The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines social media as “forms of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (such as videos).”

While services like YouTube and Facebook automatically come to mind, you can trace the origins of social media back to the late 1970s. In the article, you will find a brief overview of the history of social media, from the early pioneers of electronic communication to the social networking platforms that dominate the internet today. The piece includes:

Bulletin Board Systems Internet Relay Chat, Instant Messaging, And Chat Rooms The First Social Networks The Birth Of Social Blogging From Social Dating To Social Gaming The Rise Of Today’s Most Popular Social Platforms

What about you? Anything to add, or did the author get something wrong?

After all, we’ve come a long, long way since bulletin boards. What functionalities and features do you think have most revolutionized social media and marketing over the years?