Start Your Social Life Online – Part 1 (Social Networking)

So after hearing all of this stuff about social networking, Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, etc. you have finally decided to see what all the fuss is about. Maybe you have already created a Facebook account and started connecting with old friends, and maybe you have even gone as far as creating a Twitter account to follow your favorite celebrities. You may also have nothing more than an email address. This article series is going to cover the areas of starting your social life online, but will also include using social media to build a personal brand and get yourself known by others. If you have ever thought about starting your social life online, NOW is the time.

Social Networking

The first place you want to get your feet wet is with Social Networking. Examples of Social Networking websites are sites like: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, etc. A Social Networking website is any site that has a community of people that allows you to create a profile and become “friends” with others.

The reason you want to join a social networking website first over doing anything else is because it is the least technical, and you can start joining in the conversation with extreme ease. I highly recommend that you start off using only ONE or TWO social networking websites. And I don’t just mean join… you can join a few, I mean REALLY USE them. You will see what I mean shortly.

Don’t worry about messing anything up. A social networking website is not like your computer, you cannot break it by hitting wrong buttons. You will not freeze the website. So jump in there and start playing around with it. This is the best way to learn. The think you may want to watch for is what you write. If it is not a private message, it is public information.

Once you have created your account, you are going to want to start getting yourself connected to others. Search for old school names, organizations that you are in, and even topics that you are interested in. By doing this, you will be able to connect with people you already know and others who have the same interests as you. Building and maintaining relationships is a very important part of your life online. You never know what kind of connections may come of it.

One of the most important parts of getting yourself known and creating a personal brand with Social Networking comes from conversation. Conversation is the building block of any relationship, and this does not change online. You want to look at Social Networking websites as PARTIES. It’s a place to talk and mingle with people who are interested in the same things you are. Give your opinion, let others know your likes and dislikes, and show them you care. This will make others interested in what you have to say and give you the opportunity of creating more relationships.

Building relationships with Social Networking all balls down to growing your personal network and giving yourself a voice. This portion of your online life is going to play a HUGE factor in the next part of this article series which is building your TRUE HOME ONLINE with your very own BLOG. The goal is going to be to use Social Networking websites as a connection to your home online.

Start Your Social Life Online – Part 2 (Blogging)