What Is Facebook, What Is It For And How Does It Work?

If you are still not clear about what is Facebook or how this social network works, of which you have surely heard many times, today I will clear up your doubts.

Although it is possible that people around you already have a Facebook profile or corporate page, you probably still do not know exactly what it is or what it is for.

And, if you are also in a moment of your life in which you have decided to start training in the digital world, you should begin to understand how this digital platform works.

Likewise, it would be convenient for you to know that, both to professionally manage this or other networks, you will have to face a series of myths or rumors that surround them.

Be that as it may, if you have never used it, don’t worry, because today I will reveal a little more about this platform, from its beginnings to its functions, and of course, I will leave you some tips so that you can use it from today.

What is Facebook?

Facebook  is a social network that was created to keep people in touch, and that they could share information, news and audiovisual content with their own friends and family.

It is one of the digital channels best known by all users who browse the Internet today. In fact, according to the studies that have been carried out in the last year, after Whatsapp it is the second most used social network.

All types of users can register in it: individuals, companies, or large brands, to be in contact with each other and thus be able to share content.

But what exactly is Facebook for?

By telling you what Facebook is, I have practically also revealed to you what it is for since, as I have mentioned before, in it we can see and interact with images, videos, comments, from other users or accounts.

This is a good means of communication that has put people in touch who have lost contact over the years, perhaps due to distance or other life circumstances.

In the same way, it has come to bring together former students of schools, or tries to bring users closer to their favorite brands.

Its main function, therefore, is to connect users, put people in contact so that they can share information about themselves, their tastes, their experiences and, ultimately, their day-to-day life.

Thus, they can comment publicly, send private messages and even make live connections via video, through its ” Facebook Live ” functionality.

It is true that throughout the evolution process that this platform has had, we have seen that we can no longer just share an image or a video. Now we can even share a feeling, an emotion, say where we are by its location or what music we are listening to.

And, as if that were not enough, it has saved more than one of us so we don’t forget the birthdays of our friends and even our partner or children!

An original way to give it an additional function, so you don’t have to write down all these dates on a calendar or even in your diary.

If, on the other hand, you want to give it a more professional use and become a Community Manager, this network gives you the opportunity to be in contact with people who work in the same sector as you.

In this way you can do Networking, you can meet customers and even if you have a Fan Page you can sell your own products.

How was Facebook born? Brief history about the platform

Back on February 4, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched this website, along with other Harvard University colleagues such as Eduardo Saverin, Andrey McCollum, Chris Hughes and Dustin Moskovitz.

Zuckerberg’s main idea was to create a new way of communicating with university students on a daily basis, although in a very short time it was opened to all those who had email.

Thus, it expanded to other universities and users, until it reached the point where we are today, with more than 2.9 billion users per month.

After the success obtained with the platform and the launch of Instagram in 2010, Zuckerberg’s company acquired the rights to this “App” in 2012.

How does Facebook work?

Its operation is simple, since once you have registered in it and have created your personal profile you will be able to start interacting with your friends and family.

Keep in mind that in order to register and log in to it, you will need a Gmail email or another similar platform and its corresponding personal and secret password.

Knowing these initial premises, it is time to learn how the social network works, for which you must consider the number of things you can do in it:

► Make new friends

Adding new friends is as simple as searching for them by their first and last names (if they have registered with their real data) in the search engine that you will find at the top of the platform.

Once you enter the name, the people who match your search will appear and you must send a friend request to get in touch with him or her, by clicking on the ” Add to my friends ” button.

This is important, since although in some cases we are allowed to communicate with others by private message without having to be friends (depending on the personal profile settings of each one), the platform recommends, for privacy, not to talk to unknown people.

► Interact with the contents of your community

As I told you before, with it you can see the status updates, photos and videos that they upload, where they share relevant moments of their own lives.

In this way, you can let them know your opinion, give me a like, comment on those contents to tell them what you thought or even share those contents so that your own community can also see those contents of others.

► You can join thematic groups

In the same way that you maintain your activity with your profile or page, you can share and consume content precisely on those topics that interest you or are most passionate about.

There are 3 types of groups:

• Open/Public Groups: they are those that we can include without having to be authorized, we will find it in the search engine and we can even invite other users to participate in it. In addition, its content is totally public, whether you are part of the group or not.

• Private/Closed Groups: we can find these types of groups in the search engine, but to be part of it or see the content we must be accepted by one of the administrators. In this case, we will only be able to see the description of the group, but we will not have access to any type of publication.
• Secret Groups:  you will not find these in the search engines, let’s say that you have to be a bit “VIP” to participate in it, since only an administrator or member of the secret group can invite you to access it and its content cannot be shared or posted on the platform.

► Other extra features

Within Facebook we find various functionalities different from the main ones that I have already told you about, such as:

• Games, where you will not only be able to play alone, but you will be able to interact with your friends.
• Events, you can keep up to date with the events that take place near your location, or those that are of interest to your friends. In this way, you can show your own interest in an event with the function of indicating “I am interested” or “I will attend”.

• Jobs, which very recently have included a job section where you can not only see the offers, but you can also post yours.
• Make payments: now that there is a sales portal in the purest “Wallapop” style, payments can also be managed through the platform.
• Recommendations: you can also request recommendations for places, restaurants, shops, hotels.
• Groups: there are groups created by the users themselves in which they meet according to interests, themes or even for events.

Should I also be on Facebook if I have a business?

The answer to this question is “it depends”, since this in itself is available to all types of companies, as long as it is created by someone who has a personal profile or account.

Taking this into account, the question in this case should rather be:

“Is the target audience or potential customers of my business on Facebook?”

When I say it depends on whether or not I should be on Facebook, it is because everything will depend on your target audience, so you should first look back on your business model and professional sector, to be clear if your client is in that grid.

In the event that the answer is affirmative, then yes you should be there and develop a complete social media strategy in it, helped, if you prefer, by tools to manage social networks professionally.

Conclusion

In summary, Facebook is a social network with the ability to unite users in the same community, giving them the facility to share experiences, moments and conversations, as well as the opportunity to contact a company.