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Match.com
Most people would not consider dating websites social media, but this was the one that started it all. Match.com was the first dating website, the one that started it all, giving single people a totally new outlook on dating. In 1994 only 5% of Americans had internet access but that did not stop CEO Gary Kreman, today Match.com is the most visited dating website over 20 years later.
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-matchcom-was-founded-by-gary-kremen-2015-7 -
Six Degrees
Most people consider Six Degrees to be the first actual social media website. The website was the first of its kind, showing "friend lists" and information with high schools and colleges, this may not seem impressive now but back in 1997 this was a huge deal it was more difficult to get in touch with people. Allow this website was sold in 2000 due to lack of internet access for people, this was a milestone.
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/2/ -
Napster
Napster was the first peer to peer network where you could download and share music with one and other (illegal) this was one of the first social media sites to deal with copy rite issues, where musicians started to notice a decline in sales. At the time, since this had never been an issue because no one had ever found a way to download music for free, there were no laws prevent this. After Metallica sued, Napster shut down and there are now laws protecting musicians. -
Ryze
Back in 2001 when Adrian Scott created this business social network. The goal of this website was to allow business people to make connections, there was messaging on this site, something new! More people had access to the internet, why not start building professional connections with social media? These websites are the foundation of the popular social media sites we use today (linked in for example)
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/3/ -
Friendster
Similar to Six Degrees, friendster had some upgrades for the software. This site ran a little better now that more people had internet access, CEO Abrams described the website as a dating site but not for dating. The site had the same features as dating sites but focused on making connections with your circle of friends, it generated millions of users but could not keep them, similar with many early social media platforms.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/ -
MySpace
The first huge social media success story, MySpace. The coolest thing about the site is it was designed by several employees of an internet marketing company (probably why it was so successful) this site had friends, messaging, music playing on your profile it truly was the first of its kind, 2006 it was the no. 1 website after Facebook hit it was not as successful, still the company was sold for 35 million
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/7/ -
LinkedIn
LinkedIn was a more successful Ryze. The site started off as a place to post your resumes online, even then it was doing well with 4,500 members in the first month of launching. The website evolved into a place for professionals to network, a business social media, still around today with almost 300 million members
https://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/ -
Facebook
A totally new outlook on all social media, Facebook combined the profile aspect, with school history, statuses, photo sharing and much more as the app developed. Facebook actually launched in 2006, it was the site allowing 3rd parties to make developments within the app that really contributed to its success, it was so successful there was a movie made about it in 2010, "The Social Network"
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/9/ -
Twitter
Twitter shorted everything, no more long statuses with oversharing and no limits, twitter started micro blogging. Twitter is defiantly more of a mobile app than anything, but twitter grew popular for spreading news, theres no news filter on FB, twitter made it fast and easy to tweet important details.It also allowed people to stay informed on their favorite celebrities thoughts and actions, another new concept not having to follow back.
https://socialnomics.net/2013/01/23/the-history-of-twitter/ -
Google +
Many do not know, google hangouts was the first social network to have the video chatting, this buzz inspired google to create google + a a non traditional social network. Within this first month google + had acquired 25 million users. -
Instagram
Almost entirely mobile Instagram took a different direction then both FB and Twitter but eliminating the thoughts/status and focused on likes and photos. Since the apps launch there is over 20 billion photos users have collectively posted on the app, this app has also had a huge impact on people who consider their career to be "influencers"
https://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/ -
SnapChat
SnapChat is defiantly not a traditional form of social media, although I do believe it still falls under the category. Disappearing photos and messages, kind of seem like an anti-social network,at least that is how it begun, as the totally mobile app developed it began letting you see best friends and adding stories (which would disappear too) kind of straying away from the anti network now with 158 million users
https://socialmediaweek.org/blog/2018/01/chat-rooms-snapchat-history-social-media/
