Is WhatsApp Social Media - Then How?

As a WhatsApp user, a question that you might frequently notice on the internet or other places is WhatsApp Social Media. If so, then how and why?

You have to know the answer as you’re a part of WhatsApp, and your daily life never ends without a bit of touch with the app.

In this article, we’ll explain the question and see some of the signs that make WhatsApp a social media app. (Although we’re not entirely saying that WhatsApp is a social media).

The primary purpose of this guide is to find some of the significant signs, and if you found these signs in any app or website, you can assume that as social media.

Is Whatsapp Social Media?

The first condition of becoming a social media platform is to give the ability to the users to share their activities on the platform. Since you can share your activities on WhatsApp, you can assume WhatsApp is one kind of social media.

People use the platform as a calling and messaging app. Since the app is free, like Facebook, the number of app users is increasing day by day.

However, when WhatsApp started its journey in the market, its primary goal was to become a popular messaging and calling app worldwide. As the day goes on, they’re updating the whole system and adding new features to make the app more convenient.

If your mind still facing confused to find the accurate answer to the question of is WhatsApp social media, you can answer the query in two dedicated parts:

WhatsApp is a Social Media: You can send messages, make a video and audio call, update profile information. So the term “Social Media” can be used for WhatsApp.
It’s Not a Social Media: If you judge based on the previous day, WhatsApp is a simple communication platform where a group of people or individually a person can connect.

Main Point: WhatsApp has been updated shows that it is no less than Facebook or Twitter. Observations show that WhatsApp is the most straightforward system compared to Facebook or Twitter.

However, if you directly compared WhatsApp with Facebook, the result might be WhatsApp is still a communication app while Facebook is a complete name of a social media platform.

Are you still confused?

Well, let’s know the proper definition of Social Media.

What is Social Media?

The term “Social Media” seems a pretty straightforward word. However, it’s a kind of dynamic word that bears many meanings for different reasons.

In simple words, Social Media is a simple term that refers to a technology-based system made for users to share personal information like videos, images, audios, documents, etc.

The real and one of the most prominent examples of social media are Facebook and Twitter. Such systems allow users to do a lot of activities and share something they like to present in front of people.

What are the features of a social media app?

Before claiming an app as a social media platform, you’ll need to check some key features. Here we have managed and explained some significant points that you can read to know more about a social media platform.

#1: Registering Process: You would be a member of the platform, so having a registration process is the first feature that every social media platform should have included.

Note: WhatsApp has the feature. When people first download the app and open it, they will need to fill up a box with their phone number and open an account to get started.

#2: Revealing Identity: Look, why you’re going to use social media? To let people know you’re a person with a strong identity.

Social media platforms play the game with users’ data, so the second feature that every social media platform should include is the ability to offer users an option to add personal identity.

Note: In your WhatsApp account’s setting, you can add your personal information like your first name, last name, profile image, email address, phone number, etc.

#3: Connecting with People: You want to see people around you and connect with them in a place where you can share your ideas and directly communicate.

A social media app should have a feature that will allow people to connect. If a person shares a photo or idea, other connected people can easily comment on that post.

Note: Due to the Latest updates on WhatsApp, people now can share their ideas or photo in their stories, and other people can react to the shared things.

#4: Live Notifications: Similar to your Mobile SMS from the service provider. However, the notification should be live, meaning if anyone call or message on your social platform, you’ll get a real-time notification. However, this action should execute once the user connects their device to the internet.

Note: WhatsApp has a real-time notification feature that lets people see who calls or message them in real-time.

#5: Sharing Activities: When it comes to using social media, the first thing you may notice is sharing something so that people can see it and react to your shared things.

A social media app without a sharing feature is completely useless now. So one of the required features that should need to add to any social app is a sharing option.

Note: in WhatsApp, you can send text messages, images, emoji format text, audios, videos, and so on. In addition to these, you can also share story-based activities like Facebook.

#6: Attractive UI: in addition to having more features, an attractive user interface indicates how far a social media app will go. If users feel comfortable with the platform, they will frequently use it and tell others to join.

Note: WhatsApp has a simple and easy-to-navigate user interface that anyone can use even when new to the platform.

6 WhatsApp Features that can prove it’s a social media

Registration System: Without registering on WhatsApp, you’ll not be allowed to your account. Since this is the first requirement of becoming a social media, WhatsApp has the feature that will enable people to input their personal information to open an account.

Post-Sharing: Recently, WhatsApp added a feature named post a status. The feature allows people to add new content to share on WhatsApp from their devices. The users who are connected with the people who share the content will see and react to the shared things.

Make Calls: allowing people to make calls on a social media platform is another important feature. Although WhatsApp was only a messaging app initially, now the app allows its users to make both video and audio calls.

Messaging: Social media means a place where people can do a lot of activities, and messaging is one of them. WhatsApp is considered the world’s best messaging platform, so this single reputation can bear a lot of signs to become a social media platform.

Group Chatting and Calling: You can create a group to add many people. After completing the group, your group members can make a group call where all users can join and meet with each other.

Multidevice Support: WhatsApp is now multidevice supported, meaning you can use the same app on different systems and platforms. Its supports android, iOS, Windows, MAC, and even now, it’s available for web-based users like me!

Look at Facebook, and the single platform is available for multiple devices, while WhatsApp also offers the ability to access various platforms.

Live Notification: When your friends or family members call or message you on WhatsApp, you’ll get a real-time notification.

Does WhatsApp have these features?

Yes, WhatsApp has almost all the features that can prove that it’s a social media. However, compared to Facebook, the only issue with WhatsApp is you can’t post like Facebook.

Besides, Facebook allows users to post something in a different view and style, while WhatsApp is limited to offering content-sharing options.

Why is WhatsApp not a Social Media?

If you thoroughly compare all the WhatsApp features with Facebook, WhatsApp will not be considered a social media. However, the mentioned features prove that WhatsApp is a social media.

How Differ Whatsapp from Other Platforms?

Take a look at some of the Alternative apps of WhatsApp, IMO, Viber, Skype, ETC. These apps are precisely like WhatsApp. However, if you thoroughly compare WhatsApp and other apps, you’ll not find a lot of differences.

Viber offers messaging, audio & video calling, international phone number calling, and other features in a single platform, while WhatsApp also provides the same quality. However, users may not be able to reach an international number directly.

It’s not a big deal as such a feature is not a necessary feature for a social media platform. On the other hand, Skype provides the same things as Viber and IMO.

Also Read:

Conclusion:

Is WhatsApp social media? Are you still asking the same query as you’re a daily user of WhatsApp? It’s normal because WhatsApp is now a trending app used by a massive number of users worldwide.

You can assume that WhatsApp is a social media by looking at its wide range of features and functionalities. However, it might not be a social platform from a different point of view.