Positive and Negative Aspects of Social Media for Business

This report explores the positive and negative aspects of social media for business. It discusses how social media affects connectivity, education, promotion, awareness, and business reputation. It also highlights the challenges and measures of security and privacy while using social media, and compares and contrasts the features, applications, and suitability of Facebook and Instagram for business. Overall, it emphasizes the importance of social media as a communication tool for businesses.

Report

Table of Contents
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................3
Compare and contrast positive and negative aspects of social media. ...........................................3
Challenges and measures of security and privacy while using social media...................................6
Any two examples of social media, compare and contrast their features applications and
suitability for business. ...................................................................................................................8
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................11
References .....................................................................................................................................12

Introduction
Social media is platform developing day by day. Social media help to engage customers
with organization products and services. Due to its overall presence at a global level it help an
individual and business to connect with large number of people easily. In this report we will
prepare positive and negative aspects of social media on business. Challenges and measures of
privacy and security taken while using social media for success of business. We will take two
social media sites and compare their features and application to analyze suitability for business.
Compare and contrast positive and negative aspects of social media.
Social media effects overall working of an individual It changes the way people interact
with each other(Anderson and Jiang, 2018). Social media is one of the major tool for a business
to communicate with customers and attract them towards working of organization. Expansion of
social media help companies to develop at a large scale.
Positive aspects of social media
Connectivity
People from anywhere are able to connect with anyone with help of social media. It is
platform which help people to know each other, share thoughts, learn new things. Social media
help companies to connect with their customers to promote their products, offers and discounts.
Get information about customers easily on social media.
Education
Large number of students are available online on social media it help them to learn new
things from other experts on social media. Individual able to Increase overall knowledge in any
field on social media without paying.
Information and updates
Get information and update about latest technology and happenings in all over the world.
Help to provide true facts and information with proper research. Companies are able to get
information about their competitors recent changes by government that affects business.
Promotion
Help companies to promote their product to large number of customers and audience.
Help to reduce cost of advertising and promote business at a large scale. Increase profit and
reduce overall expenses of company.

Awareness
Spread awareness to people about new rules and regulation, towards environment safety,
animal welfare and help to innovate lives of an individual and change their way of living(Berry
and et.al., 2018). Help people discover new things. Help organization to get information about
new products and services and innovate their business according to requirement.
Improves business reputation
Positive comments by customers on social pages of company help to develop goodwill
for business. Increase overall sales of products and services. Positive image in minds of
customers help to increase share in market.
Help
To get help social media is a platform to share issues. An individual get advice or money
from communities available online.
Negative aspects of social media
Depression and anxiety
Spending too much time on social media affects mood, poor mental health, depression in
an individual. Reduces thinking ability of an individual causes mental health.
Cyberbullying
It becomes easy to bully anyone on internet. Large number of children's and adults are
become victims of cyberbullying. Easy to create fake account on internet and share false
information about someone to develop a bad image in mind of customers. Businesses use
cyberbullying to develop a negative image in minds of customers.
Hacking
Personal information can easily be hacked on internet. Sharing information about
someone on internet affect their personal life(Dolan and et.al., 2016). Large number of
companies are facing problem related to hacking incur financial losses due to hacking. Users
need to take care while providing their personal information on internet.
Addiction
Access use of social media becomes addictive and affect overall personal live of an
individual. People are unable to get in touch with society due to addiction with social media.
Waste time of an individual that can be used in productive work or activity.

Security issues
Securing data on internet become impossible nowadays. Each and every business have
their account on social media and it becomes easy for investigation agencies to get information
about companies personal account. Business need to compromise with their privacy.
Reputation
Spreading information on social media becomes easy. Creating false information to ruin
someone image is quite simple nowadays. Creating a bad image in minds of customers effects
overall reputation of business in market.
Health issues
An individual become lazy due to excess use of internet. Overall routine of an individual
affected by spending hours on internet, increase weight, lead to poor sleep, increases stress and
depression.
Negative customers reviews
With increase in use of social media it allows customers to communicate with business
and share their thoughts(Gaspar, R., and et.al., 2016). Customers complain about products or
services provided to them develop a negative image in mind of other customers
Not easy to erase mistakes
Small mistakes on social
media affect overall working of business. Unhappy customers are able to ruin companies image.
Customers free to provide information about problems they are facing while dealing with
company.
Challenges and measures of security and privacy while using social media.
Challenges of security and privacy
Phishing attacks
Phishing is a fraudulent attack with help of personal information of an individual. Large
number of organization affected because they make their customers to reach information easily.
Companies need to analyse problems that will occur due to access use of internet and make their
system private and secure so hackers are not able to get information about their business.
Identity theft

Attackers are able to get private information. Personal information of an individual
provide sufficient details to get password or emails of credit cards and banks(Kennedy, K.,
2019). Companies and individual both need to find strong passwords to secure their data and
information.
Malware
Malware means when an individual is easily able to access someone private information.
Or able to log into computer to get access for important information. Malware attack is simple as
compare to all other online platforms. To overcome those threats and individual need to lock
important documents and get strong passwords.
Fake profiles
Large number of fake accounts are available online. Fake account aim is to get private
information and misuse to affect financially position as well as image of individual in society.
Information leakage
Social media is a platform where an individual openly share their information. Sharing to
much personal information of business like important projects, products or private data affect
overall working and growth of organization at a large scale.
Difficult to find if device is affected
Using social media comes with many challenges that an individual and business need to
face. If account is hacked or stalk by someone with bad intentions it is not easy to find out that it
is affected. To overcome those problems an individual need to check their friend list regularly
set strong passwords make their account private.
Uncontrolled user access
Social media is platforms where individual are free to visit your accounts(Rim, H. and
Song, D., 2016). Due to uncontrolled access to accounts of business an individual is able to get
information and use it against organization working to affect their reputation in market.
Tips to overcome problems
Train staff on social media security practices
Social media becomes a major platform for success of business. Organization uses social
media to connect with their customers and engage them with working of organization at a large

scale. Companies train their staff to work effectively on online platforms in social media.
Training help employees to engage with social media platforms and help them to get information
about importance of social media for business. Training help to develop skills of employees to
analyse threats on social media.
Limit social media access
Social media security is important for business for their smooth run in market. Company
need to set limit to access their social media account to secure them from threats and to keep
them secure in market(Siddiqui and Singh, 2016). Not everyone in an organization have
password for social media accounts limited access help company to achieve their goals and
objectives easily. Access to right people help company to achieve their goals easily.
Set up a system of approvals for social posts
Companies need to set a system for their business to grant access to their employees. It
help to reduce risk of spreading wrong or false information over internet. Approval system will
make staff to check the post twice before uploading it on internet.
Put someone in change
Company need to set one person as in charge who analyse overall working of business to
minimize risk for their product and services. Person is responsible for monitoring companies
social media presence, help to prepare social media marketing strategy. Person work to maintain
reputation of business over social media.
Monitor accounts and engage in social listening
Monitor social media accounts of business to reduce risk and work effectively towards
success of business. Monitoring help to get day to day updates for business and work to improve
performance of business to reduce efforts towards success of organization at a large scale.
Analyse all posts in account are relevant with services provided by business.
Invest in security technology
Security of accounts and data is main objective of business for their smooth run in market
and to establish their business at a large scale. Security system help to alert business about
offensive content that will ruin their image in market(Stephen, 2016). Target business and
customers and help to protect against hacking and phishing.
Perform a regular audit

Company need to check their accounts regularly to analyse any problem that affect their
business. Hackers come with new plans to affect business. Regular audit help to minimize risks
of hackers. Companies need to update their privacy settings regularly, analyse security threats for
business, change password regularly for social media accounts. Develop policies according to
social media pages requirement.
Any two examples of social media, compare and contrast their features
applications and suitability for business.
Social media become one of the important platform for businesses nowadays to achieve
their goals and objectives easily and to influence customers towards products and services.
Facebook and Instagram both are great platforms for development of business and require to
establish business at a large scale. Some features and application of both Facebook and
Instagram suitable for business are as follows.
Basis Facebook Instagram
Meaning Facebook is leading platforms
for business to market their
products and services and help
to attract customers towards
business easily. Facebook
connect users through sharing
and with help of their lot of
great information.
Instagram interact with their
users in different ways. Mainly
Instagram post images and
videos of business for
marketing of their products
and services. Their main focus
on providing original content
to their users.
Features Calls to action feature help
companies to drive business
objective and provide options
like book now, contact us,
shop now. Share social update
and prepare schedule for their
posts so that it help business to
With help of Instagram an
individual and business is able
to become successful. Provide
video calling feature to contact
with clients help to share
feedback and providing
important information and help

save time(van Zoonen,
Verhoeven and Vliegenthart,
2017). Event app help to
market an event with
providing information like
event name, location, date,
category, ticket. Organize list
for business to perform their
marketing activities. With help
of Facebook marketing a
business is able to create
groups according to preference
of their customers.
to invite customers towards
business. Companies use
question stickers which
provide facilities to their
customers to ask questions
according to requirement on
any confusion on companies
products and services. Re post
or re share stories of
customers. Provide facilities
like image editing, location
tagging, hashtags is one the
most attractive way of
marketing for products and
services.
Applications 1.32 billion daily users help 40
million small business to
achieve their goals and
objectives. Due to their
effective reach to their
customers help them to engage
easily and achieve goals and
objectives of business. Due to
their effective demography
help them to attract customers
easily. Facebook help people
to get in touch with each other.
400 million daily active users
are available online.
Instagram is quite interesting
and impressive to engage
customers of young age to
their business. Due to large
number of people are available
online it help business to
achieve their goals and
objectives easily.
Suitability for business Facebook help to improve
brand awareness and improve
overall presence of business In
Large number of people are
available. It help business to
make money directly by

market. Help companies to
target their customers and
advertise according to set
target. It suitable for business
to generate leads. Help to
monitor performance and take
important decision to improve.
Drive traffic towards business.
posting their products online.
Any size of business is able to
get successful on Instagram.
Provide hashtags to increase
awareness and visibility of
business. Help to analyze
competitors and prepare
strategies according to that
analysis. Offer different ways
to bring innovation and
creativity in business.
Social media site a communication tools
Social media is growing day by day and large number of people are engaging with social
media sites daily which help companies and organization to develop their business easily by
marketing over social media platforms(Weinstein, 2017). It help companies to achieve their
goals and objectives more effectively. It help to build a positive communication in an
organization. It help in branding and improving presence of business at a large scale and require
to innovate services of business.
Social media is a communication tool because large number of people are available
online and work according to requirement of business. Due to increase in number of people they
are able to communicate with each other easily. It help companies to communicate with large
number of customers over social media at a large scale. Help to connect people with each other
and businesses.
It help business to connect with their stakeholders and customers easily. Help to develop
a positive relation and improve their overall abilities to achieve goals(Weinstein, 2018). It help to
analyse customers wants and desires and use those information while marketing their products
and services. Internet help to attract customers towards products and facilities provided by
business. Social media improve their efforts and achieve goals easily.

Conclusion
In this report we get to know that social media help business to achieve their objective
easily. But using social media have both positive as well as negative impact on working of
organization. Positive impact like promotion, awareness and negative impact like hacking,
addiction effects overall personal live of an individual. Large number of challenges that business
faces while marketing over social media and different measures help company to provide safety
to their personal information. Both Facebook and Instagram are leading social websites that help
business to promote their services. Due to large number of viewers available online Facebook is
more effective tool for marketing of business.

References
Books and Journal
Anderson, M. and Jiang, J., 2018. Teens, social media & technology 2018. Pew Research Center,
31, p.2018.
Berry, N., and et.alAnderson, M. and Jiang, J., 2018. Teens, social media & technology 2018.
Pew Research Center, 31, p.2018.
Berry, N., and et.al., 2018. Social media and its relationship with mood, self‐esteem and paranoia
in psychosis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 138(6), pp.558-570.
Dolan, R., and et.al., 2016. Social media engagement behaviour: A uses and gratifications
perspective. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 24(3-4), pp.261-277.
Ersoy, M., 2019. Social media and children. In Handbook of Research on Children's
Consumption of Digital Media (pp. 11-23). IGI Global.
Gaspar, R., and et.al., 2016. Beyond positive or negative: Qualitative sentiment analysis of social
media reactions to unexpected stressful events. Computers in Human Behavior, 56,
pp.179-191.
Kennedy, K., 2019. Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Well-Being.
Rim, H. and Song, D., 2016. “How negative becomes less negative”: Understanding the effects
of comment valence and response sidedness in social media. Journal of Communication,
66(3), pp.475-495.
Siddiqui, S. and Singh, T., 2016. Social media its impact with positive and negative aspects.
International Journal of Computer Applications Technology and Research, 5(2), pp.71-
75.
Stephen, A.T., 2016. The role of digital and social media marketing in consumer behavior.
Current Opinion in Psychology, 10, pp.17-21.
van Zoonen, W., Verhoeven, J.W. and Vliegenthart, R., 2017. Understanding the consequences
of public social media use for work. European Management Journal, 35(5), pp.595-605.
Weinstein, E., 2017. Adolescents' differential responses to social media browsing: Exploring
causes and consequences for intervention. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, pp.396-
405.
Weinstein, E., 2018. The social media see-saw: Positive and negative influences on adolescents’
affective well-being. New Media & Society, 20(10), pp.3597-3623.., 2018. Social media
and its relationship with mood, self‐esteem and paranoia in psychosis. Acta Psychiatrica
Scandinavica, 138(6), pp.558-570.
Dolan, R., and et.al., 2016. Social media engagement behaviour: A uses and gratifications
perspective. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 24(3-4), pp.261-277.
Ersoy, M., 2019. Social media and children. In Handbook of Research on Children's
Consumption of Digital Media (pp. 11-23). IGI Global.
Gaspar, R., and et.al., 2016. Beyond positive or negative: Qualitative sentiment analysis of social
media reactions to unexpected stressful events. Computers in Human Behavior, 56,
pp.179-191.
Kennedy, K., 2019. Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Well-Being.

Rim, H. and Song, D., 2016. “How negative becomes less negative”: Understanding the effects
of comment valence and response sidedness in social media. Journal of Communication,
66(3), pp.475-495.
Siddiqui, S. and Singh, T., 2016. Social media its impact with positive and negative aspects.
International Journal of Computer Applications Technology and Research, 5(2), pp.71-
75.
Stephen, A.T., 2016. The role of digital and social media marketing in consumer behavior.
Current Opinion in Psychology, 10, pp.17-21.
van Zoonen, W., Verhoeven, J.W. and Vliegenthart, R., 2017. Understanding the consequences
of public social media use for work. European Management Journal, 35(5), pp.595-605.
Weinstein, E., 2017. Adolescents' differential responses to social media browsing: Exploring
causes and consequences for intervention. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, pp.396-
405.
Weinstein, E., 2018. The social media see-saw: Positive and negative influences on adolescents’
affective well-being. New Media & Society, 20(10), pp.3597-3623.