Social media focuses on the social attribute of media. It provides social network function for a website which gathers the users together and gives them a platform to interact with one another, like a community. Its basic features are being spread by users and contains high frequency of user interaction.

Social media is different from social network websites. Social media is a type of media that can be embedded in multiple websites include portal websites, vertical websites, etc. In contrast, social network websites are the type of websites which focus on building social network relationships for the users. In other words, social media is a flexible website function and social network websites are websites.

A Rising Type of Media

Ten years ago, nobody has heard of social media. However, this word has become more and more popular currently. Especially in the vertical websites - the websites work for a specific group of people or field like education websites, fashion street snap websites, financial management websites, parenting websites, movie forum websites, and house renting websites, social media is embedded into different categories of websites. Besides, photograph filter sharing apps, online shopping apps, restaurant recommendation apps, as well as the we media apps, also usually embed the social media function. The usage of social media has become a trend for websites willing to develop the number of users and the adhesiveness of users.

Speaking of "the adhesiveness of users", after my research, I find this is the main benefit of using social media. Since one of the basic features of social media is being spread by users, when the good works, comments, or pictures are "liked" by other users, users are unconsciously encouraged to upload more interesting content to satisfy his "fans" or to increase the click rate of his post. Thus, social media could help increase the adhesiveness of users. In this project, I will introduce two representative types of websites which use social media to develop rapidly.