The buzz on social networking

What is social networking?

I have received a lot of questions lately asking, “Tina are you involved in social networking and how can I be?”.  So I thought I would dedicate this issue to getting you started in the world of tweeting & social networking.  The traditional way to interact is face-to-face. But interactive technology has made it possible for people to network with their peers from anywhere, at anytime in an online environment.

So what is social networking and all the buzz surrounding it ?

Social networking is the grouping of individuals for a common purpose.  Although social networking is possible in person it is most popular online these days.  This is because unlike at your workplace or local networking event, the internet is filled with millions of individuals who are looking to meet other internet users to develop friendships and business relationships.

One example of social networking being used for business purposes is LinkedIn.com, which aims to interconnect professionals. LinkedIn has over 36 million users in over 200 countries.

Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to expand their contact base. This is also beneficial to those individuals that are somewhat introverted or lack strong communication skills. Social networking sites are comfortable to use and alleviate the stress of personal interaction that some people experience. Companies can use social networks for advertising products and services and for gaining credibility in their industry. Sites such as Linkedin, allow you to recommend someone’s services; provide testimonials for promotion; or to answer member questions in forums to gain credibility in your field of expertise. Since businesses operate globally, social networks can make it easier to keep in touch with contacts around the world.

Once you've convinced yourself that you are sufficiently informed, you can begin to search for networking communities to join. This can easily be done by performing a standard internet search. Your search will likely return a number of results, including: MySpace, Yahoo! 360, Facebook, Orkut, Classmates, LinkedIn & Twitter.