The impact that social media has had on our society today is incomparable to virtually any other form of technology as social media has not only helped make it easier to communicate with others; but it has completely changed the way people  stay connected to the world around them. With social media, no matter where a person may be located, developing connections with these sites is simple and sharing information and experiences is now quicker and easier than phone calls, emails, letters or any other comparable of communication. Now, even without recent contact information, getting in touch with someone you know can be as easy as having a social media account. Thanks to social networking sites you can even stay updated with what the people you know are doing and saying without the need to engage in direct, one-on-one communication. 

In the current market, there are four main powerhouse social media sites that represent a majority of the social networking world and that have all been developed to help people stay in touch. All of these sites are free and require just internet access and an account to get started.

With nearly one billion users; Facebook is not only the first but also the most used social networking site the market today. With the ability to share photos, videos, posts and engage in private communications with users from all over the world, there are plenty of ways to stay connected with this powerful social media tool.

With more than 350 million ‘Tweets’ being sent out a day from social media site, Twitter, this networking site which emphasizes using short and succinct  messages, makes communicating and reach out to others while on the go a breeze.

Developed with the working professional in mind, LinkedIn provides users with the ability to network with and stay connected with current, past and potential professional connections. Often hailed as the Facebook for the business world; LinkedIn has shown that networking sites can reach far beyond the social experience.

As one of the newest social media sites on the market; Google Plus has taken the idea of social networking and added advanced features straight from the creative minds behind Google to create a comprehensive communication environment that well over 100 million social networkers utilize to their advantage.

With these social media sites along with sites like YouTube and Pinterest, the world of social media continues to grow and thrive. While the first big surge of social networking prevalence in the United States began by targeting younger audiences; today the span of social media users knows no boundaries. Now adults of all ages and anyone with internet access are utilizing these social media sites to stay connected. In fact, the most drastic growth in social media users is actually amongst adult users. With many looking to stay connected with long lost friends, college roommates and old schoolmates, as well as their children and grandchildren, the number of users signing up for social media accounts has been growing by leaps and bounds. 

A variety of internet options make getting online and connected easier than ever [http://www.comcast.com/internet-service.html]. The experience of staying connected to those around you can now be easily accessed from your home computer, phone or mobile device. While some have claimed that the popularity of social networking sites has de-personalized the social experience; even more have found that these sites in fact expand social reach far wider than most people ever imagined and allow people from all over the world to stay connected to those they care about the most.