Your Audience
Different platforms attract different user demographics. Snapchat is great for younger audiences, while Facebook caters to a wider, more diverse age range. If your audience is more professional, LinkedIn offers a specialized network for job seekers, recruiters, and industry leaders.
4. Prioritize Privacy and Security
As you explore new platforms, prioritize those that offer strong privacy features and the ability to control who sees your posts. Reddit and Snapchat offer higher levels of privacy, while Instagram and Facebook provide more public sharing options. Always review privacy settings and consider activating two-factor authentication (2FA) where available.
5. Engage with Communities
Platforms like Reddit, Meetup, and Weibo offer rich community experiences. Whether you’re looking to join niche groups or meet people with similar interests, these platforms allow you to engage with others in meaningful ways. Reddit, in particular, is ideal for participating in specialized discussions via subreddits.
6. Explore Less Common Platforms
While mainstream platforms like Facebook and Twitter are incredibly popular, consider branching out to sites like Quora (knowledge-sharing) or Taringa (Spanish-language social media). These platforms can offer unique experiences and help you connect with different communities.
7. Experiment and Stay Updated
Social media trends evolve quickly. Try experimenting with different platforms to see which aligns best with your needs. Whether you’re creating content on TikTok or connecting with business professionals on LinkedIn, it’s important to stay updated with changes in algorithms, features, and trends across platforms.
Best Social Media Sites Conclusion
The world is consistently shrinking and making everything more accessible. Social media offers something for everyone. It is a tool that is going to allow you to stay connected, learn new things, keep up with the latest news, and more. These social media sites are going to enable you to find the best fit for you to do all these things.
This list of the best social media sites was put together with the idea of variety in mind. It has all the big hitters, but it also has some great social media sites you may not have heard of. So give some of these sites a try and stay better connected with the online world that you love.
Social media has even become so popular that companies hire social media experts. So if you are looking to work from home or for a big social media company, consider learning how to master some of these different social media platforms. And with the right tools, you can grow your social media following or grow it for a business you may work for.
Do you have a favorite social media platform that you don’t see on this list? If so, please feel free to share it below.
