In case you haven't heard of social networking sites, where in the heck have you been? They are super hot these days, and if you aren't a member of one, then you need to join one right now. After all, you don't want to miss out on the latest and greatest marketing tool created, a tool that will allow you to meet all kinds of people for business or personal reasons. In fact, social networking websites are rapidly becoming the most accepted way of communicating with others on the virtual space.
You might be wondering how social networking websites are different from other virtual communities or chat rooms where you can also stay in touch with other people. The primary difference is that with social networking websites you get to pick and choose who you communicate with and you aren't flooded with messages from people you have no desire in chatting with or meeting.
You see, with social networking websites, you have a group of individuals who are the members of a network. They share a commonality of interest. They communicate with one another via an online platform and their community grows. Plus, some social networking sites are quite picky. You can only become a member if you are invited to join. So, in essence, someone has to vouch for you in order for you to become a member.
Today there are over 200 social networking websites that are available. However, there are only a few which are popular with a significant portion of the surfers. I will list a few for you to try.
Orkut, developed and launched in 2004, is Google's offering to the growing domain of social networking websites. Although a pretty late entrant, Orkut has really caught the imagination of those who have joined the site. The good thing about Orkut is its simple design and ease of use. The website is being updated regularly with extra features being included. Of course, entry is restricted and you must get an invite to join the community. Once you are there, you can upload your profile, have photos in your album, and join communities you are interested in.
Next, let's discuss another popular social networking site called MySpace. In fact, it is so popular that it registered more hits than Google for a month in 2005. Unlike Orkut, you don't need an invitation to join. You simply visit MySpace.com, register, input your information and bam you're a member. As a MySpace member, you can upload a profile, pictures, write blogs and even include video and music clips. And to top it all off, this site is completely free.
Classmates is another popular social networking site. It is actually the forerunner of all social networking websites and was started in 1995. The primary focus of the website is to reunite classmates who had lost touch over time. The basic membership comes free, but many of its services are restricted only to paid members. For example, you cannot search for an old classmate or read their profiles if you don't pay. Because of these restrictions, it has not been able to grow as other networks are growing. But if you agree to pay the fee, you may really get value for your money.
In conclusion, if you are truly interested in becoming a part of the fastest growing trend which is social networking, you should give it a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised and might just meet some great friends and acquaintances in the process.
One of the most controversial and used website is Facebook which is based on social networking. It started in February 2004 and constantly expanded up to 60 millions of users as it has today. It began to be used by students from different colleges in the U.S. and is now used in many countries and people can choose various kinds of social groups, from school to the place of employment or a certain geographical region. It is meant to be a social utility that helps people to interact with other people by joining different participating networks. When it comes to Facebook's popularity, its traffic ranking increased vertiginously from 2006 to 2007 and now it is the most popular website based on social interaction.
The site has a wide variety of functions: its users can post videos, photos or notes they write and show them to their friends. More and more persons use Facebook as a mediator between them and their friends. Sharing all kinds of things such as photos and links allows people to know each other better and to communicate more. The users mainly use Facebook because they can share their interests with others in an easy and friendly way. They also benefit from various privacy settings so no one can see their information unless they want that. Although there were some scandals related to the security one has when using Facebook, people still trust the website and enjoy its offers.
For using this website, people only need an email address in order to register, then they choose a network and they get connected with the people around them. This way, anyone can know a lot of people from the place they work, they study or from the region they live in. Facebook offers to people many applications that make users to be very delighted about using this website. The option for users to control who sees their information and what they want to share with others give them the trust they need fo using such a website. Their profile can contain anything they want from videos to journals and articles.
Although Facebook has an increasing number of users, critics don't agree with the existence of such a website mainly because of the privacy aspects. Studies showed that it is majorly used by young people who post personal information without valuing their privacy. A study showed that children don't understand the fact that other people besides their colleagues can see their information and some of the users don't even know that they can benefit from privacy settings. People usually think that they only share their personal information with their friends; however, a huge number of people can access their profile as well because the users don't think about using the privacy setting. Whether you want to use such a website or not, there is one important thing for you to keep in mind: privacy is one of the most significant things for us and we must realize that. Facebook is a great website just as long as you really share your profile only with the ones you know well.
Both Lana Hampton & Matthias Zeitler are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Lana Hampton has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Vitamin and Mineral Supplement and Fitness. Lana Hampton of is your guide to easy, up-to-date and lucrative social networking strategies. Visit. Lana Hampton's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.
Matthias Zeitler has sinced written about articles on various topics from Shopping, Family Concerns and Environment. Matthias Zeitler has recently launched his first Facebook application. Biotrend provides users with their own daily horoscope and biorhythm.