Many people now spend hours and hours of every day on some sort of internet-enabled technology – and with so much entertainment and content available there, it’s really no surprise. However, after an hour or two spent online, it’s sometimes easy to feel as though there’s nothing to show for the time. With that in mind, here’s a handy guide to what many people choose to spend their online lives on these days. 

Forums 

Once the main focus of many internet users’ online activities, forums have declined in popularity somewhat in recent years. However, many are still active, especially those that cater to particular niches – such as fan groups, new parents or health communities. Also known as message boards, these sites are designed to facilitate communication on certain topics in an environment that is to some degree anonymous.

Sadly, they’re going increasingly out of fashion, especially compared to ten or so years ago when it was common to see forums for your interests no matter what they might have been. However, while some sites such as Reddit may be considered social media sites now, the opportunity for long-form discussion on there means that many of the best features of old forums have actually been preserved.

Online gaming 

Having fun in a virtual or real-life game environment is one common internet pastime. With online casino games at Stakers.com proving very popular, betting without having to leave your home is now easier than ever thanks to the internet. It’s estimated that millions of people have used online gambling services before, and many people find that it’s a way for them to have some fun without wasting time or energy traveling to a particular location. 

Social media 

While forums may be declining in popularity to some degree, their arguable replacement – social media – is most certainly on the rise. Over a billion people around the world are using Facebook, for example, and when the use of Twitter, Pinterest and many more are factored in, it’s clear that social media is a force to be reckoned with.

With these major platforms already established, the next step for many businesses appears to be the integration of many social media-style elements into their websites. Several business websites, for example, now mimic the chat functions of social media sites through the use of live chat systems, and consumers are starting to find that an increasing proportion of their time on the web is spent speaking to businesses through chat systems and other messaging services.

Most people in America now use the internet, and many of those people are on it a lot of the time. With so many things to do online, it’s clear that everyone can find their rightful place on the internet and enjoy their time there. Whether you like to get stuck into a certain topic of discussion on an internet forum or you prefer to catch up with your buddies on a social media site such as Facebook or Instagram, the activities available on the web are numerous and diverse.