After waking up in the morning and turning on my computer, I instinctively log into my Facebook to see what has been happening in my online life since I last signed in. I do not have an addictive problem to social networking (or maybe I do), however this is just the case for many people, young and old, internet savvy or not as social networking websites have recently become an enormous part of people’s everyday lives. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Flikr, just to name a few, are examples of the many social networking and lifestreaming sites that have been transformed over time to be used not only in social settings, but nowadays in more formal settings such as the workplace as well. As a result of the overwhelming use and presence of social networking, the social network hosts or creators are constantly updating their websites to meet the needs or wants of their users and keep them happy.
Below I have listed 5 tips in which users should take into account in order to have a successful social networking experience, as well as the effect each of these tips has had on the alteration of the networking sites by their hosts.
- Choose the Right Network Service
With the popularity of social networking increasing exponentially over the years, it is no surprise that many social network hosts try to appeal to different social groups more than others. Naturally, since there are many people using online social networking sources these days, the populous of social network users is made up of a very wide variety of people. As a result, social network hosts target and try to attract specific types of people that may be more interested than others in their services. For example, Facebook and Myspace aim to attract users mainly in their teens or young adult years. However, websites such as Match.com or Yelp, Inc. are obviously aimed to attract those of a much older and mature age group. Social networking sites are now being used for more reasons other than social interaction as many people use these sites for work and business as well. So, before starting your social networking experience, make sure you are using a networking site appropriate for your wants and needs, whether it be for recreational use or business.
2. Be Unique: Use Apps and Other Customizable Features Abundantly
Since social networking has grown to become such a large part of each of our lives, there are now many aspects and features customizable to each individuals “profile” in order to create a sense of uniqueness from any other. These may include layout design, the ability to add customizable text, or the recently popular ability to add “apps” to one’s page. These customizable features all help to display the users personality, and set their profile apart from everyone else’s. And, since apps now come in almost any shape or form, even the business world uses apps including currency converters, trip planners, live stocks, etc.
Social networking hosts have taken advantage of the “app” wave of popularity and use their varieties of applications as a positive selling point. For example, Apple recently released a series of commercials entitled “There’s an App For That,” where the point of the commercial is simply to glorify the variety of applications available for a product (in this case the Iphone).
Similarly, Google recently added new customizable features to their social networking browser “Friend Connect.” Everyone can now customize their profile and represent themselves further, which is exactly what network hosts are attempting to do these days.
So, with the abundance in apps to customize your profile, USE THEM.
3. Organize Your Communities: Make Groups
Because there are so many people that you may keep in touch with through online social networking, it is important that you make groups and organize your community. For example, there are over 350,000,000 people as members on Facebook, and on average people on Facebook have 130 friends. In order to have a successful social networking experience, it is a very good idea to categorize your contacts into groups. This allows you to keep track of who you keep in contact with and how often you do so. This also allows for easy accessibility in contacting large groups of people at one time, which may come in handy when trying to send out a mass email for work or trying to get a hold of the guys in your sunday basketball league, for instance. These days, social networking sites often revolve around grouping people together within a similar network in order to use their site. This allows them to have constant accessibility with their community, whether it be to share a picture or share a work presentation.
4. Create A Sense of Online Presence
Once you have gotten comfortable with your social networking site and you being to understand the way it works, create a sense of online presence for yourself by communicating with others using the same networking site or method as you. Usually that is the whole reason you are involving yourself in social networking in the first place; to communicate or talk with other people. Involve yourself in groups to meet people, write on walls or leave comments for friends, and just stay in contact with as many people as you can. Because you have the accessibility to stay in contact with so many people, you might as well use it to your advantage. Make yourself allowable and respond to those who initiate contact with you, maybe even with the intention of trying to have an extended online conversation.
Because people these days have been so conscious as to staying connected and keeping their online presence these days, major social networking sites have started to intertwine, allowing people to manage multiple social networking sites at the same time. For example Twitter and Facebook have an application that allows you to update your status from the other’s networking site. This is because more and more people are starting to use social networking websites, and more and more people are wanting to stay connected more.
5. Update Regularly
In order to maintain a successful social networking experience, it is best that you update or tend to your profile as often as you can. If you want people to view your profile and stay connected with you, it is imperative that you keep it interesting for them. Upload new pictures, leave new posts for your viewers to read, and let everyone know what you’re up to. In the instances of Facebook and Twitter, update your status recently. In the cases of Flikr and PhotoBucket, load new photo albums for people to view. For any blog sites or lifestreaming sites, leave new videos. The point of your involvement with social networking sites is to stay connected to people. You want the people that are going to be viewing your profile to enjoy what they see, and in order to entertain them, you should update your profile regularly.
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