As social media has rapidly integrated itself into our everyday personal and professional lives, the seemingly overnight growth in the number of platforms, billions of users and sheer, mind-blowing content volume can be both overwhelming and confusing, especially for newcomers.

I mean, what’s the difference between Twitter and Facebook? Isn’t Instagram the same as Pinterest? Who exactly is using Google+?

Fret not, as all will be explained in this one image, which, tongue in cheek as it is, might be the best, simplest explanation of the core differences between the major social platforms that I’ve ever seen.

And it’s all done with donuts.

This summary of the top social channels, including Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, LastFM and (snigger) Google+, is borderline genius. Take a look.

The whiteboard was created by Douglas Wray, and posted to his Instagram account a while back. Yeah, I totally missed it then, but it’s so good it’s a simply irresistible share. Okay, so it’s a little bit flippant, but when you break it all right down to the basics and fundamentals of social media this is almost perfect, and works brilliantly as an introduction for folks who are taking their first steps in this virtual world and are very wet behind the ears.

After all, who doesn’t like donuts?

(Donuts image via Shutterstock.)