7 Types of Social Media: Categories and Examples

The seven common types of social media are social networking sites, media-sharing platforms, discussion forums, bookmarking and content-curation networks, consumer review networks, blogging and publishing platforms, and social shopping networks. To identify a service’s category, check its primary function rather than its branding; some platforms fit more than one type.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn center on profiles, personal connections, and shared updates. Media-sharing platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, prioritize photos, livestreams, or short- and long-form video.

Parents can open the app’s privacy settings and confirm who may view a child’s profile, send messages, or comment. Also check whether location tagging and contact syncing are enabled before the account is used.

Discussion forums such as Reddit organize conversations around questions, interests, and communities. Bookmarking and content-curation networks such as Pinterest help users save, categorize, and discover links or visual ideas.

Review each platform’s moderation controls and community rules. On a child’s account, disable mature-content recommendations where available and inspect followed groups or boards regularly.

Consumer review networks, including Yelp and Tripadvisor, let people rate businesses, products, destinations, or services and publish firsthand feedback. Because reviews can contain inaccurate claims or undisclosed promotions, compare several recent ratings rather than relying on one post.

Check the date, reviewer history, and whether the business has responded with verifiable details. Children should avoid posting names, visit times, school locations, or other identifying information in a review.

Blogging and publishing platforms such as Medium, Tumblr, and Substack support longer articles, newsletters, and multimedia posts. Before publishing, inspect audience permissions, bylines, image metadata, and comment settings to limit unwanted exposure.

Social shopping networks combine creator content, recommendations, and in-app purchasing. Confirm seller identity, return terms, total price, and payment protection before buying, and require adult approval for purchases made by minors.

A platform’s category does not determine whether it is suitable for a child; privacy tools, direct messaging, moderation, and minimum-age rules matter more. Review accounts together and use a practical checklist covering visibility, contacts, location sharing, screen time, and purchases.

For more guidance on setting boundaries and discussing online behavior, read the parent guide to talking about social media with kids.