What it does: Considered the first widespread social network in the world, Facebook remains the most popular; it can be used for sharing media, circulating articles, contacting friends, organizing groups and a host of other functions.
Who uses it: Facebook has the world’s widest user base and a strong multigenerational appeal. Most boomers and senior citizens who use social media do so with this platform. And though it also has younger users, Facebook has lost some of its appeal among millennials and teens.
How to use it for travel: Facebook offers the ability to create private groups of friends, which you can use to share news updates, photos and many other things. Setting up a Facebook group for your travel group is an excellent way to promote your upcoming trips and keep members apprised of travel details and upcoming events.
What it does: Twitter allows its users to broadcast their thoughts and messages to the entire world, but they must do so in short bursts of text that can be no more than 140 characters long. Whereas Facebook posts can only be seen by a user’s friends, all Twitter posts are automatically public.
Who uses it: Twitter has proven to be the platform of choice for public figures, who use it to connect to their followers and fan bases. It is popular with millennials, young professionals and people who want up-to-the-minute updates on news, sports and other events.
How to use it for travel: Twitter posts, or “tweets,” are broadcast in real time, so they are a great way to publicize the sights you see and the photos you take while traveling.
What it does: Unlike other social networks, Instagram exists solely for the purpose of sharing photos and videos, although users can attach captions to their images. It is used almost exclusively on smartphones.
Who uses it: Instagram is emerging as the platform of choice for millennials and their younger siblings, who dislike the political rants and endless debates that often dominate Facebook and Twitter.
How to use it for travel: Because Instagram revolves around images, it is a good place to post photos from your trips, especially if you hope to encourage younger travelers to join you on the road.
