Social networking is the practice of establishing connections with others, frequently through social media platforms, in order to forge new connections and strengthen current ones. People can establish accounts, interact with other users, send notes to them, and share information on social networking websites. Social networking can take place on large, general-interest social media platforms like Facebook or on more niche, smaller social networking platforms that function as the hub of an online group. Social networking websites are available to those operating in a particular profession, who have similar interests and pastimes, or who require assistance with a particular issue.

A biography is the first thing someone makes when they register for a social networking site. Most of the time, they may stay private, but by revealing a little bit about themselves, they can make it simpler to get in touch with others who share their hobbies or come from a comparable background. One can examine the accounts of other users and interact with them after creating their account and biography (often using the terms "friend" or "contact"). Private texting between users, sharing content (such as pictures, links, and text-based messages) with peers, and leaving remarks on the content shared by others are additional elements that are common to social networks.

Social networking site relationships can take many different shapes. While "following" someone establishes a one-sided link to see their messages without explicitly following them back, "friending" someone establishes a one-to-one reciprocal relationship. Although many people use social networking sites to develop real connections, some relationships formed there may only exist online. Dating sites are also regarded as a type of social networking, as is LinkedIn, a well-known business-focused social networking site where many people establish connections that assist them in finding new employment or advancing their jobs.

Although the words "social networking" and "social media" are frequently used interchangeably, they refer to distinct parts of the same broader idea. Making links between members of an online group is referred to as social networking, which frequently promotes one-on-one interactions and conversations. Instead, social media refers to user-generated material that is produced and shared online and frequently targeted at a sizable audience. In contrast to social networking relationships, social media content-focused websites frequently place more of a stress on algorithms that encourage users to follow accounts they might find interesting than on creating new acquaintances.