Friends make up our social network. This gets bigger when you get acquainted with others and this in essence is social networking.
But social networking does not end there. It also goes to specific groups like people who share a common interest or hobby. In fact, the most popular one around these days are those found online because you get to meet individuals from other places.
For this to work, someone has to organize the group and in order for it to grow, other people are invited to join. With the web at your disposal, this means creating a website.
These websites are better known as social sites and are very similar to online communities. To become a member, you have to share a common interest be it a hobby, politics or religion. Once your request for membership has been approved, you will be able to socialize by reading the profile of other members and getting in touch with them.
The advantage of joining a specialized social network is that you are sure that all the members share the same interests. Before hundreds of these appeared, people had to contend with “traditional” social networking where those who join may not have to share the same interests to become a member.
But once you are in, you can develop your own social network by finding individuals who share your interests which will take some time and effort.
An interesting feature about social networking is that members who join a site can create their own webpage. This will make people who see your profile want to get to know you which expands your social network.
Despite the advantages and benefits of social networking, there are dangers that you have to deal with. It could be something minor like someone who is impersonating a famous celebrity or worse, an online predator who uses this medium to get his or her next victim.
While websites which operate these social networks on their end try their best to prevent this from happening by screening the members and installing additional safeguards, you are advised to proceed with caution.
If you feel something is not right, report this to the administrator. If you are meeting the member in person, make sure the venue is in a public place.
People who have a lot of hobbies can join more than one social network. To begin, all you have to do is perform a standard internet search of sites which cater to your interests, check each one out and then select which one you want to join.
But social networking isn’t just about meeting new friends. Entrepreneurs and small businesses use it to establish a regular clientele and help expand their business. Healthcare professionals use it to share information about diseases so they are updated about the latest developments. Charities and non-profit organizations also use it to request for much needed aid which will be a big help to their causes.
Social networking has changed a lot through the years especially when people back then had to contend with chat rooms, instant messaging services and emails. If you are not happy with the service provided, you can cancel your membership until you are able to find the right one or use the flaws to your advantage by creating your own.
ust to give you an idea of what is around, here are six of some of the most popular social networking sites.
1. The first is called Facebook. As of July last year, it has the largest number of registered users among college focused sites with more than 34 million members worldwide. Although it is the seventh most visited site in the US, it ranks number one for photos. What makes this social networking site so special is that it generates revenues through advertising which according to some is a little over $1.5 million a week.
2. Next is MySpace which was founded in 2003. According to a study, this social networking site is the world’s sixth most popular English language website and the third most popular in the US. Similar to Facebook, members are able to post pictures, videos, blogs and music.
3. The third is YouTube which unlike the other two only focuses on the uploading, viewing and sharing of video clips. Established in 2005, members are able to upload videos for free and save those which they like in their account. If you want to save this in your computer, there are software programs you can use. The nice thing about this social networking site is that even unregistered users are also able to watch videos.
4. The fourth site is Second Life which is an Internet based virtual world. What makes this so different from the other three is the fact that you are able to create a character and then interact with other members. By interacting with other members, you are able to participate in individual and group activities, create and trade items and services with one another again in a virtual setting.
To date, this social networking site has 8.9 million registered residents with a majority of them that happen to be inactive and some of them are owned by one person.
5. For business networking, one of the most popular ones around is Linkedin which has 12.5 million members. Established in 2003, this social networking site is designed to give registered users a way to maintain contact with people they know so those within the connection can use it to find business opportunities, find jobs and new contacts as well as review or recruit potential candidates.
6. One of the oldest social networking sites around is Classmates which has over 40 million members. Established in 1995, it is a great way to connect with old friends back from high school or college. After so many years, you and your friends have changed and now have successful careers which you can use should you decide to go into business together.
These are just a few of the hundreds of social networking sites around. What makes each of these so popular is the fact that members are able to use it for free and when used for business, they don’t have to pay for advertising. That is unless of course you will be utilizing pop up ads and banners. But the simplest way is to post links to your webpage so members who may need your products or services will get in touch with you or recommend you to someone who needs it.