Virtual communities and social networks focus on different topics. Virtual communities are groups of people online who share common themes or ideas and interact with each other. Users contribute content or open up different topics, and the entire community is interested in the topics discussed there.

On the other hand, social media can be part of a virtual community as a means for each individual. In other words, social media focuses on the self; it's the "I" connected to others, whether family, friends, etc., creating a network.

There are also several points that distinguish them from each other:

• Hierarchy: In social networks there is no hierarchy, since it is the user himself who acts alone, however, in virtual communities there is always a hierarchy, since there must be moderators to guarantee the proper functioning of the community.
  Information: Both are characterized by the flow of information. The only difference is that social networks don't require a flow of conversations; they can only contain contacts. In contrast, communities require conversation, otherwise, without interaction, there wouldn't be a community.
• AimTypically, social media is aimed at leisure and networking, as it is increasingly used for work-related topics. Communities, on the other hand, have a more specific purpose, as they are based on all kinds of interactions with the people within them, where each person can contribute an opinion, answer, or ask a question about anything of interest to the community.
• MarketingWhen we want to promote a brand, social media is a great help in creating events and showcasing new trends, reaching a large number of people of all kinds. On the other hand, communities help us determine which segment of the population is interested in our product, as we can better segment by the users within them.

Ultimately, social networks focus on the relationships and interactions between a specific person and their immediate surroundings. Virtual communities, on the other hand, rely on the interaction of a group of people with shared goals and interests, each of whom contributes to the community.

Posted by: Silvia Gemar