What is social computing?
Social computing is a branch of computer science focusing on the intersection of social behaviors and computational systems. It refers to humans engaging in social behaviors using computers. Examples of social computing include email, blogs, wikis, social networking platforms, and content-sharing sites.
Businesses use social media management software to administer social media accounts, increase brand awareness, manage workflows, and interact with online communities. These tools fully support content creation, scheduling, and social media performance analytics for viewing a brand’s social presence.
History of social computing
The concepts of social computing date back to the mid-19th century, following the invention of the computer. Email predates the internet. The first message was sent from one computer to another on the US Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) ) in 1969. Ray Tomlinson then invented and developed electronic mail in 1971.
In the late 1990s, popular instant messaging applications were launched, including ICQ (1996), AOL Instant Messenger (1997), Yahoo! Messenger (1998), and MSN Messenger (1999),. The rise of social media also began in the late 1990s with the inception of SixDegrees.com, one of the first social media sites. Myspace (2003), Facebook (2004), Twitter (2006), LinkedIn (2006), YouTube (2007), Tumblr (2007), Instagram (2010), Pinterest (2010), and Snapchat (2011) launched in the years that followed.
Examples of social computing
Social computing services vary in their individual features and offerings. Regardless of their structure, social computing services use software to create communities around shared interests. Below are some examples of social computing.
- Email: A simple example of social computing is email, which enables users to connect and communicate with one another.
- Open discussion forums: Discussion forums provide an opportunity for users to contribute and consume discussion-based content.
- Instant messaging applications: Text-based instant messaging software facilitates real time one-on-one and group conversations.
- Social networking platforms: These platforms allow individuals and companies to connect and share information and data. Examples of social networking platforms include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
- Content creation sites: Some websites, like Wikipedia, encourage users to create and share content publicly with broad audiences. Blogs are another form of content creation social computing.
- Content sharing sites: Websites like YouTube enable users to share content with others at scale.
- Open source development: This refers to computer software that users develop in public.
Benefits of social computing for businesses
When used correctly, social computing benefits businesses. Some of the advantages businesses can anticipate from social computing include:
- Increased collaboration. Social computing allows users to form a community based on shared interests, which sparks idea sharing and distribution of information. Social computing services such as wikis and discussion groups encourage team members to connect and collaborate.
- Better communication. In organizations, social computing increases knowledge-sharing capabilities and the speed at which teams distribute information. As a result, team members receive a wide range of information more quickly, and communication across the enterprise improves.
- Higher employee engagement and retention. Engaged employees build a deeper connection with their organization and coworkers. Since social computing lets employees connect faster and provide spaces for them to voice their opinions, it positively influences engagement.
- More customer connections. Businesses can use social computing, particularly social networking platforms, to connect with prospects and customers. Businesses incorporate social computing into their broader marketing strategies in many ways.
- Boost brand recognition. As a form of social computing, social networking platforms enable businesses to increase brand awareness, growing recognition, and manage their public-facing reputation.
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Alyssa Towns
Alyssa Towns works in communications and change management and is a freelance writer for G2. She mainly writes SaaS, productivity, and career-adjacent content. In her spare time, Alyssa is either enjoying a new restaurant with her husband, playing with her Bengal cats Yeti and Yowie, adventuring outdoors, or reading a book from her TBR list.
